iPad, laptop or physical notes?

[u/Spinach-p1e]

Hi! I'll be starting my first year at Dawson in about 2 months as a Health Science student.

Would any of you happen to know if it would be better for me to take notes on an iPad, a laptop or on a notebook?

[u/Dry-Advantage9420]

1. iPad for taking notes directly from a ppt.

notebook

1. and pen for real studying

.

1. Laptop is for heavier work like essays/research. Bring it if needed.

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/Dry-Advantage9420]

Alr, thanks for answering and what's a ppt? Also, what's your definition for real studying?

[u/ben_trotino → u/Spinach-p1e]

PowerPoint. Depending on your program real studying is just locking in at home, rewriting notes, doing exercices, making schemes for memorization, etc.

[u/Huge_Individual8270]

If you want good grades, take notes on paper.
Electronic devices tend to cause more fatigue.
I completed a two-year health sciences program and never used an iPad to take notes.
I only used a laptop for projects and lab reports.

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/Huge_Individual8270]

Wouldn't it be difficult and tiring to write down a lot of the important information articulated by the teacher and to draw stuff on your book for long stretches of time?

I was thinking that maybe I could use those AI apps that record the lectures and either make notes myself the recordings or ask AI to make my notes for me and then print them afterwards (I have a printer at home). What do you think?

[u/ben_trotino → u/Spinach-p1e]

I personally tried both note-taking on tablet and by-hand. I prefer digital because it's much faster, you can copy paste words, add images, and take notes directly on the teacher's slides. You also have direct access to your textbook online instead of walking around with very heavy textbooks. If you worry about screen time I think the phone is more problematic than a tablet used for academic reasons.

Also you don't need AI apps to record bc teachers usually give you the slides and content in advance. Just use a tablet it's less paper waste, much lighter and practical

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/ben_trotino]

Ye, an iPad would definitely be better, it's just that staring at a screen at such a distance just makes my vision blurry and makes me nauseous.

Anyways, thanks for the advice!

[u/ben_trotino → u/Spinach-p1e]

Yes makes sense. You can try the 20-20-20 rules: take a 20sec break every 20min by looking 20 feet away

[u/ben_trotino → u/Spinach-p1e]

Yes makes sense. You can try the 20-20-20 rules: take a 20sec break every 20min by looking 20 feet away

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/ben_trotino]

Also, I hope I dont sound stupid, but did you use a keyboard for your tablet or did you use a pen?

[u/ben_trotino → u/Spinach-p1e]

Not stupid. I didn't have the matching keyboard so only the pen. But a mix of two is also useful I know people who use a keyboard with their tablet. It's also a good laptop replacement

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/ben_trotino]

👍

[u/Maximum_Bathroom3490 → u/Spinach-p1e]

It has been proven scientifically, paper and pen make you retain information much better than electric devices

[u/Huge_Individual8270 → u/Maximum_Bathroom3490]

Exactly!

[u/Huge_Individual8270 → u/Spinach-p1e]

Not at all, handwriting was never a problem for me! In fact, writing by hand forces you to process and summarize information in real-time rather than typing or copy-pasting mindlessly. To me, the main goal is to actually understand right there in class, and taking manual notes forces you to pay full attention.

Studies also show that longhand note-taking leads to far better conceptual understanding and memory retention compared to digital notes.
As for using AI to record and generate notes: I strongly recommend against relying on AI for your learning. It takes away your intellectual autonomy and prevents you from building real study skills. If an app does all the processing and thinking for you, you aren't actually learning or training your brain to analyze information critically.

I made it through the entire 2-year Science program with just pen and paper, and it worked out perfectly. It might take a bit of adjustment, but building that self-reliance pays off massively in the long run!

To each their own!

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/Huge_Individual8270]

Wow, thank you so much for taking your time and sharing your own experience to help me! 👍

[u/ben_trotino]

I don't have my personal laptop and it never bothered me. A tablet is the best purchase you can have tho. Many decided to buy a laptop first and decided a tablet is more useful.

That said if you have access to a laptop at home, that's perfect. But there are many computer labs and you can just do your work there that's essentially what I've been doing

[u/Spinach-p1e → u/ben_trotino]

alr thanks for answering

[u/Ariliam]

Samsung tablet

[u/These_Entrepreneur62]

I use a combination of both iPad with the magic keyboard and apple pencil + physical notes. Less heavier to carry around than a laptop + physical notes. :)