Stop. Listen. Take Note.

I think one of the major difficulties for college students is that we don't know how to take notes. Not really. 

Our problem is that we take rote notes. We type or scribble every word on the Powerpoint or everything the teacher says. We follow things second by second and take notes on all of them. We write everything down.

I'm guilty of it, simply because I have a reporter living in my brain. I have to be observant. I have to notice everything and focus on ten things at once. But when I'm in class, I have to take a deep breath and remind myself what needs to be focused on. 

Taking notes is important.

But when we take notes, are we really listening?

In my literature class, I scribble down everything the teacher writes on the board, along with my own perspective and thoughts.

When I'm sitting at my desk, my steno book is almost always open to a page I scribble all over. It's my blog notebook. I take notes on things online, on my brain, on everything.

And I take notes from my Economics textbook. 

But what are my notes saying? Is it anything important?

I think it's really important when you take notes that you not only write down what is being said or read, but also what you think about it. Write down your thoughts. Your questions. Give yourself a reason to go back and use your notes later. Write down what you think the instructor is saying, not just what she says. Translate things from the exact words on the Powerpoint or in the book to what you think they mean. 

I don't think you are really listening to someone if you aren't thinking about what they're saying. If you can't use your notes for anything later, like homework or an assignment, you aren' t thinking and you aren't learning.

Be introspective. Question. Think. 

If you aren't thinking, your notes are useless.