Video summary

HOW I TAKE NOTES FOR COLLEGE ☕️📚🍂 | using Goodnotes, handwritten notes, diagrams, and study tips!

Main summary

Key takeaways

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Key note-taking & study strategies (College / UCLA)

Fix pre-class preparation (textbook + quizzes)

  • Read the textbook paragraph by paragraph before class.
  • Only write down what’s important:
    • Vocabulary/definitions
    • Examples
    • Otherwise, skip the details.
  • Do the assigned pre-reading quizzes alongside the reading.

Use two layers for textbook notes

  • Create a “one-page” overview (“quick rundown”) for each section.
  • Then add more in-depth notes on the back, so you get both:
    • a fast reference, and
    • more detail for studying.

Highly structured page organization

  • For each week, copy all assigned readings into the notebook before the week starts, using check marks.
  • Color-code by topic/section and keep the colors consistent.
  • Write subheadings in all caps, and box/highlight them to create visual hierarchy.
  • When you encounter definitions:
    • Highlight them (often with a consistent vocab color),
    • then later add them into index cards (mentioned after reading sections).

Differentiate what’s being noted

  • Use different colors/formatting depending on content type, for example:
    • vocab/definitions vs. general concepts
  • Use extensions/visual layout to show sub-subsections and long readings.

Weekly planning aligned to a short course

  • Since summer session is 6 weeks, track where you are and where exams fall (e.g., midterm in week 3/4).
  • Use notebook tabs to label what you’re reading each week.

Lecture note workflow (iPad + Goodnotes)

Handwritten vs. digital split

  • Handwrite textbook notes in a notebook (for retention).
  • Take lecture notes on an iPad using Goodnotes.

Use Cornell-style templates

  • The template includes:
    • Topic at the top
    • A structured question/notes layout (Cornell-style mentioned)
  • Type key headings and keep the design consistent (they mention downloading a font).

Annotate slides effectively

  • If the professor annotates slides:
    • keep the slide open,
    • annotate it,
    • then screenshot/import into Goodnotes.
  • Add questions on the side to bring to office hours and clarify confusing points.

Organize class materials by folders

  • Separate notebooks/folders for:
    • class notes
    • clicker questions
    • midterm review
    • learning objective videos/slides
    • lab materials
    • syllabus/schedule

Learning objectives → exam readiness

  • Use posted learning objective bullet points as a study checklist.
  • Answer objectives in Google Docs (instead of a notebook) to stay organized.

Diagram/productivity support system: one-pager binder + planner

One-pager binder (for memorization + review)

  • Front: concise summary (e.g., what happens in meiosis).
  • Back: detailed step-by-step explanation.
  • Use external resources/websites to help build diagrams.

Planner-based execution

  • Color-code by subject (e.g., purple = bio, blue = math).
  • Use the daily section to:
    • list what you want to complete that day
    • track what’s due / what’s happening
  • Cross off tasks when completed to track progress.

Presenters / sources

  • Presenter: The YouTube creator (no name provided in the subtitles) — college student at UCLA
  • Tools mentioned: Goodnotes, iPad, Google Docs
  • Websites/sources mentioned for diagrams: “a couple of websites” (names not provided in the subtitles)
  • Planner brand mentioned: Everygirl
  • Font mentioned: “Kath” (as downloaded)

Original video