Nancy Riecken serves on the national board of the College English Association. She has edited numerous academic publications, including the three-volume series, How to Succeed in College. She also enjoys writing children’s stories, personal essays, and poetry. She may be contacted at rieckennj@roanestate.edu
By Nancy Riecken
Guess what? You don’t know it all, and neither do I. This may come as a surprise to you. It did to me. I discovered this when I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to remember when I sat down to take a test. For some reason all that stuff the professor had talked about and had made reference to in the textbook just wasn’t coming back to me.
I remember thinking it was just a lot of “yada-yada-yada” all the while she was talking, the textbook was way too big and wordy, and after all, this was stuff that I could figure out myself. Anyway, none of it really mattered.
After a couple D’s and F’s the light bulb came on. Ok, by then it was sort of too late, I suppose, because “academic probation” loomed before me, and all those folks who said I’d never make it were nodding their heads. I was close to admitting they were right, and I was envisioning a future career in housekeeping or fast food. Except even there I’d have people telling me what to do.
Jump ahead: I eventually graduated with a 2.75 GPA. Nothing great, I admit, but I did graduate. Years later I completed an advanced degree with a 4.0.
What made the difference?
I learned to make use of a pen and paper and actually take notes. I read the assignments, listened to my professors, asked questions, and started thinking about what I was supposed to be learning. But taking notes was the necessary lifeline to my success.
There are a lot of ways to take notes, but the way NOT to take notes is to not even bother. Just do it.
When someone who knows what he’s talking about (teachers, for example) stands up and writes stuff on the board, you need to write it down, too. Do not take pictures of it on your phone. Actually writing – using your eyes to see and hands to hold the pen and paper – makes those neurons in your brain work better. You’ll be able to pay closer attention, and when the professor asks “Are there any questions?” you’ll have some, because your notes list the main ideas, the sub-points, and some examples.
And the more questions you ask the better. Trust me – the professor does not want to do all the talking. Just as neurons need to connect in your brain, so do you need to connect to the brainy prof, who knows more than you. If you’ve read the assignment and paid attention, your questions will be good questions (no more of “I know this may be a stupid question, but …”). And your notes act as a roadmap to knowledge.
Guess what? You’ll come off as one of the smart people in the class. Why? Because you took the time to read, listen, take notes, and ask questions. Think of notes as “necessary obligations to encourage success” and you won’t go wrong.
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