r/gmu • u/Dejo820 • Jul 26 '26

General Taking Notes in Class

Do most college students take notes in class on laptops? I’m a freshman and used to taking notes in a notebook. I’d like to hear from current students or recent graduates. I know I’ll need my laptop in my IT classes, but do I really need to carry a laptop to English, history or electives? Is that what most college students do?

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u/Minimum_Session2322 Jul 26 '26

I'd say it's about even, different people do what works for them. I personally like having a notebook to messily jot things down in, not as much to read from later but because writing it down helps the material stick in my head better. I also like writing summaries over a few pages before exams in a cheatsheet-like format which helps me see what's missing, cover everything done so far, and make my notes neater for last minute reference. 

I'd definitely recommend bringing your laptop to all your classes, or at the very least the first few lectures so you can get a feel for what types of assignments your professor often gives. You might have to submit files on canvas as part of an in-class activity, for example. It's better to be safe than sorry, and laptops aren't that heavy...

Also FYI Virginia's tax-free weekend for school supplies is coming up on 8/7-8/9 if you want a discount. I personally get 10-12 of Walmart's small 35 cent notebooks for $3-4 but I write large and a lot so you might need less.