How to take notes like a developer: Breaking poor note-taking habits from university
Tags: student, beginners, learning, retraining
Published: 2022-09-13 21:23:12

# Bad Habits

It's been over a year since I finished university but there are some bad habits I need to break.

I spent most of my time as an undergraduate student learning in a classroom setting. The professor stood at the front of the room, clicked through a wordy PowerPoint Presentation, and expected students to write everything down and remember it for a test. 

Does this sound familiar to you?

## My old note-taking "strategy"

I would furiously take notes and try to **capture every word** onto my paper. After the lecture or textbook reading I would review the notes and create Quizlet cards or a google doc summary to study from. 

_I was aware that this was a poor note taking strategy, but I did well in my classes and had no motivation to change my habits._

___ 

The truth is plain and simple. This strategy is **ineffective for long term memory**. It wastes time and attention on irrelevant concepts and distracts from key takeaways. 

I have trouble remembering most of the fact-based information in college. All those definitions, terms, and case studies I memorized have evaporated from my mind...

> 
(_Thankfully I held onto the practical lessons I learned from my 3 years in neuroscience and psychology research labs which translated well to my job as a research associate and then a research project manager at a tech company - but thats besides the point_).

**I will not make the same mistake again.**

---
# Time for Change 

It's time to completely reset how I learn and how I take notes. 

Instead of focusing on capturing all information while it's thrown at me, I plan to limit what I put down on paper and focus on the bigger picture during lessons.

I will remember what I learn in my full-stack development bootcamp and take it with me as I become a developer.

___

So how will I do this? Here's my new strategy.

## Note-taking strategy for assigned readings

_This strategy is subject to change as I complete the coding bootcamp and discover what works best._

1. Read once through without taking any notes.
2. Take 5-10 minutes to write down the most important concepts from memory.
3. Skim the article and take notes on **key information** (No need to write everything down).
4. Practice key problems or **translate the concepts** to a **real world example**.
5. Convert notes into digestable **blog posts here on Dev.to**!
 
What do you think of this note taking strategy for readings? What methods do you use to accurately capture key concepts during a reading?

_Comment your thoughts so we can become better learners together._

## Note-taking strategy for lectures

_This strategy is subject to change as I complete the coding bootcamp and discover what works best._

1. Listen to professor and prioritize **understanding** material over writing everything down. Only take notes on **key concepts** during class.
2. Practice new material on real-world problems (luckily, these are built into the coding boot camp)
3. Review provided materials to take notes on useful pipelines, commands, or terms. **Write a post on Dev.to to summarize big concepts.**
4. Apply concepts to **class projects** and **personal projects.**
5. **Connect weekly** with cohort/mentors/developer community to ask questions and dive deeper into new material.

_How do you take notes in your computer science or coding classes? What methods have you found most effective? Comment your note-taking strategies!_

It's not easy to change habits. This new strategy will be difficult - but it is **worth it for the outcome**. I will remember what I learn in bootcamp and take it with me as I become a developer.

**Follow me here on Dev.to** for weekly posts summarizing key concepts learned in my full-stack development bootcamp. We can help each other learn and break these old bad habits.