Exams are upon us: Find out what your note taking style says about you

Now’s the time you’re starting to regret not titling any of your documents

2 years ago

After many strikes and the odd lecture in between, exam season is with us once again. Those seminars and lectures that you never attended feel like a dream compared to these brain-bending exams.

Time passes slowly in the lecture theatres when the only thing to watch is the the rose gold Hiatt Baker laptop gang while your Chromebook threatens to spontaneously combust for the fifth time of Teaching Block two.

Students pass their degrees in many different ways and whether you’re the type to cram whole modules into one 24-hour library session, or if you’re going to breeze through using your A3 mind-map as a sail; here’s what your note-taking style says about you.

‘Has anyone got a pen?’

Angsty and unruly. You’ve probably entered the lecture 10 minutes late to make sure your new Palace beanie gets due attention. Fumbling in your bag for a few seconds, you pull out a torn-up piece of paper that looks like a medieval artefact.

You scribble furiously, but is there any point? We all know that busted piece of parchment is going to the bottom of your heinously oversized backpack and will never be seen again. Sure, you have a ring binder back at the flat, but it would be optimism in its truest form to assume you will remember to sort this out when you get home. Reckless.

No need to take notes when you can just take a picture

Just put your phone away. We all know that those pictures will achieve nothing but get you ever closer to reaching your 64 GB storage limit. Your camera roll is clogged up enough as it is without adding “methods of distillation” to the collection.

Maybe you’re saving it for a witty Instagram photo dump to show the world you are a woman in STEM, in which case, fair play.

Microsoft Word lover

Simple, fair, I get it. We were all kind of raised on Word. Messing about in the IT suite in primary school? Straight on Word. Good times.

Just know that this is a risky gamble. If you accidentally press escape you run the risk of losing everything. If you punch your laptop out of pure rage, I doubt IT services will offer you any help.

You’re no longer fucking about with Jokerman font in size 70 to impress the year six boys! Things get more serious as the education system progresses.

Devoted to Google Docs

It’s simple, it’s effective and it AUTOSAVES. The three second lag and lack of technical sophistication can all be endured when you know that every word of the genius you’re noting down will be saved to the drive.

Now we know why you drag your friends to the dancefloor and sing along so passionately when “Shut up and Drive” comes on at every single BED Mondays.

One note supremacy

You probably actually take books out of the library: you’re organised, on it, and let’s face it, you’re heading for a first.

You’ve definitely followed the Study tubers throughout their schooling careers. I don’t understand this programme, if you have been bothered to download it and work it out then hats off to you.

I don’t know why you need so many text bubbles, each with their own pastel colour code, but maybe it’s secret girlboss scripture, so no one can copy you even if they tried.

Flashcards and Mind maps

You didn’t get into a Russell Group uni by chance. When your teachers told you GCSEs were the most important hurdle of your life, you believed them.

But you’re here now. If flashcards work for you, fine. But your private snapchat story does not need to see them. Uni is about making (and keeping) friends, as well as studying, remember.

Raw dogging lectures with no laptop or paper

The hippies of the lecture theatre. Maybe your laptop died, maybe your pad of paper ran out, maybe you don’t even take this module, you’re simply here for the vibes. Just sit back and recline. The information will seep in via osmosis. Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Making your questions everyones business

Valiant, bold and brave. You came to university because you love your goddamn subject! You pop off in the course group chat and create excel spreadsheets for formative group projects. You are a valuable asset. Keep hold of that enthusiasm, you’ll need it in a decade’s time when you are securing that sweet, sweet PhD.