Taking Notes: Computer? No Computer? Handwritten? How to Succeed and Survive in Law School Life
Here’s a decision and an exercise in self-reflection. How do you want to take notes in class?
Parents and professors will tell you science has repeatedly shown those who handwrite do better in class. It’s probably true. Our law review Editor-In-Chief insists on it. Apparently it works for him. There’s a couple problems with this approach. For one, professors end up on hot take rants. They start rambling and encapsulating complex legal doctrines in beautifully worded nine word sentences in the blink of an eye. I can’t handwrite very quickly. Those with laptops are better suited to capture spur-of-the-moment wisdom that pops out without warning.
Another factor is my hand writing. It sucks. It’s hideously brutal. Know your enemy. If it’s yourself, protect yourself from yourself.
The downside is the wild, wonderful world of the internet. It distracts. It captivates. It throws you on the New York Times online to read about the latest Trump executive order, which you will rationalize looking into because you’re now a successful law student who should have an understanding of the world, despite the order having absolutely nothing to do with your Contracts class. You’ll see people online shopping in Civil Procedure by mid-October. This, as you can imagine, is academically detrimental. Do you trust yourself? I don’t know the answer. Only you do.
Here’s a solution. Turn your internet off on your laptop. You’ll have nothing better to do to take notes and stay engaged. Your probably awful millennial handwriting is mitigated because you can type. So much of the experience is limiting your risk to put yourself in a position to succeed. The no internet option gives you the best of both world, as long as you have the self-discipline to not end up on Google Flights, fantasizing over trips to Ibiza.
The same goes for iMessage on a Macbook. You don’t need a JD/MBA to realize seeing all your texts fly across the screen is probably not the greatest academic move in the world. On the other hand, I’d be lying if I didn’t have it up during dead time in lecture.
Law school is a balancing act, and computer use is a microcosm of that. Don’t be a doofus. Trust yourself but be honest.
Make a reasonable choice and try to stick to it. The mere act of setting a goal, acting on it, and achieving it by sticking to it will be worth the trouble.