1) Zip-up folder- I do not bring my binder with my notes or even my textbook for that matter, (unless it is completely necessary) to class. I just do not like carrying heavy things to class. I do however, bring a zip-up folder to keep loose papers from getting lost. I like how it’s so light-weight making it portable.
Anita's Pick: I got this one from the dollar store. I like it because it has a black and clear slip compartment and even a place to store a pen!
2) PowerPoint printed notes- Most of the time teachers will post PowerPoint slides for the upcoming lecture. These slides are usually used as a guideline for what the prof is going to talk about so it's handy to have them so you are not writing what you could already have with you. Try to focus on what is not written in the slides and write those points.
Anita's Pick: When you are printing your PowerPoint slides you can make handouts and include a place to write any notes on the right side.
3) Pens- It’s always convenient to have the basic three pens- blue, black, and red. Black and blue pens are typically the most universal colors to write an exam with. Red is good to have for underlining.
Anita's Pick: Zebra has some retractable pens that write very smoothly. You can get a 12 pack of black or blue or a 12 pack of multi-colors including green and purple!
12 Pack Zebra Blue Pens
12 Pack Zebra Black Pens
12 Pack Zebra Multi-color Pens including purple and green
4) Highlighters- Highlighting important facts is a must for me. Remember, not everything is worth highlighting. I do not understand how some people highlight complete paragraphs. Do you actually think you’re going to remember every single word? Try to pick the most important, RELEVANT, points from the paragraph
Anita's Pick: The Sharpie Accent Highlighters are great because they do not bleed through your paper!
5) Textbook Post-it Arrows- These are probably my favorite things ever lol. I use them for every class and stick them in all my textbooks to help organize the semester. I use them to make it easier to find chapters, find important tables, graphs, etc, and just organize my thoughts.
Anita's Pick: Post-it has some great options. These arrows come in five different colors- perfect for assigning a color to a class.
7) Index (Cue) Cards- I actually don’t bring my cue cards to class unless I’m studying with them, but they are still a great way to study for exams
8) Mechanical Pencils- To save the hassle of sharpening pencils, just bring a mechanical pencil and extra lead. If you are writing multiple choice on Scantron make sure your use the correct lead type so that it will show through the scanner.
9) Correction Supplies- It’s always convenient to have an extra eraser and even wite-out with you to fix any mistakes in your hand-written notes. NOTE: If you are in the process of writing an exam, do not waste your time Whiting-out your whole paper though. You could use that time to really focus on writing the exam. Instead, just scratch out what you don’t like and continue.
Anita's Pick: If I am using Wite-out I like to use the correction tape kind because the liquid ones can be quite messy- plus you have to wait for it to dry. As for erasers- I've always enjoyed using the white ones because they really erase every mark!
Staedtler Eraser
10) Student Planner- Even though I am guilty of using my phone as my day planner- schools usually provide students with planners to help you write down important days for project due dates, exam days etc.. Even though you just started school, trust me, those days creep up pretty fast!
Anita's Pick:If your school does not provide you with a student planner you can find one at any office supplies store. Just look for one with a format that suits you!
Weekly/Monthly Planner
OTHER TIPS
*I really do recommend using cue cards to study because it helps you quick reference topics and memorize things on the go (eg. on the train/bus/subway to school). Rewriting your notes in cue card format reinforces what you learned and helps you memorize the most important facts.
*Even though I do not bring binders to class- I do use them for each class. Some people like to put all their subjects into one binder, but I think it is more efficient to just buy separate ones
*I typically bring my laptop to class, but to be honest, unless you want to be distracted- do not bring it! lol
Hope this helped! Thank you to all my new subscribers! You guys are great! Let me know if you want me to blog about something particular :)
