Remember To Read Your Notes

I remember things by writing them down, not so much by reading what I wrote. For whatever reason, the actual act of writing makes information stick in my head better.

I first realized this in high school biology class. The first half of the year, I wrote down all the notes that my teacher put on an overhead transparency. I would just listen to what my teacher was saying while I wrote the notes. Once I wrote them, I never looked at them again. I maybe ran through them once the day before a test, but I never sat down and studied them. And I always got very good grades on those tests.

Halfway through the year, I was aware of the fact that I never actually studied my notes, but still did well and remembered information. I therefore came to the conclusion that I must have absorbed all of that information from listening to the teacher. Writing the notes was just a way to keep busy while I listened and processed.

I stopped taking notes in class and just listened to the teacher. Then my grades quickly dropped. No matter how intently I listened, the information just wasn't sticking. Shortly after that realization, I realized where the knowledge retention was coming from and promptly started taking notes again.

I always write notes to remember things. I have 3 different documents on my computer and scraps of paper all around just for ideas for future blog posts. But I rarely read those notes beyond the titles. That's not necessarily a good thing, though; there is value in reading notes thoroughly.

Your notes have that one word or that one wording, that seminal quality that sparked your desire to write about it.

Remember to read your notes. They may be your greatest inspiration and your greatest aid.