Welcome to another blogmas post.

During my first year at university, I spent a lot of time wondering what my note-taking system was going to be. When I was doing my A Levels, I used to write all of my notes on paper. I also did the same during my GCSEs. However, I started to realise that writing my notes on paper at university would not be suitable for me. I. now take all of my notes digitally on my laptop which has been working really well for me.

Of course, this won’t be the same for everyone. Some of you reading this may love hand writing your notes for university. Some of you may prefer typing your notes on a laptop like me. The rest of you may have no idea and hopefully I can help with that in today’s post.

Handwritten Notes

The pros of handwritten notes

They are flexible

Handwritten notes are flexible. You are able to write where you want and how you want. If you’re someone who doesn’t like restrictions, handwritten notes may be more suitable for you.

You are able to digest information better

Studies have shown that when you handwrite notes, you digest the information better. This is because you are really having to think about what it is that you’re writing down. With typing, it’s almost like autopilot so you’re not really thinking about the information being typed out.

There are no distractions

With handwritten notes, all there is is a pen and paper. You won’t be distracted by the internet or anything like that.

It’s cheaper than digital note-taking

Buying pens and paper is a lot cheaper than buying a laptop or another type of tech.

The cons of handwritten notes

It can be destroyed easily

There are a couple of ways that handwritten notes can be destroyed. The paper can rip quite easily and water damage is quite common with handwritten notes.

You don’t have backups with handwritten notes

This is pretty obvious but unless you write out notes more than once, you won’t end up with backups. Therefore, if notes do get destroyed, you can be in a bit of trouble.

It is slower to handwrite notes

When you’re writing, it is most of the time slower than typing. This can sometimes be a bad thing, especially if you have a lecturer that talks fast.

It is more difficult to correct mistakes and format

Unless you have correction tape or write in pencil, correcting mistakes is not going to be easy. Of course, you can just cross out any mistakes but it can look quite distracting.

Digital Notes

The pros of digital notes

They are quicker

Like I mentioned previously, it is common for people to type quicker than they can write with a pen. This is helpful when you have lecturers who talk quicker than the speed of sound.

It is easy to correct mistakes

Again, this is something discussed previously. With digital notes, if you make a mistake, all you need to do is press delete or the backspace key on the keyboard.

They are easier to transport

With the likes of iCloud, one drive or google drive, even if you use different bits of technology to take notes, you can always find a way to access them. Equally, if you take notes on one bit of technology like a tablet or a laptop, it’s easier to transport than a binder of notes.

The cons of digital notes

It’s more expensive

Like I mentioned before, buying pen and paper is significantly cheaper than buying a laptop or a tablet.

It is easier to get distracted

With technology comes the internet. If you’re in a lecture that is quite dull, it is easy to get distracted by going on the internet. I’ve been guilty of doing online shopping in a boring lecture before… oops.

You don’t take information in as well as you would with handwritten notes

I’ve mentioned before that typing notes is almost an autopilot thing so you’re not really taking in the information.

I hope this gave you some guidance on whether handwritten or digital notes would be better for you! Thank you for reading and I will see you tomorrow as blogmas continues!

Beth