I was lecturing in one of my classes the other day and noticed that NO ONE was writing anything down. Now I realize that not everything I have to say is important, but the fact that no one was writing anything made me think about the lost art of writing.
I do believe if something is important enough to remember, it’s important enough to write down. This doesn’t just apply to class notes or random to-do tasks or events to put on your calendar. I write down everything: goals, ideas, what I spend money on and useful thinking points from books. The reason to write isn’t to keep records, but to be more aware.
Writing focuses your thinking. When you write something down, you aren’t just creating a paper record, you’re changing the way you think about it. Writing down a goal changes a whim into a conviction. Writing down your expenses changes excessive spending from a bad habit to a conscious choice. Writing down your idea turns a vague suggestion into a clearer concept.
Writing is like an upgrade to your thinking. In the normal flow of thought, you can’t edit typos and make adjustments. If you get distracted, it can be hard to return to your place. And since your short term memory is only about 5-9 items long, you can’t think over more complex ideas.
When you start writing things down, you have an upgraded level of thinking about them. Writing things down makes you more aware of opportunities and problems, like a temporary boost to your IQ.
What Should I Write Down?
Obviously you can’t write down everything. You can’t write down everything said in a conversation. Writing down everything you eat or everything you do can eat up a lot of time. Writing is valuable because it forces you to focus, so writing down everything would ruin the purpose.
You should write down anything you feel needs more clarity. If you need to get in touch with how you feel about something, write about it. One of the best exercises I ever did came from the Julia Cameron book "The Artist's Way" in which she suggests you wake up every morning and just write 3 handwritten pages of whatever comes to you mind. It does not need to be profound thoughts, just write and keep writing whatever is on your mind until 3 pages are filled. You will be surprised after awhile how this exercise will focus you on your concerns, and more importantly what you can do about them.
Trust me when I say that this exercise changed my life. No kidding.
If something is important and worth getting done, it is probably worth writing down. Ask yourself what things could use more focus in your life. Writing isn’t an instant cure that will immediately make you more productive. But it makes you far more aware of what needs to be done and how well you are doing it.
If there is a part of your life that is unknown, inconsistent or in poor shape, you should consider writing more down about it. Write down ideas and make records while you’re working on it, and spend time writing your thoughts when you’re taking a break. If you can keep writing for a few weeks, it can reveal solutions to problems you didn’t even realize you had before.
I suggest committing yourself to writing something down for at least a month. Writing isn’t a natural habit, we weren’t born with the skill and it’s one of the first pieces of technology we had developed. As a result, if you don’t commit to continuing it for a few weeks, you probably will return to relying only on your short-term memory. Thinking is good, but writing plus thinking is even better.
73 comments:
Taking notes in class and writing something down for personal reasons are two very different instances. In class, when you’re writing something down, you’re inevitably missing something else being said. When you’re very engaged into the discussion, very interested in something being said, it feels that you’re absorbing the information and therefore trying not to lose track of that information flow by distracting yourself on writing. On the other side, if something is not making any sense to you, or if something is really difficult to understand, you’ll write it down not because you want to remember it, but because you have to.
I also believe in the art of writing: to me it’s kind of relaxation therapy, just doing something for yourself. That includes not simply planning, which I have to do anyway in order to get anything done, but writing down things that inspire you, touch you, make you feel good, make you think, or make you remember something that matters to you personally. Being “more aware” is another good point: writing down something you came across that you don’t know and want to learn more about.
So why are we losing it? I think it comes back to our most popular management problem, which turned out to be time management. Stress and constant pressure to do more, to do better somehow are limiting our ability to express and develop ourselves as individuals. There’s simply no time today to do much writing if that is not absolutely necessary to get through a day or if that does not guarantee any benefits in the future.
Sometimes, I also apply the writing down technique if I find myself not being able to do or stop doing something. It can be something as simple as “Stop eating junk food!” and just looking at it, handwritten by you, helps. It must have some kind of psychological influence on your mind and actions.
I’ve never had a diary, maybe because I didn’t want anyone to find it and read it. But I do believe that writing down and analyzing your thoughts, ideas, memories and actions has a beneficial effect on you mentally and physically, and is definitely worth trying.
I will admit that I hardly take notes in class. However, it's not because I think that our discussions aren't important. In fact, sometimes I feel like listening and being engaged in the discussion is more important than writing. Especially in a classroom setting. When I was in high school, I'd sit in class and take notes all day. Even in some college classes, I sit there and take notes. Those are the classes I hate the most. Those classes don't get me interested in the topic at all. When an exam comes along, I read my notes, maybe a little reading of the textbook, and then take the test. Two days later if anyone would ask me something about it, I would most likely not remember. Those are the classes where information just comes and goes. In classes like ours, I love how discussions are held all throughout the class. It's not only the Professor's class, but it's like everyone's class. That's what I like most about it.
However, I do agree with Kateryna. Taking notes in class and writing personal ideas are completely different. Writing personal notes to oneself is a great way to be aware. Like you said, writing can change perspective. I actually have a friend who has his cell phone heading as "Stop using money" and he tells me that he actually spends less money. At first I found it funny, but when I thought about it, it can actually work. I don't know if I want to write three pages to myself, but I don't find it as such a bad idea. Maybe simply jotting down notes here and there to start off, and sometime in the future, it'll come out to be three pages, or even more. The art of writing really is lost in this generation, and this post was really a heads up.
Hey Prof. K, it's been a while and I have yet to come by to visit your office in a while. I hope all is well and I think it's about perfect timing where I drop by a note on the importance of writing things down. I decided it's time to restart my blogging entries because it was a great way to jot down just about anything and, it might even be a stress reliever. On the thought of taking notes in class is very important, so as long as the note taking does not occur when the teacher is running off through another topic while were currently taking the notes.
But on another note, how about the current economy? As a finance major, I feel as if it's going to be 10x harder for me to get an entry-level position at a bank or something, but then again, I don't even think I was up for the whole analyst gig anyways. I'm currently leaning towards management roles, just not BlindsToGo. Anyways, I'll make my way up to your office soon. Enjoy the semester!
I think people generally don't take notes in class because the powerpoint slides are posted online and because we have the text book. the less you resources you provide, the more people have to pay attention because that is their only option. Take for instance the class before the test when you gave us the topics for the test. The class was dead silent and people who came into class late knew they missed something very important and immediately sat down and took the notes.
I don't think the idea of writing has been completely erased but its why we write. Like stated before by two people, writing for school and writing your personal thoughts are very different. I don't think anyone is in school because they want to and are there because they have to be so when your forced to do something, you have no motivation to do anything more than you have to. But when it comes to writing goals and dreams and the basic "to-do list," it becomes more of a need and a want and we then have the motivation and the drive to pick up a pen and put it to paper.
Technology certainly doesn't make writing any easier and with laptops, writing has vanished completely. On days I carry my laptop to school, I don't even carry a sheet of paper with me and only carry a pen just so i can sign in for attendance. I personally hate writing because of my hand hurts... it may not be a valid reason but why put my hand through pain when i can simply type everything? I think by having us do these blogs, it gets our mind working and although you think writing has disappeared for a while, we are still thinking and writing, but just with the help of a computer.
Writing provokes thought especially when you do it with no real goal in mind but as college students, we don't have time to just sit and write. I'm up at 12:45 writing this response because it's the only time i have. So with the elimination of technology, HOMEWORK, and just the stress of the every day routine, writing may come back into style and may be more prevalent in every day life.
I definitely agree with what two students have said in regards to writing down notes in class – we’re afraid of missing out on other pertinent info while we're writing. That is certainly the reason why I don’t do it often. For one, this class is not one of those long lecture classes in which you must take notes because there is no way of remembering two + hours worth of spoken information. Also, even more of a reason why most may not take notes is that you follow slides that are available on blackboard. Of course, I agree that if something needs further clarification, then yes, it is our responsibility to either question it immediately or, as your blog points out, write it down as a reminder to follow up on it.
In regards to the art of writing being lost, I don’t think it is completely lost, but I do think it is diminishing. I think one main cause of this is the rise of technology. Technology has a way of taking away certain human/manual activities – such as writing for one. Things that once required good ole fashioned methods are now being replaced with technological substitutions. One student mentioned typing on a laptop in class. This is a perfect example of how the art of writing is becoming more and more diminished as a result of technology. We just have to be mindful of reinstituting the interest and practice of it – both in our personal lives, as you’ve said, and in schools.
You also mentioned that we should consider writing more about parts of our lives that are unknown, inconsistent or in poor shape. This point stood out the most to me from your blog. For a while I’ve been trying to figure out what is my purpose or ‘calling’ in life. About a week ago, my pastor spoke on this topic at church. He said everyone is born with a purpose and certain talents. He also said that many people confuse their purpose/calling with their career or with their interests. The thing with careers and interests is that they are choices and they can change. This year you may be ‘interested’ in knitting and then next year you may drop the whole knitting bit and become ‘interested’ in skydiving – who knows. But what’s important about one’s purpose or calling is that it is constant from day one – it never changes and it isn’t a choice. So how do you tap into your calling or your purpose in life? Discovering it doesn’t happen overnight of course. However, you’ll know you’ve stumble upon it when you find yourself engaged in an activity/deed that consistently brings you a renewed sense of energy that is matchless and very exclusive to you. You’ll find yourself so immersed in that activity that even if others react adversely to what you are doing – you are able to deflect the negativity and continue your pursuit with more vigor than before. I found this message very profound and I do think I’ll start writing about it in hopes of gaining further clarity on this aspect of my life. So thank you for posting this blog because you’ve helped me to at least determine one method of trying to figure this out.
One more thing, I’m curious, in what way(s) did the Julia Cameron exercise change your life?
I also think you should write notes down if they are important. Writing something down brings it to a new "level." You want to capture the exact phrase or line that the person said and the only way to do that is by recording or writing it down. Even if you think you can remember something, chances are you won't remember it word for word. You might understand the general idea, but if it is important you should have all of the details.
I believe this is especially true in class becuase we are tested on almost everything you lecture us on. Some isn't in the book in detail like Potter's Boxes. We need to write that down in more depth to get the answer right. I will learn from experience since I only received half credit on the Potter's boxes essay on the first test. I will definitely be writing everything down I beleive is important. It only takes a few seconds and it can mean a lifetime.
Hi, Professor K I agree with you that we should write our things down. As you said, "if something is important enough to remember, it's important enough to write down." I think writing is really a good habit. It allows you to keep track of all the things that you need to do in the future. Even though you think that you can remember all the things that you need to do in the future; but sometimes there might be still a chance that you will forget the details about it. Therefore, by writing it down the things that you need to do help avoid any details being forgot. Also you can prioritize all the things that you need to do when writting it down. It gives you a sense of what it needs to done in certain time period.
Also, writing can really make you more aware. Such as when I joined a keep fit program offered by Market America, they said that the first important thing to do to maintain your diet was keep a daily diary of what food you eat everyday. The purpose to do this is to make you aware of what food you have consumed in a day. Once you be more aware of what kind of food you eat, you can more easily to maintain your diet and know how to control you calories intake. Therefore, the trainer from Market America stress the important of writing your food diary. The trainer from the Market America said that people who write the food diary more often and in a more detail way have a higher percent rate of being success in the program of losing weight. Writing down my food intake changes my eating habit from eating lots of fast and unhealthy food to eating more vegetables and food. I become aware that I eat too many unhealthy food when I write down my food diary and it influences me to chose a healthier option of food whenever I eat.
Also, as many other people point out, writing can help you release your feeling. Many people found that writing is really effective in releasing stress. I personally found that writing definitely help me release my feeling. Whenever I am upset, I will just take out a piece of paper and write down all the complaints that I have on the paper. Most of the times, I can release my upset feeling by doing this. Therefore, I believe that we should maintain a habit of writing. Not just to help us remember, keep track, prioritize, be more aware of the things and also help us express our feelings and emotions!
I've made half-hearted attempts at keeping personal journals throughout my life and I could never seem to consisetenly write for more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time. I think this is largely due to the fact that I felt like I needed to write with a purpose.
The exercise of simply writing 3 pages of "whatever" is actually brilliant. It really does focus your thoughts. Perhaps even more important than that, it forces me to really contemplate what I'm writing about (since the mind can think much faster than the hand can write or even type). I think I will just write my thoughts about where I want to work, and what it is that I would be looking for in a job after college.
This is an interesting topic. I agree with what others have posted where taking notes for class and writing something for personal reasons are very different from each other. I believe in taking notes in class because it is easier for me to remember what was said in the future. This is especially good when I am trying to review for exams. However, it is sometimes difficult to write down the important points while the discussion is still continuing. By the time I have written down the first important point we are already onto the next topic. Because of this I feel it is difficult to concentrate on listening to the whole conversation while taking notes. I am trying to improve upon these skills to help me in the future because I know by experience that it takes practice to write notes and listen at the same time.
On the other hand, when writing something personally you usually are not subject to listening to a lecture at the same time. So instead of trying to concentrate on both listening and writing I believe it is easier to write down your personal thoughts, goals, etc. while at your own leisure.
On a final note (no pun intended), writing something down that is of personal interest helps to keep me focused but either way, whether it be taking notes or personal writing, I believe both will enhance your writing skills.
In all of my classes I write copious notes because in my daily life I do the same. So you can imagine my shock at seeing the midterm and having my mental slate go blank. Sometimes the essence and what the speaker is trying to convey as important is totally missed by the audience. I spend much of the class trying to incorporate the material with what I'm experiencing at work (which is a daily exercise in mismanagement). And now I realize that I was paying too much attention on where the direct relationship to my situation exists and not enough to the entire material.
I understand that you were talking about how students take less notes in class to introduce the subject on writing, but I blame that on technology(slides, handouts,textbooks, internet...) I think students think why would they copy something that they can access anytime, which is a mistake as often professors talk about things that are not on the handouts or even books. Our first mid-term exam was a perfect example, with our essay question.
I do appreciate all the benefits of writing that you have highlighted and would like to add one I have myself found very beneficial. Writing could be a great stress reliever, not to say therapy. When we write on our journal for example,we allow ourselves to let go of the issues that occur in our lives and instead place them in the notebook, ready to be dealt with when we are more capable or more understanding.Thus, we won't carry as much of what we have written about within us.
I absolutely agree with you about writing. Writing makes things (subjects) clear. Writing helps me to retain information for long time.
I think we don’t write as much in class because of technology --available online slides. However, I write down class notes which I feel very important or don’t understand initially and any information from outside the book and slides. As Kateryna mentioned in her response to your post, this class is so conversational that when I try to write something I might miss another important topic. So, I take little note when I feel absolutely necessary.
I know that sometimes I don't like taking notes...the teacher feels like your not paying attention but actually I feel that when I just listen I get more out of it and that it actually sticks in my head. I know when you write things in class you have them to go back to but then if you just listen carefully you might not need to. I really like the idea of writing things down and I know it helps me plan things accordingly, I keep a daily calendar with me at all times and update it with my dialy tasks and take a look at what is coming up. I think it really helps as well as makes me focus into doing things that are important first and then whatever time I have left to do the things that are coming up.
I agree with you that writing is something that's valuable which can help you to look back things. I used to write journals everyday. But now, i don't because i feel i was writing the same thing over and over again. Here, in America, is not like homecountry, that you can hang out with your friends, or just simply walking around by yourself, and you can observe a lot of things. In contrast, in this country, i feel i am trapped in a cage or something. It is pretty ironic that usually America represents freedom, yet i'm feeling losing the freedom after i came here. All of my friends are living far away from my home, and all of us have to work, so we rarely contact each other. All my life now is simply go to school, go to work, and come back home. Just three places, no more fun stuffs.
My point is writing is something that's enjoyable. You should have a mood to write down something. However, not all people will hold this kind of attitude over their life time.
You are absolutley right to write down is very important to memorize. Before i took the first exam, I did not take any note; it did not mean your lecture was not anything important. I thought that I could find all your saying in blackboard, but it was my mistake. After I took the exam, I realized I had to take a note something important besides blackboard.
I believe the 'art of writing'; when I was a designer in Korea, I was always writing down something to create ideas. Not only it was one of my habbits but also it was very effect for my projects.
If without writing, I could remember my randomly ideas.
Now, I really need writing down note in any situation because I am getting old, so my brain is easy to forget all. Even though it is really seriouse to me, I sometimes do not write.
Therefore, I agree with you "Thinking is good, but writing plus thinking is even better."
I do believe that writing is going to give some benefits in my life.
When I was in Korea, I was the one who hardly takes note in class. I guess I had better understanding than I have right now for class because all classes were spoken in my language. Since I live and attend college here in foreign country, I have to take notes whatever professor talk about in class. However, it’s really hard to write down everything what he /she lectures in class. When I pay attentions to what he/she says, I often miss the chance to write down because I was more into listening, and understanding rather than writing. Especially, after first exam I try to write more stuff on my note for better understanding because I thought I would be okay with test by only PowerPoint slides. It was a big mistake. I realized that taking note is really important to strengthen my memory.
I have lots of friends who keep a personal diary book or journal. They take note lists of what to do, important schedule and whatever they want to jot down whenever they want. I am kind of lazy person as comparing to my friends. Actually, When I observe my friends, I recognize something interesting. They hardly make mistakes, and their ideas are very creative. I tried a few times to be like my friends, but it was not easy. I gave up only a few days later. Also, you said when we write something down, we can change the way we think about it. Like your example about expenses, I don’t write down the expenses what I spent for. That’s why I go crazy when I check my wallet after getting home. I just keep guessing and guessing. I agree with you that I can control myself from unnecessary spending if write down what I spent for. I can even save up more money. The idea sounds easy and simple. But when I take this in action, it’s not easy. It needs lots of patience and a willingness to do.
Regarding to the Julia Cameron book” The Artist’s Way”, you said that this exercise can help us to change our lives.Actually, it did work for your life. Wow. This technique must have a really big power to influence on someone’s lives. There were lots of comments about her book on the internet. Also, many people said this book is considered by successful creative types today’s. It’s worth a try. It's really great that writing makes us aware of how we are doing in life. I am really for your words. I will give it a shot from tomorrow morning. To be honest, I really want to see how myself can be changed to be a better person through this exercise. From now on, I want to consider writing as fun rather than irritating thing to do. Then, I should not lose my original intention with will power while practicing this writing exercise.
When I was younger, my mother told me to keep a little journal where I would jot down all the important phrases, terms, ideas that I find. At the time, I didn't find that idea too appealing and never did that. Eventually, as I got older and found very unique and interesting ideas that captured my eye, I began to jot them down even if it's a line in my planner. Sometimes, when I'm reading, I come across something that stirs up my thinking and I have the urge to immediately blog. I like to blog about things that I find interest in and can relate to. If it's something that is cliche or not within my range of interests, I will probably just listen.
For my other management class, the professor doesn't upload the slides to blackboard and this motivates the students to come to class and take notes. The students usually try to write down everything they see and hear. Meanwhile, the professor is constantly telling us to only write down what's important and not everything. I think when it comes to taking notes for class or to jot down something that stirs our interest, key words are important. I usually jot fragments down and usually when I review, the ideas come back.
I am the type of person who almost writes down everything the professors said in class. Even if the topic discussed is not really related to the materials that will be on the exam, sometimes when I found it interesting I would just write it down. However, recently I have noticed that I have been taking less notes in all classes. I guess a part of that is because most classes professors provide us with PowerPoint slides, and with those, most materials will be on the slide so I just need to jot down few things from class. Other than that, there is another reason why I am writing less, and that is because I see most students in the classroom not writing anything down at all. Some just have slides out in front of them and can absorb information that way. So that also consciously affects my own behavior on note taking.
I never deny that writing is a form of beauty. It is a good way to prioritize upcoming events. It is the best way (I am not sure if this goes same for others) to help me look after my diet. Over the summer, I had been trying to lose some weigh, and by doing so, I kept a journal and recorded daily consumption and daily intakes of calories. Surprisingly after I recorded how much I consumed at the end of the day, each time I felt hungry and wanted to eat, I became more conscious of the amount to eat and what to eat. This really helps me cut down my diet, and I can look at my journal and make adjustments based on it to replace certain food intake. And this has become a habit so far. And recently, in the journal I kept for the summer, I used it for another purpose, which I record how much exercise I do and calories burn (this is just for fun and also I am trying to live a healthier lifestyle). Other than that for personal uses, I also make notice of daily money transaction I spend on when I am on a tight budget.
Although writing is a form of beauty to some people, sometimes for me it is really hard to write on the spot creatively. I often found myself lost in the deep thoughts when I was taking a walk or on the train. Especially when I was on the train, I will take about lots of profound thoughts related to both life and different matters. Sometimes, there are phrases coming up in my head, but when it comes to time to write it down, I just couldn’t remember what those phrases are. I guess writing is more effective in certain areas than others, but it is so important in my life and all of our life.
Personally I would have to say that some people out there are very talented and they can muti task, but I am one of those whom can not. I have tried many times to take notes in my early times and it has come to my attention that I do not write as fast as the professors talk and I have horrible hand writing. There are days where I would go home and try to study and I look at my notes and I would say "What the F**K". My writing climbs up and down the pages and it is worse then chicken scratches. I have learned that it would be more efficient to listen as much as i can and read the book.
I completely agree with you, Prof. Kurpis. Writing is indeed important and beneficial. It could record be said that every knowledge that we have right now is started off by people writing it down such as history, mathematical equations, and etcetera. These important things were recorded down by writing and passed on for next generation. Besides that, it could also clarify things up like you said.
However, I think you’re missing the other elements here too. What about READING it? I personally think that writing and reading go side by side with each other. One is not important with the other. This is because I see a lot of people take great notes but they never ever take a look at it. Then what’s the point of writing it down if they’re not going to read it? Probably this could be part of the reasons why people are not taking notes down anymore.
well you have alot of slides, that is people hardly take any notes...well I took notes sometimes when I don't have my slides but I think most people in class are too lazy to write something because it is more relax to hear to talk all the time. Writing is good for some people like you, but for people like me who hates writing and it is very frustrating because we're just terrible at it. I don't write much unless it is for school related purpose. I know this might sound bad and it does seem like we're losing art of writing but people are overwhelmed by the incredible technology we get used to the habit of letting the machines think of us, letting the machine do all the work, all the writing. I still pay attention in your class, and Im sure many other are too, only we are writing down in our brain, instead of in our notes.
Writing down notes in class is very important. Being able to listen to the Professor and pick up on the important things is key to succeeding. Not everyone can look at a slide, listen to the professor talk about that slide, and write what the professor is saying about that slide. Like Prof. K said if it is important enought to get done its important enough to write down. School work is important to get done so its important to write down.
But writing for school work and writing for yourself are two different things. Sometimes things are easier to write down if you don't have the headache of knowing that its due a certain time and that your grade depends on it. That is why many people do bad on essays. They are put into stressful situations to finish it and then they outcome isn't good.
Either which way writing is a good excercise for the brain and everyone needs it from time to time.
Writing is truly a lost art. I remember learning penmanship in grade school and writing in my journal daily. Texting and emailing have made communicating more convenient but writing is gone. These blog assignments have ignited a dormant desire that I’ve had for the last few years.
The writing blog has offered some very useful advice as to writing just a little each day to work up to writing consistently. This would be very useful as I often forget to do things or things I wish I’d remembered and can not be recalled. I’m sure that putting this writing habit to use will help the recall process and formulating thought.
In our very historic times, I believe writing is going to be very beneficial to the writer as well as to the readers.
I agree with writing things down if its important and your class notes are important. But, I feel that when I write notes, I tend to not think about it and start copying what the professor is saying. I also write notes because its either something I dont understand, or im literally just trying to keep myself awake. Its different for your class though. When listening to your lectures, we have our slides to guide us as well as memorable examples you give us. The activities you create is also a plus because we can reflect on what we've done and remember the things you've mentioned, as well as our own analysis or interpretation of things. I dont fall asleep either because you give funny examples of things here or there. Sometimes the topic is just interesting and I feel that I can learn more if I just dont take notes.
So, even though Im not taking notes, it doesnt mean Im not listening. Its because I am trying to be more involved and truly learning something. Its because I am interested in the subject and not just here because I paid for the class. I am having fun while at the same time absorbing what you are saying. Im sure others probably feel the same way.
Dear Prof. Kurpis,
I am quite surprised that you would think your students are not interested in your lecture because they don't write anything down. Since we have slides, which most of us are very thankful for, we can actually focus on what you're saying instead of stressing with writing it all down and missing half of the information. I find myself very annoyed in classes, where I can barely keep up with taking notes and in the process won't hear half of what was being lectured. It's absolutely great that we can contribute in discussions, which is also a good way to remember the material covered. There is nothing worse than a class where the teacher rambles on and on and won't care what the students' thoughts, ideas or concerns are.
That said, I do take notes in your class but only when necessary, or when something is not mentioned in the slides. I enjoy listening to your lectures and appreciate that we can actively participate.
Concerning writing in general, I completely agree with you, writing is a very powerful tool! It happened quite a few times; I had a great idea, and fool me, didn't write it down, and of course later on I couldn't remember it.
A famous director that I once met said to me: "Always take notes!" It's best to keep a notebook in your bag, where notes are in order of date, so you can easily check back. Even sticky notes are great. I stick them to the wall and every time I work at my desk I look at them. I write down names; people are surprised that I remember their names. Well, it's only when I write it down that I remember them! I don't have a journal, same reason as one of the students mentioned...I'm worried it would get into the wrong hands. Not that I have anything to hide but they are my personal thoughts and experiences, and I don't feel the need to share it with everybody.
And yes, I very, very much agree, goals need to be manifested in writing. It makes a world of a difference to see it written down in your own words.
Free writing is a great way to "free your brain" and create a wealth of information about yourself, your concerns, ideas etc. It activates the brain in a different way than just by thinking or communicating. Whenever I write lyrics for my songs I free write. I put on some instrumental music I like and then just write and write and write, even if it makes not sense. In the end I get an idea and piece it together. Once I have the lyrics, a melody plays in my head almost immediately.
Of course it would be ideal to write 3 pages a day as Julia Cameron suggests in "The Artist's Way" but this might sound like a lot of writing to some and could discourage them to write at all. It's important to keep writing even it's a few words, a few sentences or hopefully more.
It's really interesting to think about it, as you mentioned, Prof. Kurpis, writing is not a natural skill. It was such a big deal when the printing press was invented by Johann Gutenberg around 1439. All of a sudden our written words could be printed and distributed to the world! Today we take it for granted that we have this wealth of information in writing, be it in books, magazines, newspapers or on the internet. It's definitely in our interest to take advantage of this simple and accessible power tool! Write on :)
I don't write often. Especially when I started to attend college, I write less and less on my own, but more for classes purpose. Usually, I have a habit of writing a diary everyday when I was back in Junior High, but since I moved on to High School, I write every week. But now, I hardly write, the only times I write is when I am facing a problem, or when I want to clear my thoughts.
I agree with the fact that, writing focus our thinking, and changes our way of thinking about it. Because we can go back and re-read our thoughts, unlike just plainly thinking about it. If we only think and not keep track of the important thoughts, we will not have a chance to go back and understand our concern.
I believe, one of the reason why I write less and less is because "time", and "complexity". Normally, it takes time to write, especially for writing something that require thinking, it takes a long time for me to write. But that is not the major concern. In fact, starting to write is the "complexity". But, you are right, have a record of what we thinks can help us understand more about ourselves and our thoughts. So, I guess, I will start to write, and keep a notebook with me to keep track of my thoughts, and help me improve my thinking skills. And maybe I will free write in the morning or night for 3 pages...lol
I certainly agree that there is a certain 'art' in writing. I do enjoy writing notes over typing them in class because it helps me collect and correct my thoughts a lot better; it's a more personalized expression of oneself than typing some letters on a screen. For papers that I have had to hand in, I would always commit my thoughts and a first draft to paper, even though it would ultimately be typed up. I feel that I can absorb the material more and words just seem more meaningful.
One thing I do constantly is jot down things to do on my agenda book. It helps me keep a record of my busy life and analyzing them to see what's the most effective way things can be done and in what priority. I think that writing 3 pages of our regular thoughts will be interesting. We can reflect on how we think and what is important to us.
Writing notes or comments to yourself can be very helpful especially if its of interest to you. Usually in class, I listen a lot and I try to pay attention as much as possible but I admit that my mind wonders easily. By writing down notes or key remarks, I can keep my focus on what needs to be focused on. For me, writing something down is also makes it easier for me to remember something. This of course makes it easier for me to jog my memory in my classes. But besides being beneficial to my academic career, I think that writing increases a person's sharpness and their ability to pinpoint their accuracy when thinking about a subject. It focuses their ideas better and if the subject comes up in conversation with someone else, the conversation would be more interesting because you know what you want to say and how you want to say it.
Is writing worth it? I agree writing is a lost art and people dont really understand what can be accomplished simply through writing. When ever i am unclear on something, i would rewrite it and it would suddenly make sense. Its almost as though when you write something down, it becomes part of your thinking process and imposes itself on ur memory. In elementary school, they made us write down vocabulary words five times. Of course by the end of this, my hand would feel as though it were ready to fall off. But because of this i never forgot these words. Now when im in a class and the teacher is spurting out rapid fire notes, i write down everything. At that moment it wouldnt make sense, but when i go back and rewrite, it becomes MY NOTES.
But writing is not only good for memorizing. It also helps add value to things that are important to us. An Idea is worth much more on paper and so is a story.
So lets not lose sight of one of the greatest inventions of all time and hopefully it does not become a forgotten one in the future.
I think people thought that every material that would be important for the test is already on the slides, which was why no one was taking any notes during class.
I have always loved personal and free-writing. Twelve years ago when I first came to America, a teacher who had taught me English assigned a homework for me to write a journal everyday. That was how I really started writing and keeping a daily journal. I still write down frequently till this present day. I agree that writing down your thoughts or tasks helps you keep track of things. I have a habit of writing down whatever needs to be done, or else I would totally forget about them. Other than reminding me of what to do, writing down also makes me more organized; I can easily decide which task needs to be done first according to its degree of importance.
I actually tried writing down my responsibilities in a planner but am not as consistent as I need to be.
What I have learned so far is that writing definitely helps me stay more organized and focused, unfortunately I have a tendency, or learned habit of memorizing everything and often think that there is no need to make any notes.
Going to the store is simple example, if I go without the list; there is 99% chance I will forget to buy something that I intended.
Writing helps you keep on track and focused on the thing that need to be dealt with.
I think that the biggest issue is being able to distinguish between what is more or less important, this relates to note taking as well as defining your own goals.
I agree with this post about writing our thoughts down. I acully even tired it a few times in my life and it helps. But I always ended up stop writing after like a week. I guess I never commited really. I kind of get caught up in other things so I just forget to write anything down.
But with my experience in writing even for a week, it helped me a lot. I use to write down what ver problems that bothered me and while i wrote them my solutions came with them. Also writing down things does help you clarify stuff so you don't have to keep everything in your short term memory. I think after reading this blog I might start writing things down again because got a lot of problems right now maybe writing them down will help my clarify them and even solve them.
I will be the first to admit that I am one of those people in class that does not write down many things that are lectured in class. This is because I personally believe that I'm a better auditory learner, I rather listen to the lecture and understand it than write down every single fact and not understand anything. I do however write down things that I perceive are important to remember and knowledge that I find interesting. Doing this has been my downfall sometimes because since I subjectively write things down, I may not know some concepts on the test because I didn't write it down and it escaped from my memory.
After reading this blog about writing things down and the benefits to it, I would have to agree that it is beneficial to do so. I know this because i do practice some of the things you were talking about such as writing key points from book and writing down goals. Other things you practice I have yet to try and discover its significance.
Writing down things is something I plan on adopting as a part of my daily routine. Hopefully I can avoid being complacent!
I agree that writing is important, but personally, I like to think and listening more than writing. It is because I like to process the ideas in my mind and turn it into my own words so I can understand better. If I only write down everything what the speaker says, I probably understand some of the ideas but not everything afterward. Writing can be really helpful only if you know what you need to be written down so it can help you recall the idea when you see the paper next time. For me, I like to put some main points in my notes but not the whole ideas. Sometimes, I also like to write down how I feel and what happen in my life, because I think writing can help me express my feelings and also I can learn from the mistake I made before and avoid to make the same mistake again in the future. So I believe that everyone should write down something that they think it is important to them.
I think it is important to write things down in class as well. I always take notes in every class because there will simply be things that I will not remember. My memory is good but I can't remember every single detail. If I learn a new technique in a sport, I write it down for me to not forget what I have learned.
Writing things down is a good way to manage your life; such as schedules, to do lists. I disagree with the thoughts above that there is a less need to write things down because there are powerpoints posted online. There are things that are important that can not fit on a slide or comments explaining the material that can not be seen from just looking at the slides.
Also it is important to take notes in class because they might be on a test. I remember on the first quiz given, there were people confused about material that was not in the slides but given in class. Those people did not take good notes.
Writing things down helps also with the retention of knowledge. In addition to just listening, you are thinking about what you are writing as well. You ask yourself if you really understand what was said. If you are just listening, you can just brush it off it you don't understand it. The information goes in one ear and out the other ear.
Writing also helps you explore your feelings and understand why you feel a certain way. Then you can try to find the source of your problems and find ways to relieve them. Writing things down also just gets your mind flowing. I agree that writing brings focus because you can fully explore and write about all your thoughts on a topic.
Some people retain information better by listening. Some people like to write down everything they hear. Some people record lectures. If you record a lecture, sometimes you feel like you don't have to pay attention to what's being said. But personally, I do listen and most classes I have something to say.
First, I must confess that there are certain days that I come to your class and not take any notes. This is not because I think what you are saying is meaningless or that the class is boring, but because you are just repeating what’s on the PowerPoint slides that I have in front of me.
However, when you don’t use your slides I make sure I take down notes of important things you mention in class, in regards to potential questions on exams or just because of its significance.
I definitely agree with you that writing things down forces people to focus. There are times in class where I take notes verbatim and times where I jot down notes after I thought about what was said. In my opinion, taking notes word by word is not a helpful tool in the learning process because it does not require any thought.
As you mentioned in your blog, writing “makes you far more aware of what needs to be done and how well you are doing it.” I actually read this post over a month ago and I wanted to test this belief for myself. I wrote down things that seem to be obstacles at the time such as being more organized, finding a job, participating in class, and etc. I actually found that I’ve been more productive than ever. I have stopped procrastinating and actually attempted to speak up in my classes.
In response to waking up every morning and writing 3 pages of whatever comes to mind is unlikely the near future. I have morning classes and there is absolutely no time for me to sit there and free-write.
I think I am the person who will write down the notes. However, because we have slides/powerpoints on the blackboard..we tended to be lazier to write the notes down.
I also think that not many people want to write down in handwriting because the computer is so much easier and convenient! That is also the reason that I changed from writing the diary in book to writing the diary on web/blog.
As a blogger, I really like to write down every thoughts or small daily thing that I experienced in life. It can let me to memorize what happened in the day, and became a great "memory place" for me.
Also, it is true that it can help me to think through many things in analytical and descriptive/detailed way. So...I definitely recommended everyone to write a blog or something, because it will be really interesting after few months/years' writing, when you can go through the life and memories you had.
I think their is an art in writing. Every since I was younger I have always been writing. I dont write everything down, but I do jot down what I think are important points or views that I would like to go back and remember.
The art of writing is through particing and just write anything thats comes to your mind. I must say to this day I still write hand written draft papers. You would think that I would use the computer now in this day, but I feel more persanol when I first hand write it, then I will type it up. I know that its more work, but I just feel more comfortable and more sure with my writing.
first came writing by hand, then came professors posting up slides online. thats the reason no one writes during lectures, unless the prof says, "this will not be available on blackboard and it is not in your textbook, but will be on your test". then you'll see pens and paper flying!
i agree that writing for personal reasons is one the best ways to express yourself.. because you don't have to lie to the paper, it's not a person, or an essay that has to be handed in. it is your truth on paper that no one can judge, grade or evaluate.
i would love to write 3 pages worth of thoughts every morning, but there isn't enough time in a day for things like that. 3 pages is a little extreme, but i bet it does help soothe a person's mind after consistently doing it. a person could learn so much about themselves.. thoughts they never knew they had or dreams that have yet to be accomplished. i strongly believe that writing is a healthy exercise for personal and educational reasons.
Agreed. Writing things down helped me in life and focus on what needs to be done or needs to be improved. For the past year and a half, I have been thinking about a website idea that I would like to pursue in. However the only challenge I've been having is my financial situation. Initially I thought that making a website was simple and cheap, but hence asking patent lawyers to website companies, its like buy a new car! I have thought-out many ideas and wrote them down, but things have not worked out they way I wanted them to. And till this day I am still writing down my ideas and revising them day by day. Ultimately, I agree with the notion of writing things down the old school way because a few words can lead to a huge idea!
I can say that over the years, the amount I write has gone down. I remember from elementary school and even into high school having to write so many papers. And even in junior high we would get piled with papers to write. In elementary school my class had a writing teacher, so writing was heavily influenced in my class then. But over the years I havent done as much writing except if its a paper for class which is probably one or two a semester at most. As far as taking notes, don't really much do that anymore. Most professors have the notes on the powerpoints which actually makes the lectures more effective, instead of being busy taking notes, we are able to listen to the professor.
I think as college students the problem is that we are often so caught up in trying to catch the material that's going to be on the test rather than writing things down that may help us grow as an individual. I definitely see the point that it would be more beneficial to write things down in order to reinforce information in our short term memory. But that fact of the matter remains, that it often hard to concentrate on life lessons when your trying to pass your next exam.
Although, I must say this blog definitely has me thinking about writing things down more often especially in the future. I know a few people who write down a few short term and long term goals and hang it up in their rooms and I have always admired that. It's a way to keep yourself on track and look at things that you want to achieve when you wake up in the morning.
I am totally agree with you professor, that taking notes is very important. Even in this class of MGT 3120, you make environment so nice an easy going, I don't feel like taking notes. But in my other classes I always take notes, because its professors way of teaching is different. they are very very strict.
In your class, I am not taking a lot of notes so when it comes to exams, its hard for me to remember and absorb all the metrial. On the other hand, in my other classes, I only have to read once and i get it all because i take good notes and it helps me understant the metrial very well by the time of exam.
I also, believe in writing because one, it help us think more critically and other it helps us making sure what we are doing in our life in terms of spending and etc. It also help us what we have to do in future as an agenda.
But I like your class very much. It has so much fun learning and taking it with you.
I have never been much of a writer. Recently, i started writing down quotes that ive read that intrigue me and make me look at things in a different way. When i dont have a pen and paper, i send myself a text message. Every now and then i refer back to my collection of quotes and it really has a positive impact. Theres no way i would be able to remember all these quotes. So all though writing is sort of outdated it has a large impact. If a guy handwrote a letter to me, it would be much more meaningful than anything else he can possibly give me. Writing is very underrated.
When it comes to taking notes in our class, I have to admit that I tend not to write notes because I also know that the powerpoints are available up on blackboard. And also, I feel like the really important things do get soaked into my head. It is easier for me to listen than to constantly look down and write notes and then trying to keep up with the rest of the lecture. One lecture that I remember clearly was the Playboy analogy that you used because I knew that there were no powerpoints and I knew that I had to know it for the test so that information sunk in without me having to write down every single fact about it. I only needed some cue words and my recollection of that class came back.
But when I study for a test, it is very helpful to write notes as I go through the textbook because it helps me to remember.
Outside of class, I do believe that writing things down is essential. For me, it is easier to express how I'm feeling through writing than with words. With words, you forget some things but in writing, you can go back, cross out, and edit.
I totally agree with the importance of writing...Actually for the past few weeks at work I havent been writing down my tasks in the beg of the day like I usually do and i cant even explain how hectic my days get! I usually take 10 min when I get in in the morn just to write down what needs to be done today and look over the day befores notes to see what I didnt finish. when I didnt do it I was all over the place and just not getting things done. I especially like the feeling of finishing my checklist its a feeling of accomplishment.
I also carry my planner everywhere I go and I write down websites I want to visit quotes I hear that I like and just anything I kind of need to get done. It def keeps me on track.
when it comes to taking notes in some of my classes, i'm one of the people who fills up their notebooks by the end of the semester. when i took classes like history and music, i definitely wrote almost everything the prof said down. but, when it comes to this class, i must admit that i don't take many notes. unless it's something you write down on the board, i don't write anything down. i feel like the slides are very self-explanatory and when you go over them in class (like you said) you just point out the more important ones and i would just put a little "*" next to it.
but i agree that writing things down can change the way a person thinks about things. last semester, my friend told me she uses post-its as a reminder to do things. when she finds out she has to do something, she writes it down and sticks it on her mirror. at first i thought it was funny, but i found that it did help me keep track of my "to-do" things. i also just got a planner this semester to help me manage my time.
about writing down things when you first make up .. that's actually funny because i was telling my cousin one time how i almost never remember my dreams in the morning, and she told me if i want to i should get paper and write down anything that comes to mind when i wake up and that'll help me remember lol. but i think (once finals are over!) i will try the exercise from that book. i can only imagine how life-changing it will be.
Most great philosophical minds that we know of, from Thales to John Locke, had one thing in common: They had time and money to develop their ideas. Keeping a journal or diary of your thoughts, to me, seems like an activity of those types of people. Although I believe if something is important enough, we will find time to do it, I also believe in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Self-actualization, which seems to be the result of writing down all these thought, is on top of the pyramid, and at my age I am still somewhere in the bottom worrying about my physiological and social needs. Therefore, although I am with you on how beneficial it can be, I feel that most students are not at the point in their life where it is a priority. And between all the priorities college students do have, anything but them gets put on hold. With this being said, I agree that writing is a lost art, but record keeping and becoming self-aware take on many different forms. For a year now I have kept a record book(s) of things I see, find interesting or may have future use for. This started out as an assignment from an art teacher, to help us get inspiration when we get stuck with a blank canvas, but turned into a lot more. I make sketches, write down url’s of interesting websites and keep track of typefaces I like. Even though this is very different from writing down all my thoughts, self expression and record keeping can come in this form too, or for some in music or lyric composing, dance, and so on.
Firstly professor, people are not jotting down notes in your class because we are so engaged with your lecture we don’t want to miss out!
I completely agree writing is important. Fortunately, writing things down have been a habit of mine. I always jot down everything, especially since my memory seems to be exceptionally shorter than most people’s. If I don’t write it down I will most likely forget it. So I write everything down, raw ideas, to do list, expenses, budgets, ideas for projects, feelings, basically anything important. Usually in classes I tend to write down everything the professor says, despite the fact good note taking suggest filtering out the lecture and jotting down key ideas. Of course, writing down everything is a huge problem for me especially in note taking. Oftentimes, like most of my classmates stated, I tend to be so focused on writing I miss out on a lot of very important points. However, I did find a strategy that does help. I first listen to the concept explained by the professor then; when I understand it, I rephrase it in my own words. This ensures I fully understand the concept and not just mindlessly writing it down.
Although, I do not write 3 pages a day, I do from time to time write a page or two when I need to. Writing thoughts down can clarify problems in our daily lives. I have done it in many instances, particularly when I am frustrated and or stressed about juggling to much in my life. It is a healthy way to vent out anger or frustration. As mentioned before by a student it acts as a relaxation therapy
I think it is true that writing is important. However, i think that writing in class such as take notes is not the same way of writing important things down. For me, take notes is only for study or for me to stay awake in class. But i don't think i will look at it again to think about what's important. I will only look at it when the quiz is about it or there's a homework about it. For the daily life, I don't usually write too. I usually just remember them or think about it right a way. Because even I write it down, I will usually lost it or just forget about it.
Only sometimes, I will write a little blog about what I have be experience or done for me to remember later in my life.
I always thought that writing as a critical skill, is something that is not stressed enough in business school. One of my mentors, who graduated from Harvard Business School and owns a private equity group, told me that he is shocked by the lack of strong writing skills from recent business school graduates. He had to turn down many prospective employees solely due to their writing limitations. Between the number crunching courses we are required to take and the introduction courses that include very limited writing, we embark on semesters worth of schooling where our writing skills are left at the door. I personally worry about my own writing skills and know I must take the initiative to improve when time is available. On a personal note, I think writing out some of my current life issues would be very beneficial to me and should be worth a try. Thanks for the advise!
First off, I would like to address this: “If you can keep writing for a few weeks, it can reveal solutions to problems you didn’t even realize you had before.” IGNORANCE IS BLISS, and I know many people that would not find this appealing; not that I am agreeing with their philosophy on life.
There is a reason why people keep diaries and journals, and after this class, even blogs. Writing is a form of art that many people are unaware of, but should probably consider as a form of expression.
I am religious when it comes to lists. I constantly update my personal, and school to-do list, don’t pack before I have a list, and never go food shopping without a grocery list. Most of the time, I don’t even refer to the list, but because I write my tasks down, I find that I remember them better.
When I was a kid, right before every Yom Kippur (Jewish redemption day), I used to write about all the bad things I did during the past year, and all the people I want to apologize to. Without writing them down, I felt like I would miss something. Also, once I saw it on paper, I realized how bad I was, and made sure that the list got shorter the following years.
During the lesson on communication, we learned that the medium is critical. Where phone conversations or face-to-face interactions are more appropriate since they are more personal, I usually prefer and always try to get away with writing (email, letter, text message, etc.) I feel that when I write things down, I am less likely to miss something significant; where as the other party might interrupt my train of thought if it was a two way communication.
Lastly, I have been writing poetry and song lyrics since childhood. I sometimes find a poem written in the last century, and am pleasantly surprised at the creativity and maturity level of myself at a younger age. I encourage people to write something, anything, and read it a few years later, to see how much they have grown.
I agree that writing is really important. There have been so many times when I've read a book and saw a line that really spoke to me -but I was too lazy to underline it and write my thoughts next to it. I would later want to find that quote and wouldn't be able to, so I'd beat myself up for not just taking a little time to write.
I really like your suggestion to just write 3 pages worth of thoughts each morning. I definitely am going to attempt to do this because I think that's probably when I'll have everything organized in my head. It's also probably a good time because you're slightly more aware of your subconscious. Your dreams are a reflection of your subconscious and I can only recall my dreams within the first few minutes of waking -I later forget it and wish I had recorded it.
I never really thought how powerful writing really is, thanks!
I had a previous professor who told us a very similiar thing. The first midterm, he let ur prepare for it in any manner. For the second midterm however, he made the slides unavailable online which made us write during class. The grades were actually better then the first midterm but I never really thought about it. Linking this experience to what you have written makes more sense.
Since then I like to write down certain points even if they are available online. To me, its just an additional study tool for school. I ALWAYS write down my expenses because I have a horrible memory and I tend to think that I lost money or found some when in reality there is something I am forgetting.
With the focus issue, it tends not to be true all the time at least for me. Sometimes when I am in a rush to get something down, instead of just running through everything in my mind, I instead write it. I am still thinking about everything which leads to my handwriting becoming unreadable.
It was a very interesting article and as noted it can be very beneficial to write things down but seriously, who has the time.
I do agree that it can be very very helpful to ourselves and others if we write things down but in this fast pace life we live in especially in New York, we have no time to spend on something as simple as that. We are college students and we take notes in class when we can mostly because we have to in order to pass our classes but in some cases such as this class for example, the majority of the work to be covered in the exam are given on powerpoint slides which is a good enough excuse for us not to spend time making notes.
In terms of making note of what we spent money etc, in the big city life we look for short cuts and simpler ways to keep track of that other than taking time to write it down. Bank still offer check and deposit registers to their customers for them to keep track of their deposits and checks written but we can take a count of the amount of people that do utilize this method and I'm almost certain the majority surveyed will say they don't. This is due mainly to technology and the online banking system, therefore providing yet another way to avoid writing stuff down.
Julia Cameron mentioned writing down 3 pages of your thoughts in the morning when you wake. Really? In my case I get up at 5AM and have to hit the shower immediately to prepare for work so in order for me to write those pages I would have to get out of bed a little earlier. Is that going to happen? I certainly don't think so.
Basically writing stuff down is good and important but there is not time in this society for that and besides there are ways around that.
I agree that writing is a good habit, I just cant seem to get in the habit of writing. I would really love to, and believe me, I tried. I tried to write in journals back then and after a while..I just don't know what to write about anymore. I even sometimes feel foolish or embarrassed when I reread what I wrote. Although, writing down my thoughts daily is not a habit, I do jot notes down. At times, when I feel like I'll be having a serious conversation with a friend of mines, I would often write down what I want to say so I won't stumble on my words when the conversation does happen. I also like to write down what I need to do and look at it when I'm done. In a way, it helps me plan out my schedule so I won't feel clustered and stressed. But as I'm writing this comment.. I do feel the urge of just typing my thoughts out..hmm..maybe I will start writing, who knows?
I do believe that writing things down furthers the learning experience. Just having the idea in your head is not enough to fully explore the idea and move to other ares and then come back to it. I know from personal experience that writing things down also helps me to remember things as well. Whenever i write things down, like in preparing for tests, i often am able to recall these items later on without having to do verbal repetitions. Also i do not believe that the art of writing has been lost but instead has been further enhanced through technology. Computers have enhanced writing and still does the same job as manual handwriting. I believe that as long as your thoughts are put onto paper, no matter the form, it is still doing the job and helping in further formulating and enhancing your ideas.
I actually have been taking note in the beginning of the semester. I was writing down some of the key words and definitions that I thought was important during the lecture. As time passed, I figured there was pretty much everything that I took the note of was in the powerpoint, except few times where you had written something on the board. Then after the midterms, I decided that I need more than the power points to do better in class. That is when I started taking a laptop to the class. Writing is important, not only because it helps focusing on a idea, but also because it can be a key to remembering. To me, writing basically means writing down what I think is important during the moment. It is difficult, though, to fully express what I have thought into the words I desire. I have tried writing till I get full three pages, but I never got there. The reason was that I could not immediately project what I thought into the words that I wanted to mean. When I read them again sometimes they come out to be something that I had no intention of writing. Therefore I don't write a lot.
I agree that writing down key words and ideas are very important in class, and in our every day life as well. I often write down notes and reminders on my phone, to make myself a nice and clear schedule for things to be done. I learn that this will make my life much easier and more organized because I tend to forget tasks that I should do, and honestly I have learned my lesson. Writing down the expenses is very important as well. and even more important during a recession, isn't it? I think I will start to make myself a excel file to record down my everyday expenses. Oh, one thing I want to mention is, a lot of people tend to take notes with a computer, but I think that writing the words down is much better because we could have a better memory in actual writings.
Yes, i believe taking note and writing down the importants and thing that you want to clarify is important. but sometime while writing note adn the professor is still lecturing, it is very hard to focus. i think that not taking note in a class doesn't mean that the class is boring or is not important. some time i feel that if you're are busy writing note, you might miss some important stuff out from the lecture that the professor is still doing.
i do really agree that writing down things are important. i always have to writing things down because i always forget stuff. like in class, i'm afraid that i would forget this part of lecture i will write a word or two to remember it.
Personally I find it alittle hard writing everything down while listeing to a lecture in class. I feel like when I try writing down what the professor is saying, I end up missing some portion of what he is saying. However when I do write something, I feel like it gets embedded in my brain more easily and later on I feel like I'm more likely to recall something I wrote down rather than just something I heard.
I think Julia Cameron's suggested exercise is actually a very interesting idea that I could be very helpful. I know personally when I wake up in the morning, usually the first few things that go through my head is what I have to during the day. So sitting down and actually writing these thoughts down could not only give me a more clear view of what I need to do, but will also make it more organized which will allow to better manage my time throughtout the day.
I find that often some students are so caught up with taking notes about everything the professor says, that the student will often miss some of the more important things mentioned. This is why there is a trend where some students opt to simply take no notes and listen to everything the professor says. The only problem here is that students often forget some of the more important things mentioned. Students find themselves in a catch 22, which is why it is important to jot down the things that you perceive to be important in class and supplement a lecture with reading from the textbook and reviewing the PowerPoint slides.
I find that when studying, particularly when I have a great deal of chapters to read, I will try to outline the chapters and make notes. In doing so, I have to read the information, comprehend it and then figure out a way to paraphrase it and write it down. While doing this, it generally is in my mind long enough so that it will be stored and I can retrieve it later on, such as during an exam.
I agree entirely with your message about writing down your goals and objectives. I find that when I do that, it stares back at me as I look down upon a list that I need to complete. When it is just an idea in my head, I have the option of simply thinking about something else. If I think about something else long enough, I can forget that one thing and never have to think about it again. Putting it on paper will make you have to come back to it, makes you responsible for something because it is tangible. Even if it is just some ink on a piece of paper, it is real and not just thoughts in your head. Doing that will help you achieve more of your goals and get a substantial amount more done in your life. Additionally, I think it will bring order to someone who has a very hectic schedule. Writing things down is definitely the path to success!
I think this is a pretty interesting advice! I do agree that writing down things is a habit that can be trained and can become easier and easier. It makes a lot of sense that when you write down things, you become more aware of yourself. For me even simple thing as writing out my day plan, makes me so much more focused and motivated to do what i have to do. Also although I never thought of writing just to write anything, but I've done a similar exercise. Maybe not all THAT similar but it had something to do with writing. It was suggested by a psychology professor to write down your dreams as soon as I wake up. Normally people tend to forget what they were dreaming of right when they wake up, but as you train your brain to write down at least one thing that you remember, with time it becomes so much easier, and like I mentioned above, kind of like a habit. And also i remember reading an article that talked about those who keep a dairy and that they are emotionally more stable and aware than those who don't have one. Even though I'm not a big fan of writing in general, I might consider this exercise, just for curiosity! :)
I believe that most of the time people take the art of writing for granted. Not only does it help with memory, but i can be an outlet for what we feel or even a means of communication. The goal of writing on both sides of the spectrum is clarity. Ultimatly we want our writng to have clarity, and it also can add to our clarity. Time and time again, when i dont understand something the professor says, i would write it down. It is then when i read it over, that the true message is revealed. Writing can also add value. It is one art form that i will never forget.
as a person who really enjoys to write and has had two poems published i agree that it helps out for you to remember things and helps with your speaking skills. if more people wrote i think they would sound a bit more intelligent and wont have problems doing essays for class or falling asleep in class
i usually do write down everything important that professor says. unless some professors already write down everything important to a powerpoint lecture notes =)
i would like to try the exsise tho, see how that going to effect to me.
i rarely wirte anything down... usually i will just rely on powerpoints or what my classmate have... though if none of those are available, i dould write thinsg down...
Writing does not have to be physical pen and paper though, typing on the computer accomplishes the same thing and it's an even faster tool which assists in teh writing process. At the same time, people are lazier and tend to do things the easy way out whenever possible so like why write if I can just print out notes?
I am not sure if we can leave comments for these blogs but, I really enjoyed reading this blog and have to mention it! I enjoyed reading this blog since the points made were very clear and made a lot of sense, the are very convincing. I always say to myself that I will write this down so I can do it at a later time, it never works out that way. I can focus on it for a few days in my mind but after that it is gone, and when I remember it later it sometimes is too late. “The reason to write isn’t to keep records, but to be more aware.” I quoted this because it gave me more reason to write down things and convinced me why I should continue doing so. In one sense it is keeping track but then again your keeping track and becoming aware of what you are doing and why you are doing that so in the future if wanted, you can go back and recheck or you can use it for the future for improvement. It is like writing down your thoughts, as you mentioned. Writing thoughts down in a journal or diary helps you organize them. I have to say that it has helped me in organizing my thoughts because usually they would be all over the place and when I write something down it seems as if I can see a clear picture other than just them floating around.
I agree with the importance of writing down things that are important to remember.
In classroom situations the good old lecture is still an important way of transporting knowledge to students. Without taking notes things are not being remembered in a few weeks. Our brain is not made to remember every detail that we find interesting in a certain moment but to remember the big things or specific details of situations that are important to us personally. Lectures in a classroom setting usually don’t fall into that category. I see writing as a very effective strategy to make sure that the important details of the moment are being preserved for times to come. Be it the next test or be it to refer back to that lecture months or years into the future.
Writing down important things today might not necessarily be anything like writing down something in 1984. We use computers, cell phones and other gadgets to quickly record stuff that is important to us.
I cannot see myself writing down three pages of random thoughts every morning. I am not saying that I can’t glimpse the benefit that you describe by doing this over a certain amount of time but I know that I don’t have enough fire in me for pulling this off. To me that kind of writing has no immediate urgency, whereas taking notes in a classroom has immediate urgency for me as I know I need the writing to remember things that will have to be recalled for tests and maybe in my real life job.
I can relate to this blog and I like it a lot. I also have noticed that people are not writing hat much anymore, but that is because there are all those slides and notes posted on BB that additional writing is not that important. I tried a couple of times to put on a piece of paper some elaborate thoughts that I thought are clear in my head; however, it turned out that it is very difficult to do so. Also it is very good to try it because you get to understand yourself as well as the things you don't really understand.
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