4.     Have a system to take notes.

Do you feel like you should be a better classroom note-taker?  A good note-taking strategy can improve your grades.

During class, it is most important to listen, to concentrate, and to be fully present.  Note-taking should not be a distraction but should help you focus.  First, you need to accept that you can’t write everything down, and then you should listen for the most significant points of the lecture or discussion.  Jot these points down in a notebook, adding your own code (such as a star for items the instructor emphasizes or initials of classmates who bring up points in discussion).  There’s no need to write down things you already know or material covered in the textbook.  At the end of the class, it is helpful to add a short to-do list that you can refer to while studying, such as “Look up these terms” or “check out this book from the library.”