When it comes to notes, I'm usually a bullet-pointer. It's easy and effective for me, and I highlight stuff that is important. It may not be pretty (in fact, it's not pretty at all), but it works. It, however, isn't that great for math notes.

The first math teacher I had (last semester) gave us the tip of numbering our note pages, but since his teaching style was so disorganized it didn't help much. I've taken that advice into account this time, and researched a few ways to write notes, but found something that blended my bullet-point style with math.

First, set aside a few pages to create a Table of Contents.
This will help you later when you are studying and are trying to figure out what the heck you are supposed to study without flipping through a million pages.

Formulas on the left, Table of Contents on the right. I had screwed up the order but it still works.

I update this page with important page info, like Chapter Titles and the pages they are on, or where something specific is. It's an ongoing list! If you end up not using a few pages, tear them out for scratch paper later.

Next, set aside a few pages for Formulas and other important notes.
I write down all the formulas I encounter on these pages and what they are for. I then mark "Formulas" on the Table of Contents as the first few pages, with Formulas being the first page.

I keep a list of Formulas for easy reference at the front of my notebook!

I also have a page where I marked perfect squares and cubes, like an easy reference guide you see on the back of Pee Chees.

I bold and highlight each Chapter and Section.
I also mark them in the table of contents.

Left hand side has the work, right hand side has the explanation with important bits highlighted. Note the page numbers at the top!

Even though I note them in Table of Contents, if I am flipping through the notes, the Chapter and Sections will catch my eye. It also helps them stand out from the rest of my scribble-scrabble.
 
I write down definitions under the Chapter and Sections.
We are never quizzed on them, but it helps to know what is what. I don't usually mark these in the Table of Contents.

My previous teacher quizzed us on definitions, so now I'm a bit paranoid about knowing them. I note them and read them over, which actually does help with figuring out examples.

When showing examples, I do the work on one side and explain what I am doing step by step on the other.
Even if I always remember the order of operations, or to FOIL, or whatever, I always spell it out because I know when I go back to these notes later, I'm going to spend forever trying to figure out what I did where. This will save me time when I am reviewing before a test.

Here's the basic template without my messy handwriting! I don't color-code my notes like this, but you can if you want to.

The book doesn't do a good job in explaining each step. I think it assumes that I understand what its talking about, which can hinder my progress because 1) half the stuff they talk about is from Beginning Algebra which I took in 2002, which I don't remember much of, and 2) they over explain some steps and don't explain others at all.

"Dumbing it down" in notes may seem a little extra, but during review time, as I said, it's a life-saver!

That's it!
As you can see, this is rather utilitarian. There's no fancy colors or zentangles or coding system (all those colors will make my ADD mind go nuts anyway). Just the facts and explanations in an easy to find format. The only other way I think to make my notes better would have been to do them on graph paper. However, since I put all my classes in one notebook so I wouldn't lose any of them like I did last semester, I have to do with plain lined paper.

How do you organize your class notes? Are there any tips or tricks that you use that I haven't mentioned here?

I can go on any college themed blog, it seems, and find a post on how to pick and utilize a planner. Each post will recommend types of planners, color schemes, how to write in one, and how to make it your best friend. I think it's great that people do stay organized, and have a tool at the ready to keep them that way if that's their thing.

But planners are not for me.

I did look into a few of these posts and even tried out some of the strategies on the free planner that the college hands out every Fall, but after two weeks, it fell by the wayside because it was just another thing that said everything my syllabi said, and it added more weight to the stuff I had to carry. I found it cumbersome and annoying, and in the end ditched it to refer to Excel spreadsheets I had set up to track everything.

This didn't last long.

To be honest, unless you are used to using a planner and absolutely cannot navigate life without one, there are other ways to stay on top of things, and most won't add extra bulk to your tote or bag. Here are some of my favorites:

Use a spreadsheet.
When I get all my syllabi, I create a spreadsheet that tracks all my assignments, readings, and due dates. It is easy to edit, and cells are easy to move around in case a professor changes things up on you. You can save it to Dropbox so you can access it anywhere you want. I prefer a utilitarian look to mine, but you can make yours as pretty as you want.

This is generally how my list looks. I will edit it and print out new copies when due dates change. I mark assignments off as done and even highlight rows to bring special attention to things or mark them as done.

If you'd like a ready made template, I've created one that you can download here.


Create a timeline.
I like the Project Timeline template in Excel - which comes for free with your software - to create a visual timeline that helps me mentally keep track of things. A calendar is great, but the timeline with all my assignments visible, and with dates, really helps me visualize when I need to do things. Again, it's easy to edit and you can save it to Dropbox.

You can edit the dates, and add beginning and ends to individual projects. This helps you break down tasks into smaller tasks. The scrollbar helps you see ahead.

Use an App.
Everyone has a tablet or smart phone these days, so why not use it? Having a separate planner when you have a super computer in your pocket seems redundant. There are plenty of Apps out there - that you can also access from your computer - that will help you stay organized. Here's a few you may have heard of, but each one will help keep you organized:

• My Study Life: This is an app that helps you track assignments and exams. It's pretty straight forward, and even allows you to put in your class schedule and any holidays or breaks that may effect your term. You can break the school year into quarters and semesters, and you can download the app to your phone and access your account from your computer. What's great is that it will remind you when things are due.
  

  My Study Life has a calendar feature and organizes by class.

• MyHomework: Similar to My Study Life, you can access it from your phone and your computer. It has the features of My Study Life, but what's great about this app is that you can search for your school and teachers and sync up with them through the app! I particularly love the Homework scheduling app which helps you prioritize your tasks and label them according to if they are simple reports or more complex projects.
  

  You can use MyHomework to keep track of assignments and sync up with teachers who use it!

• Evernote: This is a go-to app for many people, and one of the best known out there. There are a lot of features on Evernote, including recording voices, keeping things in notebooks, organizing handwritten notes, and scheduling. You can use it on any device, including your computer. It is really an "everything included" service that you should look into.
• iStudiez: Sorry all you PC and Android folk, this one is only for Apple and Mac. I have a Mac, but no iPhone, so this won't be the app for me. This college specific app manages your school schedule and tasks, and is a handy little app to keep track of your college life.
• Planner Pro: Available on iOS and Android, this is the planner that keeps track of it all, not just your school life. This is great if you simultaneously want to keep track of all aspects of your life, including work, all in one place without adding extra bulk to your bag. While great on your phone, those with tablets will enjoy using this easy to use app as well.
• Mind Mapper Apps: A mind map is like a flow chart, with ideas springing from other ideas. These are usually used to help you think up and organize ideas, but mind maps can be used to break big tasks into smaller tasks, and break those smaller tasks into even smaller tasks. You can start with creating your first note, "Spring 2017", and from it, create notes for each of your classes. Then from each class note, create assignment notes from your syllabi, and add even smaller notes for additional tasks you anticipate. You can include due dates and other notes with each class as well. I recommend this for the creative folk who don't think from A to B.

  Mindomo is great because you can access it through the web or through an app. Keep track of ideas and info in one place!

While any of these options are great, I stick to my assignment tracker for an easy solution. Anything more elaborate, and I may forget to check it! What's important is to find the solution that works for you: take into consideration your habits, how you think, and how "forgettable" certain steps or methods of organization can be to you.

What planning method works best for you and why?