Help me with university tips

[Странник]

So guys I'm starting university in Athens,Greece. In a week I'm going to start a language course in order to quickly learn the language, in order understand my lectures.
My programme is Psychology,Philosophy and Pedagogy, so it's not really easy.I have been in high school, but that is not university.
Please give me tips on Note taking . I have some small experience in pen and paper, but is that efficient? Is it worth it to get a netbook and type on that or should I buy a small tablet?
btw if you are going to offer me the netbook option, all apps and stuff need to work 100%.So no wine apps or virtualbox please.

PS
I have a 15,6 inch laptop (3kg) and a scanner already

[SuperSonic4]

I'd stick with pen and paper, it's more efficient in time (plus the battery will never die) and it's easier to write Greek letters with

[Странник]

You are right about the greek. Typing every word's accent...

[schauerlich]

Different classes require different types of notes. For my linguistics class, I can take notes easily on my laptop because, surprise surprise, most of the notes consist of words or IPA symbols. I had to download a character palette for the IPA alphabet, but I haven't run into any major issues with it so far.

Now, some subjects, like math, where you have to write a bunch of symbols that aren't easy to make within your word processing program, are better taken with pen and paper. This also applies to chemistry and physics for similar reasons.

[Kingsley]

Copy notes down quickly in your own words. Also, pay attention to important things that the instructor stresses and write that down too.

[RaZe42]

Copy notes down quickly in your own words. Also, pay attention to important things that the instructor stresses and write that down too.
+1. I just took a class concerning this.

If you're a "visual person" then making mind maps can also prove very effective.

[Skripka]

Copy notes down quickly in your own words. Also, pay attention to important things that the instructor stresses and write that down too.

What is MOST important is to sort out the salient and non-salient. What is the professor covering that is often ALREADY talked about in the text? What of the text does he direct your attention to?

Most importantly, ANNOTATE your book. When you're reading-sort out what is salient and what is not. Often only a sentence or 2 from a whole paragraph is all you need to get the idea-the rest is unnecessary. Underline what is important. Bracket it to draw your attention.

RIGHT after class review your notes. If you WAIT to study your notes until the night before or hour before your next class-you'll have forgotten everything-due to the OTHER 9 or 10 classes/lctures you had since you took those notes.

I often find that undergraduates underline EVERYTHING-and don't bother sorting out filling from content....they also ALWAYS try to write down EVERYTHING in a lecture-and end up never remembering anything because they don't focus on the important ideas.

Lastly, learn how your mind works. What jogs your memory from class? Things? Ideas? How do you remember things? Once you know this, you can figure out how to write things down in a way meaningful to YOU.

[PurposeOfReason]

Right now start your own note language. For example, in math I just shove a superscript 'n' after the first three letters or so. Makes it a lot quicker.

[diafanos]

Welcome to our beautiful country Странник!!

Definitely, you better use just a pen and a piece of paper. Not only it's 100 times more practical and easy to take notes,
but also you have to keep in mind that sometimes you may have to attend three or four courses in a row,
and I really doubt that you could find a plug for your notebook/netbook:)

However if you decide to use an electronic device to keep notes (again, I discourage you to do), you may become the first university student
in history of Greece doing something like that...:lolflag::lolflag::lolflag:

[Странник]

Haha thanks for the welcome.
I have history of Ancient Greece and a lot of courses in Greek history,language and literature :]

[diafanos]

Haha thanks for the welcome.
I have history of Ancient Greece and a lot of courses in Greek history,language and literature :]

'Foreign student studies Greek language and Greek literature in a Greek university'!
Oh my god! It seems too tough for me to handle it!!!
Language and literature was my nightmare when I was a high school student.

However I have to admit that our language may be quite difficult, but it's really fascinating when you start understanding its real meanings.
I keep learning new things about Greek language every day....it's endless.

[Странник]

http://www.ppp.uoa.gr/kat_fil_3.html

It's fun

[diafanos]

Oh, yes you're right....

Let me check them.....

There are some fan courses, indeed...

Oh, well...

just one....

"14. ΨΧ 64 Ηλεκτρονικοί Υπολογιστές Α΄"....

:):):)

[Странник]

I have no idea what product are they going to teach..MS word?

[diafanos]

I have no idea what product are they going to teach..MS word?

Probably.
And if your are lucky, you may learn some things about an amazing software sub-product called ...'MS Excel':lolflag:
Although, I doubt for the latter, because I think it's quite useless in theoretical studies, like psychology.

[Странник]

I will probably skip the course, because it is not compulsory
I already studied MS tools in high school

[mkendall]

This is my experience: I never learned how to take notes in school, partly because I didn't care. When I entered college/university I tried to be the good student and taking notes. It didn't work well for me. I did much better when I stopped taking notes and simply paid attention in class. It worked well for me because I have, well had, a good memory for the kinds of things necessary to do the homework, pass the test, or write the paper. Not saying it will work for anyone else, just that it worked best for me.

[Kingsley]

Right now start your own note language. For example, in math I just shove a superscript 'n' after the first three letters or so. Makes it a lot quicker.
Elaborate.

[PurposeOfReason]

Elaborate.
I'm not sure how to superscript on forums so I'll leave it out. I actually looked at my notes and I do this even if there isn't an n, I just throw in a dash.

Function = Fxn (was fucn bit I blurred the uc so much it started to look like an x)
Equation = Eqan
Solution = Soln
Integral = Itg-
Vector = Vtr (superscript r)

You can grab the idea from those I think. I only have math and CS classes, soon only to be the later, so then notes will be gone forever for me.

[mudguts]

pen and paper. Can't stress it enough.
Less distracting and allows you to interact more with the prof. You can write while looking at him and paying attention as opposed to correcting your mistakes and changing your wallpaper.

[Kingsley]

I'm not sure how to superscript on forums so I'll leave it out. I actually looked at my notes and I do this even if there isn't an n, I just throw in a dash.

Function = Fxn (was fucn bit I blurred the uc so much it started to look like an x)
Equation = Eqan
Solution = Soln
Integral = Itg-
Vector = Vtr (superscript r)

You can grab the idea from those I think. I only have math and CS classes, soon only to be the later, so then notes will be gone forever for me.
OK I get it. I do the same thing, but without superscripts.

function = func.
between = btwn.
intermolecular = IM
solution = soln.
amino acid = AA

Stuff like that.

[matthew.ball]

So guys I'm starting university in Athens,Greece. In a week I'm going to start a language course in order to quickly learn the language, in order understand my lectures.
My programme is Psychology,Philosophy and Pedagogy, so it's not really easy.I have been in high school, but that is not university.
Please give me tips on Note taking . I have some small experience in pen and paper, but is that efficient? Is it worth it to get a netbook and type on that or should I buy a small tablet?
btw if you are going to offer me the netbook option, all apps and stuff need to work 100%.So no wine apps or virtualbox please.

PS
I have a 15,6 inch laptop (3kg) and a scanner already
Take your own notes on pad with a pen during the lectures. Then when you get home write a tex file touching up on your notes. Compile your whole course this way, and when it comes around to studying it's pretty straightforward.

It's important to take your own notes, as the lectures are usually available online (they are for me and my brother both at different schools, I assume most have followed suit), but combined with your own notes it's good (plus, valid reason to learn LaTeX :p).