College Life
40 Best Books About Learning and Studying – The 2022 Student Guide
Are you trying to improve your learning style and study techniques? We got you. Check out this list of the best books about learning and studying.
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What makes a great student is more than just natural smarts. Good students know how to learn correctly and often perform specific habits to help them retain information.
You have to learn how to learn before you can be successful. I find this especially true whenever I start a new course.
I never know what to expect from a professor—how they’ll lead lectures or how much homework, quizzes or tests I’ll have.
So, I have to find the best way to learn for my classes. On a larger scale, becoming a good student is more than succeeding in individual classes.
Perfecting study habits like the specific way you color code your notes and structure your study guides comes with practice and advice from others.
Once you learn what works for you, learning becomes straightforward and fun. Personally, for me, books have been life-changing.
There are so many books out there that can help you make improvements to your learning style and study techniques.
That is why I have compiled the best list of books about learning and studying.
Whether you are trying to sharpen your study habits. improve your memory, or get inspiration, there is certainly one book on this list that will be perfect for you.
Table of Contents:
- Best Books on Learning
- Best Books on Study Habits
- Best Books on Memory Techniques
- Best Inspirational Books
- Best Leadership Books
- Best Books about Life in Your 20s
Best Books on Learning
Make It Stick by Henry L. Roediger III, Mark A. McDaniel and Peter C Brown
Successful learning is a practiced skill. In Make It Stick, the authors utilize the learning methods of an array of participants (such as students, doctors and more) to describe how we learn.
This book on learning is an enjoyable read and one that is backed up by research. This book is clear and concise in explaining exactly how the human brain learns and the best ways to improve our skills.
The authors argue that there are many bad ways to learn. Based on scientific research of how the brain learns, the authors describe the approaches we should take to capitalize on learning.
How to Learn Almost Anything in 48 Hours by Tansel Ali
Many times in our university career, we will need to learn things fast. Whether it be that we forgot about an upcoming quiz or missed a lecture and need to catch up on reading quickly, honing our speed-learning skills is a good tool to have in your belt.
Author Tansel Ali is a three-time Australian Memory Champion. In her book How to Learn Almost Anything in 48 Hours, Ali chronicles her secrets to quick learning.
Learn memory strategies like mind mapping and mnemonic devices. When I study for an exam and it comes time to take the test, I sometimes close my eyes and visualize a term I need the definition for based on how it appears on my study guide.
Practicing these habits can help improve your learning skills before an exam or lead to a generally improved memory!
What Smart Students Know by Adam Robinson
Smart students are successful students. I hear all the time how frustrating it is that someone's friend doesn’t have to study but achieves straight A’s in their classes.
That was never the case for me. To be a successful student, I had to become a smart learner. Some students perform better without putting in as much work.
This is due to how effective their learning is. Smart students, as Adam Robinson describes, are successful students because they learn efficiently.
Implementing the techniques Robinson recommends in his book on learning will take time, but with practice, it will become second nature. Putting in the work Robinson recommends will bring you to the core of learning, and pay off in the long term.
Learning How to Learn by Barbara Oakley PhD and Terrence Sejnowski PhD
Though this book is a guide geared toward kids and teens, it warrants a spot on this list because learning how to learn is a skill to constantly improve, no matter your age.
I especially recommend a book that is geared toward a younger audience because these learning skills and habits can act as beginning steps. As a college student, I can say that our time is precious.
Turning to a book on learning such as this one is a practical way to begin improving your skills.
That is not to say that the techniques described are not grounded in science, because Oakley and Sejnowski do base their writing on neuroscience research. Try out the different learning strategies described until you find what works best for you!
Uncommon Sense Teaching by Barbara Oakley PhD, Beth Rogowsky EdD, and Terrence Sejnowski PhD
From the same authors of Learning How to Learn comes a new book on learning.
In Uncommon Sense Teaching, Oakley and Sejnowski, along with Rogowsky, illustrate neuroscience-based techniques in understanding how students learn, and what methods of teaching compliments the best kind of learning.
As a student, there is much we can do to control how we learn. However, we also have to adapt to the changing teaching styles of our professors.
This book illustrates an insight into ways professors can teach to improve student comprehension. In college, we have to become mini masters on specific subjects every four months.
Many factors play in how well we comprehend the information we are overloaded with. This book illustrates how teachers can support their student’s learning styles, and how students can retain the information they learn.
The Mind is Flat by Nick Chater
Unlike the other books on learning, describing tangible habits to improve your learning skills, The Mind is Flat will completely deconstruct your perception of your own mind.
In this psychoanalytical investigation, Chater argues that our mind makes decisions and holds motivations based on past experiences.
While many believe the assumption that our subconscious is what guides our brain—that we have a mental depth that describes us to our core—Chater describes the opposite.
He says our brain is shallow—that we can improvise and change, because the brain improvises reactions and behaviors based on reconstructing experiences of our past.
I could never describe how eloquently Chater theorizes about the brain, only that mine exploded in considering his perceptions and research on the brain.
Essentially, Chater describes the brain for what it is, the science that makes us the way we are. While this read will not explicitly tell you the best way to study for your next test, it offers a much larger perspective to understanding our brain.
And that, of course, is the first step to improving our mind.
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Blink is another book that is sure to leave a philosophical impact more than practical changes in your learning style. Gladwell uses anecdotes in his creative non-fiction style to illustrate his theories on thinking.
Blink describes snap judgments as accurate understandings of the world around us. Snap judgements come with positive and negative effects, such as oversimplifying a situation or perpetuating stereotypes.
Gladwell describes how we can use snap judgements to our advantage. When it comes to learning, many students will memorize information that is in front of them without interpreting information for themselves or critically thinking about information.
Blink is a great book on learning that will make you want to improve how well you make these snap judgements.
Related: 140 Amazing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics – The Student Guide
Best Books on Study Habits
How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport
Not many professors, guidance counselors, academic advisors and tutors are going to advise that the best way to study is not to study hard, but to study smart.
However, Newport takes on this approach. To study successfully as a college student, Newport recognizes that all-nighters and cramming sessions are the norm.
But instead of drenching your study session in anxiety-induced coffee runs, Newport offers solutions on how to study smart and study easy.
I am a firm believer in quality over quantity, and that applies to studying. The tactics Newport describes in his book on learning shows how to maximize efficiency when studying to retain more information while also ensuring terrific performances on exams.
The Study Skills Handbook by Stella Cottrell
Stella Cottrell has over twenty years of experience working with students. In her book on learning The Study Skills Handbook, she outlines different ways students can improve on their study habits.
Cottrell understands that all students are different and will have different learning skills and ways they like to learn. As someone who always loved to draw and paint, I am a natural visual learner.
I can visualize my study guides and learn best from diagrams and charts, rather than reading a textbook for hours. Cottrell takes this approach in her book to describe ways each type of student can improve their grades through study.
The book is interactive, with helpful images, lists and questions to keep you motivated. It can either be read cover to cover, or pick and choose sections that make sense for you.
Study Smart, Study Less by Anne Crossman
Anne Crossman advises students on the best ways to study in her book Study Smart, Study Less. This book chronicles easy-to-learn techniques for studying better, such as creating a study group.
In one of my history classes, we would play review games before a test. I would always review my study guide before these games hoping to win (because I’m that competitive).
In turn, I’ve retained a lot of information from this class based on this study strategy. Another great study strategy that Crossman recommends is discussion groups.
Getting together with another group of students outside class is a great way to solidify the information you are learning, and be more productive.
How to Win at College by Cal Newport
Another book by Cal Newport, How to Win at College is the best guide for an incoming first-year student. At this stage, you have no idea what to expect from your university or your courses.
But there’s some unspoken rule where you don’t want to have to admit that you have no idea what is about to happen.
To come into college with that extra bit of confidence in what to expect when you have no idea what is going on, this book on learning is the perfect guide.
Whether you’re one to always have a tedious plan, or a go with the flow kind of person, this book will prepare you on living your best and most successful college life.
College Rules! by Sherrie Nist-Olejnik and Jodi Patrick Holschuh
This is another great book for first year students and doubles as a genius graduation gift! This book offers the cold, hard truth about what to expect in college.
By discussing the unofficial-official rules on how to conduct yourself in your classes, this book recalls how to maximize your college experience.
One of my favorite sections of this book is how to handle an upcoming exam week (or, stress week).
Usually, midterms and finals are when you’ll have a stress week—a time when all of your tests, papers, projects and presentations fall in the same week. Following the advice of the authors, you’ll be able to manage your stress week by prioritizing certain study habits.
Study with Me by Jasmine Shao, Alyssa Jagan
Improving your study habits occurs in more places than just before you study for an exam. Authors Shao and Jagan take on the perspective of improving your note taking style to better absorb information and study effectively.
Shao and Jagan utilize bullet journaling to improve note taking. I am well versed in bullet journaling—having kept one before and attended talks on the benefits of bullet journaling.
I’ve never considered this form of journaling as a way to take notes for class, however, Shao and Jagan explain how easy it is to adapt.
Bullet journaling is a way to organize your time and schedule through to-do lists, habit tracking, goal-setting, and more.
Expanding your bullet journal to note taking is a way to improve your organization and study skills all in one. This is a great book on learning for people who like to get creative when they study!
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Best Books on Memory Techniques
How to Remember Everything by Jacob Sager Weinstein, Odd Dot, Barbara Malley (Illustrator)
This memory book is intended to help kids learn to memorize dates, names and more. However, some of the strategies can be elevated to apply to improving our own memories!
I have a really bad memory and most of the time I forget what things I’ve done, like if I was there for a certain event or memory with friends.
This book on learning offers fun and unique memory games to help strengthen your memory. The book has fun illustrations and easy-to-explain steps to practice memorization skills. It’s the perfect book to help practice improving your memory in all areas.
The Neuroethics of Memory by Walter Glannon
When I am first trying to understand a concept, I always turn to the how and why. How do we create memories? How are memories stored?
Why can I remember my phone number, but not what I did for dinner last week? The Neuroethics of Memory is the perfect book to explain the science of memory.
Additionally, this book deals with the downfalls of memory and certain ethical lines of forgetting. This book is thought provoking and highlights the darker side of memory, when you really can’t remember.
This is a great read for college students interested in how memory can work for and against us.
How to Develop a Brilliant Memory Toolkit by Dominic O’Brien
In order to boost your memory and recall skills, utilize the step-by-step guide to create your memory tool kit. The kit is comprised of three sections.
First, the explanation of memory techniques. Second, a memory journey map that uses mental association for recall. And third, a set of flashcards for memory exercises.
Improving your memory is both learning these techniques and applying the practice. As a college student, practicing these memory tricks can help you to retain more information in lectures and help you prepare for presentations and speeches as well!
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
Moonwalking with Einstein is a beautiful story of memory. Joshua Foer chronicles his quest to improve his own memory. Relying on ancient tactics of remembering stories, modern research and distinguished techniques,
Foer goes on a journey to strengthen his mind. This book isn’t about teaching you to improve your own memory skills, rather it teaches you how to appreciate your memory and how we create memories.
In college, you are going to spend a lot of time reading things you probably did not want to have to read.
In your free time, you’re going to want to pick up a book that will not only teach you something new intellectually, but also teach you something about yourself.
Memory Tips & Tricks by Calistoga Press
Calistoga Press relates improving your memory as a work out for your brain. Like any other muscle, your brain requires exercise and practice to be at its peak performance.
Practicing your memory skills will help you retain more information and be able to recall information when needed. This book on learning explains seven exercises that are supported by research to improve your memory.
Additionally, the book explains how we store and recall memory, the difference between short and long-term memory and memory recall. The book also explains how things like diet, caffeine, sleep cycles, stress and more can all affect your memory.
Unlimited Memory by Kevin Horsley
Horsley argues that improving your memory can create a positive impact on your productivity. He states that many people do not tap into the full capability of their memory.
The book explains that by practicing to concentrate and focus your attention, you can improve your memory and recall. One memory method you can explore in this book is a technique for remembering names.
Another memory method will help you remember lists without having to write one down. Lastly, this book on learning explains what bad habits are disturbing your ability to improve your memory.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
This book has seriously changed my perception of memory, and what it means to hold memories. This beautiful work of fiction follows the life of Addie LaRue, who sold her soul to the darkness for total freedom.
Her freedom granted her eternal life, but cost her the inability to leave a mark. She can’t write her name, no one remembers her after conversations end and she can’t hold possessions.
Throughout this tale, Addie learns how she can leave her mark. Though this book won’t teach you about memory tips and tricks; it will highlight the importance of memories, and how special it is to be remembered.
I shed many tears on this beautiful work, and I sincerely hope you read it and enjoy it as I have. For college students so unsure of the direction they’re heading in, enjoy the tale of someone who lived many lives with many faces and hopefully find clarity within yourself.
Best Inspirational Books
Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
The four years you spend in college are meant to be the ones where you figure out what you want to do with your life. You are meant to find your passion and a job that will guide you for the rest of your life.
But life is not just a straight path for us to follow along. Our passions change, our goals change and we change.
This book is the perfect inspiration for what to do when you realize the path you’re going on is no longer the one you want to take.
With the mindset that you can do anything you set your mind to, Everything Is Figureoutable is a wonderful, humorous read on how to overcome whatever is holding you back.
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
One of the biggest obstacles in the way of achieving our goals is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failing and fear of disappointment.
As a rising third-year university student, fear of adulthood and “real life” is becoming more and more prominent. This fear holds us back.
In order to overcome this fear, author Luvvie Ajayi Jones says we have to become professional troublemakers. We have to recognize fear when it manifests and push through it anyways.
Professional Troublemaker is a great read for those of us in need of that push forward. It’s comforting to realize that we are not alone in our fear.
I Used to Have a Plan by Alessandra Olanow
Combining hilariously real one-liners and beautifully illustrated graphics, Alessandra Olanow describes the tumultuous journey when things don’t go quite as we planned—and how to work through the process of putting ourselves back together.
The book is structured in five parts detailing the stages you go through when dealing with a traumatic experience. It is full of vulnerable admissions—the ones we don’t even want to admit to ourselves.
Olanow shows us how we can process difficult times and come out on top.
Whether you’ve just had your heart broken for the first time, are in the process of changing your major, or didn’t get that internship you were hoping for, I Used to Have a Plan is the perfect combination of advice and admissions for college students in need of a heartfelt and uplifting read.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
From the former First Lady of the United States comes an inspirational tale of reflections. In her memoir Becoming, Michelle Obama recounts the experiences that shaped her into the powerhouse superwoman we know her as today.
Obama details her experiences growing up a young girl in Chicago, balancing motherhood and maintaining her own professional aspirations alongside her husband.
For as long as I can remember, my family has always encouraged me to go out into the world and make a difference. But no one tells you how difficult it is to really leave our mark—and how to do it.
Becoming is the complex tale of coming into your own. Obama reiterates that we are all a work in progress and so is the world around us.
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
The more I come into the real world of adulthood, the more I realize I know absolutely nothing about the financial world. The economy? Stocks?
Managing bills and understanding the impact of my technological footprint? These are the things I never learned in school—and only business majors can probably understand.
Jenny Odell writes How to Do Nothing to make us think about the world around us and how we see ourselves in it. Our attention is a commodity—a juicy feast to keep capitalism fed.
Odell critiques capitalism and the notion that we are useless in the world if our attention is not fixated on profit.
How to Do Nothing is a book for college students wanting to understand the outside world a little more, and have a pension for dismantling the system.
You Are Awesome by Neil Pasricha
Nothing is going to protect us from failure. And if you’ve never failed at anything, it’s because you’ve never taken risks. Dealing with failure has become a failure in itself.
But Neil Paricha, bestselling author and popular TED speaker, is here to help us build resilience in the face of failure. When the comforting thing to do is curl up in bed and watch comfort movies, (personally, I go for “The Avengers”)
Pasricha is here to help us build thick skin. Bad things are going to happen, but it’s how you deal with them and move forward that is the true test of strength.
This book on learning to push through failure is a candid view on how to make big changes. Nothing good ever comes easy.
Read This for Inspiration by Ashly Perez
Social media runs the world and it runs our lives, according to Ashly Perez. Perez, a former Buzzfeed writer and personality turned television writer and artist, shares how she empowers herself outside of the suffocating grasp of her cell phone.
Read This for Inspiration is Perez’ response to what she termed ‘phone fatigue’—that immediate reach for your phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night and the endless scrolling and comparing yourself to others online.
I love that this book is such a real life read for Gen Z college students. Each entry has a tag that indicates what the story will relate to: creativity, body image, self-care and more.
Perez doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, and writes snippet paragraphs of inspiration. This book is meant for the younger generation who grew up with their eyes glued to the television.
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Best Leadership Books
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Everyone enjoys having control. I love thinking that I have the power to control the outcome of situations, and although it is unrealistic to control everything, that hasn’t stopped me from trying.
For those wanting to understand control, to gain it or reject it, this book is for you. Author Robert Greene researched the history of power to condense 48 rules of the game of power.
Understanding power and how it works is the first step in controlling it to your will. Anyone can call themselves a leader, but a real leader is someone who has something their followers don’t, hence why their followers are willing to follow them.
The 48 Laws of Power is a great read for people looking to play the power game.
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
In order to become great at anything, start by looking at how other people have achieved your goals in the past. Simon Sinek details how great leaders maintained their leadership—and the characteristics they all possessed.
In this study of powerful leaders comes an understanding of how to communicate in the same way.
Sinek discovered that all great leaders have something in common in the way they act and conduct themselves that no one else has.
Sinek deems this The Golden Circle, the foundation of building a successful organization. Understanding what an organization does is one thing, but understanding why they do it is the key to succeeding in leadership.
The Servant Leader’s Manifesto by Omar L. Harris
The Servant Leader’s Manifesto is just that—a manifesto. It is a book on learning how to change.
The cover of the book features the inverted pyramid—an organizational structure that favors the people working directly with consumers as the head of the table, and executive board members on the bottom.
The goal of the inverted pyramid business structure is to listen to the people that work directly with consumers—they are the salespeople, the baristas and the customer service workers.
Author Omar L. Harris chronicles the end of ego-driven leadership and instead favors leadership that gives power to the workers.
Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say–and What You Don’t by L. David Marquet
The tried and true leadership model—where a leader makes every decision fast, efficiently and solves problems on their own—is gone, according to author L. David Marquet.
Instead, the best leadership relies on a team to get things done. Many people fall victim to the idea of total power and control when leading others.
Marquet postulates that in order for leaders to truly succeed, they must acknowledge their limitations and turn to their peers for support.
Oftentimes, leaders get in their own way when they can’t turn to others for collaboration. The next time you find yourself working on a team project, be sure to turn to this book on learning how to conduct yourself and your role within your short-term team.
The Truth about Leadership by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner
The Truth about Leadership is the perfect book to understanding leadership—the good, the bad and the truth. James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner reveal the biggest facts every leader needs to know.
Based on decades of research, the book explores fundamental facts of leadership to offer advice. One truth they discuss is putting personal values at the forefront of your leadership style.
Instead of conforming to a group identity when you lead, the best leaders share their values and expertise in order to succeed.
This is a great read for college students getting ready to graduate and helps prepare them to enter jobs with professional companies.
Find Your Leadership Voice In 90 Days by Kadi Cole
Not every leader will take the same approach, and different leadership styles can be successful for people in different situations.
Experienced leaders will give you advice on what made them successful, but what worked for them might not work for you. One leader may be more dictatorial than another and some more collaborative.
In Find Your Leadership Voice in 90 Days, author Kadi Cole details insight on how to step into your own leadership style.
Geared toward the feminine perspective, Cole advises new leaders how to speak with confidence, advocate for their goals and maintain lasting results.
The Power of a Graceful Leader by Alexsys Thompson
We hold many different roles in our lives. We are friends, coworkers, neighbors, artists, doctors, professionals and ourselves.
In each role, we hold different positions of power, of expertise and responsibilities, and each individual conducts themselves differently within the same role.
Alexsys Thompson understands that we have different roles to play, and understanding who you are in these roles is the first step to becoming the best leader you can be.
Thompson challenges readers to become compassionate leaders through an internal journey of getting to know themselves.
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Best Books about Life in Your 20s
The Her Campus Guide to College Life by Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, Annie Chandler Wang, Windsor Hanger Western, and Her Campus Editors
Two years into my time in college, there are some things I wish I knew before starting my first semester.
What times to avoid the rush at the library, how early to start studying for finals, setting boundaries with roommates and building friendships that last to name a few.
This guide for life on campus is the perfect manual for any woman wanting to expect the unexpected in college. Surviving the first week was the worst experience for me and I wish I had this book to ease my anxiety at the time.
What I love about Her Campus is that it is run by college women who know exactly what it is you need to hear, and what you need to figure out on your own.
Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson
I absolutely adore Thomas Erikson’s voice in this book. Surrounded by Idiots is the perfect book to quell concerns when you feel like the most competent person in the room.
As a perfectionist, I expect things to be done a certain way. My personality type works well for me, but can clash with others.
Learning how to manage your personality with others is precisely the goal of this book. Erikson details how to communicate with people that have completely different personalities than you.
He describes four personalities and gives insight on how to work with each type of person. This is a hilarious read that will leave you feeling confident and assured.
F*ck! I’m in My Twenties by Emma Koenig
It’s the oh no moment. The moment you realize—oh no—you’re an adult.
Sure, you’ve been an adult since turning 18, but your 20s are the time when you live on your own for the first time, and when you have to pay your own bills and buy your own groceries.
You work a full time job and handle real-world problems. From Emma Koenig comes the truthful admissions of someone just trying to figure out how the heck life works.
This book acts as a stress-relieving journal with interactive pages dedicated to ridiculous checklists and doodles. Koenig takes on a voice as the journal so it feels like you're spilling secrets to an old friend. It is a cathartic way of processing real life.
Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino
When you enter your 20s, you are essentially entering the real world. Emerging from our young adulthood into ourselves as mature adults takes shape in more facets of our lives than just one.
So yes, our 20s are about discovering who we are and what we want to do with our life, but another question we must grapple with is discovering how we perceive the world around us and how we fit into it.
Jia Tolentino critically examines the last decade of culture in a collection of essays. She discusses everything from religion, sexual assault, feminism, music and more to offer a voice to her generation.
This is a great read for young adults, with Tolentino forcing readers to critically think about the world around them.
I Will Teach You How To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi
If there is one concern every 20-something adult has, it’s money. The one thing school and college never teach you is how to manage your personal finances.
Sure, there is a lot to learn about the economy and business and your university will ensure you have an understanding of both. However, opening bank accounts, negotiating salaries, or buying a car?
These are financial decisions our parents had to figure out on their own. Now, we can turn to books like I Will Teach You How To
Be Rich to help understand how to manage our money safely and lucratively. Ramit Sethi teaches readers how to become a master at money management.
101 Secrets For Your Twenties by Paul Angone
A book chock-full of witty one-liners and sneaky admissions, 101 Secrets For Your Twenties is a quick and fun read to carry on the go.
Acting as your little black book guide to becoming an adult, Paul Angone writes about surviving dead-end jobs, post-college disillusionment and failed relationships.
Open the book to a random page and find that one line to make you laugh through a hard situation. A theme of this book is to accept that things are not going to go the way you expect them to.
And if you learn to expect the unexpected, you’re finally getting to the point of adulthood.
That’s a wrap. That was my list of best books about learning and studying.
Implementing the habits and techniques discussed in these books will be sure to improve any student with their study skills.
Learning is more than just reading- these books show that understanding how we think and feel will have lasting effects on our intelligence.
Learning happens in and out of school: from classrooms to real-life experiences, we are constantly learning about ourselves and the world around us.
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Much of the world’s historical cultures and traditions have been preserved in literary pieces that can be studied to learn about the older ways of life.
Most literary pieces contain encounters filled with various human experiences that help broaden one’s understanding of the world they live in. In a nutshell, studying literature courses can help you learn about various cultures and histories through commentaries, stories, and theories.
But, there’s more. Modern literature programs and classes are usually structured in ways that enable students to absorb a lot more.
This means that today’s literature programs can help students develop several transferable skills like essay writing, critical thinking, and more.
Thus, those students who study literature in college can learn several skills that can later be beneficial to employers. In this article, we will take a closer look at how literature classes in college can help you in life ahead.
But before we jump in, students reading this should also know that certain aspects of taking literature classes can be tough. For example, it is never easy to write great essays without a thorough knowledge of the process.
Thus, to perform better, students need all the help they can get.
Today, several digital platforms help students with their academic work. For example, students can use a top platform like Studyfy for their ‘help write my essay’ or ‘edit my essay’ services.
Using such services enables students to boost their academic performance while also giving them insights into their essay work.
In no particular order, here are 8 ways literature classes in college can help you in life.
1) You Can Improve Your Communication Skills
One of the best ways of learning to communicate better is through reading more. While studying literature, students need to continually read through various types of text like prose or poetry.
They are also provided with various study notes and are also encouraged to create their own.
Literature classes can also be very interactive and engaging. Most literature programs include discussions, debates, seminars, and more.
Overall, students would be able to learn better communication through more reading, listening, evaluating, and writing.
2) You Will Be Motivated to Weave Your Life’s Story
The main essence of any work of literature is that one can always find a story in them. This is because most literary pieces are created to record various events experienced in one’s body, mind, and surroundings.
And these experienced events are usually recorded as stories. Thus, reading more literary works can help mold the idea of ‘story creation’ early on in students.
And attending literature classes in college helps students understand the know-how of how it can be done.
3) It Can Help Improve Your Evaluation Skills
Studying literature properly is not just about plain and simple reading. But it also has a lot to do with being able to discern what one reads. And learning the art of discernment can improve one’s overall evaluation skills.
Being able to discern and evaluate then goes to help students communicate and write a whole lot better.
And this skill – of reading, evaluating, and understanding – is of paramount importance in the professional world.
4) You Can Become More Articulate
Most literary works are written in different styles because they are written by different people. And the more one reads, the more they would understand the complexities behind different writing styles.
But studying literature in college has more benefits than this.
Throughout one’s literature program, they will be put through various tests to gauge and improve their literary abilities. And one of the main abilities one can work upon is being more articulate.
This means that a good literature student would always include all the details when making any type of argument or point.
5) You Can Become a Better Writer
Yes, the ability to write well depends a lot on one’s imagination and frame of mind. But, to become a great or even good writer, one also needs to do a bit of reading.
This is because, without reading previous works, one will not be able to know the required standards for great pieces of text. And without it, one will not be able to write such that it grips their readers.
In the professional world, writers are some of the most well-paid workers. This is because they can convert heaps of information into understandable and engaging texts.
And this can help a business connect with its audience a whole lot more.
6) You Can Improve Your Interactive & Social Skills
Literature courses and programs are some of the most interactive ones around. Why? Because it involves a lot of discussions, debates, storytelling sessions, and more.
In any literature class, one can always find various types of commentaries and speeches from professors and students alike.
Literature students have the unique opportunity of digging deeper into various subject areas. And the best part is that they can do so with all of their peers together.
Learning such interactive and engagement skills from one’s classroom can help them greatly in their future careers.
7) It Can Improve Your English Skills – Better Grammar, Punctuation, & More
English is not only the most spoken but is also considered a standard language across several international communities. Thus, to grow to greater heights, sooner or later, one needs to brush up on their English skills.
Most literature programs and classes around the world are conducted in English. When one takes up a program in English, they have the opportunity of learning the language usage from the masters.
Thus, learning literature early on in life can profoundly improve one’s overall English skills, which can be crucial for career progression.
8) It Can Teach You Critical Thinking & Broaden Your Horizons
To efficiently power through a literature class or program, one needs to be able to contribute adequately. But one’s contribution is often seen as beneficial when they are also able to communicate their knowledge neatly.
A study of literature can achieve this by making students find various patterns and meanings in texts. Literature from various periods of the world also contains much information about historical cultures and traditions.
It can give a lot of insight to students about how people during different times in history were, what they did, how they thought, and more. This broadens one’s horizons and makes one look at the world in an autobiographical way.
The Bottom Line
There is no doubt that studying literature in college has several benefits for one’s life. But that being said, literature programs can be difficult in terms of learning and scoring higher grades easily.
Students should learn beforehand about all the intricacies and semantics of their desired programs. Doing so would help them know which particular literature program would be the most suitable for them.
College Life
What To Bring To College – The Ultimate 2022 College Packing List
Are you having trouble knowing what to bring to college? We’ve got you covered! Check out this essential list of what to bring to college.
This post probably contains affiliate links. Our full disclosure is long, but you can find it here.
This post is all about the college packing list!
Going away for college is the beginning of a brand new journey. You are leaving home behind for three or four months to live in a place that you have never been to before.
You now have to go to classes, move into your dorm room and receive a whole new set of responsibilities since you are off on your own. This is a big transition for any college student because you are going from having to abide by your parents’ rules to forming ones of your own.
Your parents will still check in with you and make sure you are okay, but now, in college, you are allowed to become independent and make your own decisions.
Now, it is your turn to have faith in yourself and make the right choices, starting with preparing what to pack away for college. You are going to be away from home for a whole semester, so you have to make sure that you have all of the things you need.
You need accessories to jazz up your dorm room. You need enough personal care products to last the entire semester. You have to make sure that all your school supplies are packed in your backpack and that you are up to date with the latest electronics.
If you are fortunate to have your own kitchen in your dorm, you must have all of the right tools with you so that you can learn to cook your meals on campus. Through this guide to packing what you have to bring to college, you will know exactly what you need and get you on the right track!
In this article
- College Packing List for your Dorm Room
- College Packing List of School Supplies
- College Packing List of Kitchen Supplies
- Essentials for Cleaning and Bathroom
- Packing List of Personal Care Products
- Packing List of Electronics
- Food and Snacks
- Packing List of Fun Stuff
College Packing List for your Dorm Room
You can charge your phone and earbuds while simultaneously powering your lamp and laptop with this useful powerstrip.
It has 3 outlets, 4 USB cords, and a long, braided extension cord that is sturdy and durable.
With this handy tool, there will be no more overcrowded outlets between you and your roommates!
Keep your dorm room neat and organized with this laundry basket made by DOKEHOM.
When unfolded from its collapsed state, this hamper is 28” tall and 15” wide with aluminum handles for easy transport to the washroom.
Additionally, if you are having friends in your dorm, this laundry basket can be promptly folded up and put into your closet for easy storage.
Do you want a dorm room that always has a relaxing fragrance to it when you return after a long day of classes?
This diffuser has 8 soothing colors, 2 misting modes, and will run as long as it has water in it.
The essential oils are sold separately, but this diffuser will mark your first step into the amazing world of aromatherapy.
In your many college adventures, you always need to be prepared for any possible scenario and with this first aid kit by Johnson & Johnson, you can be one step ahead.
This kit comes with 140 pieces of emergency equipment including Band-Aids, Neosporin, hand wipes, gauzes, Benadryl itch cream, Tylenol tablets, and much, much more.
Spruce up the drab walls of your dorm with these wonderful string light decorations.
With 50 clips and 50 LED lights that stretch over 17 feet long, you can hang up all the pictures you desire.
Begin with old photos from high school, then add new ones that you took while away at college!
6. Personal Fan
Most of the time, when you have a roommate or two crammed into the same small dorm, there isn’t a lot of air circulation in your room.
This fan can change this by keeping the air flowing with its 2-speed manual control.
Due to its small size, this fan should be put on a nightstand or desk.
Related: College Move-In Day Hacks – The Comprehensive Guide
College Packing List of School Supplies
In college, you are going to need a good planner to help keep all of your classes, assignments, papers, and projects organized.
If you are as forgetful as I am, then this planner will do wonders for you!
It comes with 50 sheets of material and sections pertaining to certain tasks, ideas, notes, to-do lists, goals, and so on.
8. Mechanical Pencil Variety Pack
With this enormous pack of 60 mechanical pencils, you will probably never run out until you graduate.
This set comes with three different sized pencils ranging from thin (0.5 point) to average (0.7 point) to thick (0.9 point).
They are refillable, multicolored, and definitely an upgrade over the classic wooden pencil.
This travel laptop backpack with USB charging port is what every 15- year- old boy needs!
Comes with one separate laptop compartment which accommodates 15.6-inch laptops as well as 15-inch, 14-inch, and 13-inch laptops; one large packing compartment with plenty of space for daily needs and tech electronic accessories; and the front section comes with multiple compartments, pen pockets, and a key fob hook to keep his items organized and easily accessible.
And finally with a built in USB charger outside and built-in charging cable inside, this USB backpack offers him a more convenient way to charge his phone while walking.
10. Pen/Pencil Case
After you buy all your pens and pencils, you are going to need a cute case to store them in!
This case, made by EASTHILL, can hold up to 90 pencils or 50 pencils and has mini compartments to store all of your other trinkets.
The design is also very aesthetically pleasing and the product comes in 9 beautiful colors.
11. Office Clips Set
This is for the person who needs to have everything in their book bag so that they can be prepared for any scenario.
This set comes with 340 pieces of office supplies, including tacks, rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips, and key tags.
With this product, you may become the most organized person in your class!
12. 3-Hole Punch
If you like to store all of your class papers in your binder, then this hole punch is an absolute must-have.
In case your professor gives you a very long assignment, this tool can pierce up to 12 pages at once and it is made of alloy steel, so it won’t be breaking any time soon!
These might be the most gorgeous notebooks that I have ever seen.
This pack of 4 books comes with 160 pages each of A5 paper and durable double-ring binding.
However, what makes this set stand out is how aesthetically pleasing the style is!
They come in 4 lovely colors: wine red, brown, green, and ivory.
14. Highlighters
If you are the kind of person who loves to highlight their notes, these highlighters are the best tool for you.
They come in 6 pastel colors and have a clean chisel point so that you can highlight words with ease.
They are also very small, so they will fit perfectly into your pencil case.
Forget about buying regular sticky notes, this organizer might have the most impressive collection of notes that I have ever seen.
It comes with 2 sets of rectangular note pads as well as 6 sticky note index arrows.
Everything is held in a sleek leather box that comes with an added ruler!
16. 4-Pocket Binder
This is the binder that everyone should have.
It can hold up to 300 pages and has 4 expanding pockets, so you should be able to hold all of your notes, assignments, and exams.
This product is durable, so it will last you a long time, and a good size, so it will fit in your backpack nicely.
Related: 70 Best Dorm Gifts For College Students – The Complete Guide
College Packing List of Kitchen Supplies
How can you bring your amazing food creations to life without the proper tools?
This set has got you covered with 33 different utensils, perfect for any type of meal you are looking to prepare.
This includes a spatula, tongs, a measuring cup, tongs, a soup ladle, and much more.
Have a lovely cooking night with your friends and roommates!
18. 2-Slice Toaster
If there isn’t a toaster in your dorm room, it may be time to get one of your own.
This toaster looks like it is straight from the 1950s.
It is a great product for a college student who loves bread and bagels as much as they love a good retro aesthetic.
It would be the perfect addition to your dorm kitchen!
Once you are done cooking, baking, and preparing your meal, you are going to have to complete the next step: straightening up your kitchen.
This set of 5 brushes by Holikme is ideal for every part of your cooking space, from scrubbing your pots and dishes to polishing your pans and countertops.
Cutting up fresh fruit and vegetables in your dorm room is impossible with a good cutting board.
This set of three cutting boards in three varying sizes is exactly what you would be looking for.
These boards are made from rubber material which makes it difficult to slice through them and they are reversible as well, so you don’t have to cut meat and produce on the same side.
21. Digital Food Kitchen Scale
Certain recipes require an exact amount of an ingredient in order for the dish to come out just the way you want it to.
If you are cooking from scratch on a weekend, this kitchen scale is the way to go!
It gives accurate measurements in ounces and pounds, so your meals will always be flawless.
22. Kitchen Conversion Chart Magnet
This mini conversion chart is an absolute lifesaver.
With this magnet, you can convert liquid volumes and dry measurements with ease.
Unless you are the type of person who knows how many tablespoons go into a cup off the top of your head, this is the most useful accessory to stick on your mini-fridge or cabinet whenever you are cooking something new.
Essentials for Cleaning and Bathroom
This durable mesh caddy made by Attmu can organize your shower in seconds.
With 8 outer compartments, you can hold your combs, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, razors, and other bathroom accouterments.
Your bathroom space will be neat and free from clutter with this necessary accessory!
This mop is small but incredibly mighty and also very easy to use!
It functions with a push pedal to wring out the mop and the mop head can simply be disinfected in the washing machine.
It is perfect for cleaning up any little messes in your dorm room before your friends come over.
25. Tall Trash Bags, Set of 90
Between you, your roommates, and any visitors that you may have, your dorm room is going to have a lot of trash.
These Glad trash bags are cheaper when you buy them in bulk, with this set of 90 bags costing less than 20 dollars - a bargain in my opinion.
They are also lemon-scented, great for eliminating any foul odors wafting from your trash can.
26. Linen Towel Set
This towel set is exactly what you need for the bathroom in your college dorm. These towels come in a set of 6, with 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels, and 2 washcloths included. They are made with 100% cotton and are sold in a variety of colors, so be sure to choose your favorite!
If you track dirt into your dorm room, it can be quite frustrating to clean up your mess without the proper tools to do so. This broom and dustpan set is easy to use and can be easily stored in a closet or corner. There is also a comb on the inside of the dustpan so the bristles of the broom will always be clean the next time you use it!
Packing List of Personal Care Products
28. Face Masks
Honestly, you can’t beat 12 dollars for 12 masks. These are perfect for a mini spa day with your friends. They come in a variety of materials including peppermint, avocado, green tea, tomato, and so on, each with a different way to make your skin healthier.
29. Coconut & Honey Hand & Body Lotion –
This product is wonderful for those winter months on campus when your skin is really dry and cracked. The set includes hand lotion, body lotion, and a stick of lip balm, all made from natural ingredients like beeswax, honey, aloe vera, and sunflower seed. Everything is paraben-free, cruelty-free, and gluten-free with no added dyes or pigments!
30. Facial Tools
This is the perfect tool to use on a relaxing spa day after a week of assignments and exams. Made of pure Brazilian quartz, this jade roller and gua sha set alleviates inflammation, reduces puffiness, and relaxes your skin. You can even put these tools in the fridge for an extra bit of cool soothing power!
31. Beard Kit
For anyone looking to grow or maintain a luscious beard in college, then this kit may be just what you are looking for. This set comes with beard shampoo and beard balm, to help keep your beard full and healthy, as well as a beard comb and trimming scissors, for easy maintenance.
32. Under Eye Masks
After a long night of studying, these under eye masks will do wonders. They are good for reducing puffiness and inflammation and it tightens the skin under the eyes for a rejuvenated look. These masks also come in the color of 24k gold, so you can look simply stylish while you are waiting for the magic to happen.
33. Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser
Everyone needs a good moisturizer to hydrate their skin when they wake up in the morning. This cleanser by Albolene is not only a great moisturizer but it is good for removing makeup as well. It is made from only 5 simple ingredients with no soap or water required!
Related: 30 Best Dorm Room Ideas You Will Absolutely Need in College
Packing List of Personal Care Products
34. Scalp Massager
If you are looking for the perfect shower accessory that will relax your head after a stressful day in class, this scalp massager would be great for you! This product massages the scalp to reduce itchiness and promote blood circulation while preventing dandruff. It also comes in 9 cute colors!
With these healing patches, you don’t have to stress out about your skin anymore! This product comes with 96 total patches in two different sizes, 10 mm and 12mm. They are also vegan and cruelty-free. They can be worn all day and night, even throughout all your daily classes, to help get rid of any pesky skin blemishes.
If you don’t clean your pores often, you can get annoying pimples and blemishes. This device is the perfect pore cleanser that you need! The vacuum can be used in 2 intensity levels, so it works for those with sensitive skin and those with tough skin. It would be a very good addition to your skincare routine!
37. Foot File
When you spend all day walking around on campus, you can develop blisters and hardened skin on your feet that may be difficult to alleviate. This foot file will help remove any calluses or unnecessary skin on your foot so that they can become smooth and soft once again.
Packing List of Electronics
When you forget to charge your phone and it is on 1 percent battery with no charger in sight, it is one of the worst feelings in the world. This pack of 2 portable power banks eliminates the problem immediately. These banks are compatible with Google, Samsung, Apple, and Motorola models and include 2 USB ports, so you can charge two devices at once!
39. Sleep Headphones
These headphones are perfect for when you have trouble falling asleep and need soothing music to help wind your body down. This device could also be used while you are at the gym since they last for 10 hours of playtime in one charge and have a breathable headband.
If you are looking for a good device to play music in your dorm while you are studying, cleaning, or dancing, invest in the latest smart speaker from Amazon. You can listen to your favorite playlists from streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and SiriusXM, while also being connected to Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant.
41. 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station
This wireless charging station is most useful for a college student who has all of the latest Apple products. With this device, you can charge your iPhone, Airpods, and Apple Watch all at the same time. It is compatible with recent Samsung models as well and is foldable and wireless for easy transport.
These are a durable pair of earbuds that will best suit any college student who loves to listen to their tunes all around campus. They can last for up to 8 hours with one charge and come with an active noise-canceling feature for the times when you are listening to music while studying and trying to avoid distractions.
Related: 50 Best College Apartment Decor Ideas – The Ultimate Guide
Food and Snacks
Most dorm rooms don’t have a stove or even a microwave, let alone a cooking appliance as messy as a deep fryer. However, this perfectly sized air fryer will do just the trick. It can cook up to 2 quarts of food without frying it in unhealthy oils and this reduces the fat content by 70 to 80 percent.
44. Food Storage Containers, 16-Pack
Don’t let any leftovers from last night go to waste! This set of 16 containers in 5 different sizes is just what you need to store any kind of food, from fruits and vegetables to the pizza you had for lunch that you want to save until tomorrow. It also comes with chalkboard labels and markers so you can always mark down when the contents will be expiring.
Every dorm needs a basic tableware set. This collection comes with 12 pieces of dinnerware, including 4 10-inch plates, 4 bowls, and 4 20-ounce cups. They are made of plastic so you don’t have to worry about losing an item or throwing something out by accident.
Become the king or queen of brunch with this adorable waffle maker! You will find yourself making 4-inch waffles every day if you have this cute machine. If you are feeling experimentative, you could also put hashbrowns or cookie dough in the maker and see what happens!
Packing List of Fun Stuff
47. Fitbit Versa 2
This step tracker is perfect for a student who is looking to get more active while they are away at college. The Versa 2 has so many features: it can play music, track your sleep schedule and your heart rate, can connect to Alexa, and last for at least 6 days without a charge. An essential product for those trying to be more fit!
48. Mini Projector
This mini projector is a must-have when you are having movie nights with your friends in your dorm room. It is compatible with laptops, smartphones, and TV boxes, so you can project any show or movie through these devices. This product is definitely more useful than just crowding around your computer!
49. Hand Warmers
These warmers are essential for those chilly winter months ahead, especially if you are a student going to college upstate. It can also be used as a power bank to charge your phone, 3 temperature levels ranging from “it’s a little cold outside, I need to keep my hands toasty” to “I just stuck my hands in the snow and I need to regain feeling in them once again.”
This clock looks like the strangest game of Scrabble ever played, but its unique design is a big draw for me! Not only does it look cool, but is still very useful, tracking the time through five-minute intervals. I think it would look perfect on someone’s nightstand in their dorm room.
Final Thoughts on College Packing List
Getting ready to leave for college is an incredibly difficult task because you are essentially leaving behind the life you had always known, at least for a few months, to a brand new environment.
You will become mostly surrounded by people you have never met before and you have to rely on your own decision-making to solve problems that may arise in the upcoming semester.
It may seem very overwhelming and it is easy to become stressed out during this period, especially with the preparations before you leave for college.
You want to make you have everything you need before you are off on your own, which includes your personal care products, electronics, kitchen supplies, and dorm accessories.
Hopefully, this list has helped guide you in choosing the right items to bring!
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College Life
The 30 Best Note Taking Apps – The Complete 2022 Guide
Are you looking for an easier way to take and organize your class notes? Check out these best note taking apps to help you raise your grades!
When taking notes in class, the most common way of taking them has always been with a paper and a pen, something that can be quite tiring and difficult to organize later.
In the middle of a class we may run out of ink, we may not have enough paper or we may not be able to write fast enough to keep up with the professor. And then after that, organizing the papers and folders can be a hassle.
For this reason and thanks to technology we can use our computer or our other various electronic devices to take notes in class. Taking notes from our devices can become something fundamental, since there are tools that allow us to have everything well organized and visually attractive.
Having good notes is essential in the long run when studying a series of subjects to prepare for midterms and final exams. To ease the time consuming task of taking notes, we can take them on the different models of electronics such as a tablet, phone, or laptop.
So here I leave you with the 30 best note-taking apps of 2022 to stay focused and get keep up those important grades of yours!
In this article
- Best Note Taking Apps for Mac (Ipad)
- Best Note Taking Apps for Windows (Android)
- Best Free Note Taking Apps
Best Note Taking Apps for Mac (Ipad)
1. Notability
Overview: Notability for iOS is a different notes app. And this is because it allows us to add written notes, both on its virtual or physical (external) keyboard and by hand thanks to the touch screen of the iPhone or iPad. It also allows for audio or graphic recording as well!
Pros:
- Capacity to insert audios directly into the notepad. Notability has the capacity to insert audio files such as recordings and voice memos into the notepad just as you´d import any other file. Adding content to the note while playing back the imported audio will sync that content with the recording.
- Page scrolling: With Notability you can scroll the pages up and down, so if you are a fan of the traditional PDF reader you will love this.
- Hyperlinks: Support for hyperlinks in typed text (web page addresses, phone numbers, emails).
Cons:
- Delete pages quickly: You can´t delete multiple pages quickly. Every page has to be independently selected and deleted via a tab menu. So that´s a major pain when you have to import a large document with many pages that you don’t want.
Price: Notability is now free to download, and will require a $15 per year subscription—or $12 per year for a limited time—to unlock all of its features.
Platforms: Available for iPad, Mac, and iPhone
2. Simplenote
Overview: Simplenote is an easy way to take notes, create to-do lists, capture ideas, and more. Open the app, type a few lines, and you’re good to go. As your collection grows, keep it organized with tags and pins, and find what you need with instant search.
Since Simplenote will sync with your devices for free, your notes will be with you at all times.
Pros:
- Very simple: Simplenote’s user interface is kept to a minimum. There are no formatting toolbars or extra features like notebooks to group notes. The entire desktop interface is comprised of a sidebar containing your tags and trash filters, a list of existing notes with search, a button to add a new note, and a simple view for looking at an existing note or writing a new one.
- Works Offline: Users can edit and create documents while offline, then sync their content the next time they connect to the internet. As a result, a user can work even when there is no data connection without fear of losing work.
- Time Machine: Each note edit is kept so that the user can return to a prior version of the document. This way, if you make a mistake or accidentally erase something, you may easily restore the previous version.
Cons:
- Search is limited to one tag: There appears to be no way to locate notes with both tags X and Y. This isn’t a major concern until you have a lot of notes and want to run a cross-search for two topics at the same time to limit down your results.
- No support for file attachments: Embedded attachments are not supported by Simplenote. This may limit the app’s usefulness for certain users, as many other note-taking apps include this capability.
Price: Simplenote is free to download, and Simplenote’s premium subscription costs $10 per year.
Platforms: Available for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, or in your browser.
3. Noteshelf
Overview: You’ll love Noteshelf as a note-taking app. Take lovely notes in your own handwriting, much like you would on a notepad, but better. You may text, annotate PDFs, and make voice recordings.
Pros:
- Personalize your notepads: You can choose a cover for each of them and choose between different types of pages.
- Organize your notes into groups: Classify files within Noteshelf by folders.
- Protect your documents: Both notepads and folders can be protected from prying eyes.
- Labels in your notebooks: In this way, you can enter keywords that in the future will help you find what you are looking for.
Cons:
- Can´t move multiple pages at once.
Price: $9.99
Platforms: This app is available in the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch and now on Android as well!
4. Liquid Text
Overview: LiquidText allows you to quickly examine, gather, and organize information across all of your papers and webpages, then use the results to write reports, prepare for meetings, or simply study.
Squeeze a document to contrast sections, draw lines to connect concepts in different papers, comment on many pages at once, expand on your ideas, and so much more!
Pros:
- Helpful hints: There are many useful indications in the shape of animations, chats, and dialogs.
- New Ways: This app allows you to design new ways of absorbing and viewing data from a variety of sources.
- Navigation: Easy navigation through longer documents.
- Send and receive: Good import and export functionality
Cons:
- Crowded: Work space gets crowded with lots of notes
Price: LiquidText is a free download on the App Store, but a $9.99 Pro upgrade is necessary to gain the new ink features.
Platforms: This app is available on the Appstore for iPad, Requires iPadOS 14.1 or later, and for Mac, Requires macOS 11.0 or later.
5. GoodNotes
Overview: Beyond handwriting, the ability to illustrate our notes, to add documents, images or texts, GoodNotes has a key idea: notepads. With this simple idea, it is postulated as a substitute for paper notebooks.
Pros:
- Inking: The inking of GN5 is preferred over the inking of other note-taking apps. GN5 ink seems closer to the native iOS notes ink.
- Organization: Superior file management, folder structure, and folders within folders.
- Shape Tool: The shape tool does not needlessly snap onto everything. The app does not dictate the decision of where to place each line. This gives you design freedom.
Cons:
- Images: The images aren’t well optimized. Images and backgrounds frequently disappear and return as you scroll through papers.
- PDF Size: Imported PDFs will have a preset page size that might be bigger than you like and this cannot be changed, but you can compress the document yourself before uploading it into the app.
Price: GoodNotes 5 costs $7.99 in the App Store as a one-time purchase.
Platforms: This app is available on an iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Mac.
6. Whink
Overview: Whink lets you import PDFs to read and annotate, write and type new notes, or highlight and annotate existing ones.
It is a minimalist note taking app that is meant for anyone who just wants to take notes without the hassle of going through too many complicated features.
Pros:
- Simple: The app is very easy to use and understand, it can be used by almost any aged user. For adults who are not that good with technology, this will save their lives.
- Synced: The audio recordings are synced to the handwritten notes for easier and faster note taking.
- Pen: It has a chic gel ink pen and smart eraser for you to write clean and crisp handwritten notes.
Cons:
- Documents: Whink app does not support writing over web page documents.
- Minimalist: The app can seem minimalist and easy to use but it is also missing many important features.
- Search: Doesn´t let you search for keywords in your uploaded PDF.
Price: $ 4.99 one-time purchase.
Platforms: This app is available on an ipad and iphone.
7. Evernote
Overview: Evernote offers a wide range of complex modifiers and its own search syntax, making it much easier to find things. Evernote can also look for text strings in a variety of document types, such as Microsoft Office documents and PDFs.
Pros:
- Easy use: Data entry is simple – through typing, voice recording, and image capture.
- Data: Data can be stored, easily accessed and edited at any moment.
- Organizing: Helps you organize everything from your flight pass to your meeting notes, to-do list, and more.
- Search: The search of all notes, even scanned documents, is extremely fast and accurate.
Cons:
- Free Account: The free account includes a monthly data restriction of 60 MB, which can be expanded in order to expand the customer base.
- Offline: Notes cannot be accessed while offline browsing.
Price: Premium costs $7.99 per month and Business costs $14.99 per month.
Platforms: Evernote supports a number of operating system platforms including OS X, iOS, Chrome OS, Android, Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and webOS.
8. Bear
Overview: Writers, lawyers, cooks, instructors, engineers, students, parents, and more utilize Bear, a focused, flexible notes app.
Bear’s rapid organization, editing capabilities, and export choices make it easy to write quickly and share anywhere while maintaining your privacy thanks to encryption.
Pros:
- Code: It’s got color code notes for a better organization.
- Images: You can add images directly into your notes.
- Sync: You can sync notes across multiple devices.
Cons:
- Available: Only available for Apple devices.
- Light: Extremely light on features.
- Paid: Syncing requires a paid plan.
Price: It costs $1.49 monthly, which offers a one-week free trial. It costs $14.99 annually, which has a one-month free trial.
Platforms: Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
9. ZoomNotes
Overview: ZoomNotes is the most comprehensive visual note-taking tool on the market, with an incredible zoom range. Make handwritten notes and sketches on large whiteboards, PDF files, pictures, and MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents.
Pros:
- Pen Types: Choose from eight different pen types, including gel, nib, pencil, and more.
- Sticky Notes: Use sticky notes and create hierarchical visual files as sub-pages.
- Clips: Insert audio clips directly into your documents.
- Bookmarks: Save Bookmarks within your documents for quick and easy future reference.
Cons:
- Some users don’t like in-app purchases
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Platforms: The app is available for an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.
10. MarginNote 3
Overview: MarginNote is a program that allows you to read, annotate, and study long-form writings. Texts from EPUB and PDF can be imported and annotated using written text or highlights.
Users can choose different highlighter colors to represent different types of information, such as yellow for main ideas and blue for supporting details, and then display their highlighted text as an outline, flashcards (blue words on one side, yellow words on the other), or a mind map that shows how highlighted terms are related to one another.
Pros:
- Features: Flexible, extensive features give seemingly endless options for annotating and sorting preexisting texts into usable and organized notes.
- Pedagogy: While MarginNote won’t teach users anything in particular, its features give users many ways to sort info into formats that suit their preferred study modes.
- iCloud: The app syncs your PDFs and notes to iCloud so it is immediately available on all your I-devices. This feature is not available in any other apps with this PDF feature.
Cons:
- Complicated PDF reader: If you plan to use this software as your primary PDF reader, you’ll need to devote some time to learning how to use it, even if tutorials are available.
- No Auto backup: We don’t always remember to back up our files. That’s why it’s important to set up auto backup for your documents so that they’re backed up at regular intervals. You must manually back up your notes in MarginNote to a folder of your choice.
Price: Free with additional in-app purchases
Platforms: Available on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch.
Best Note Taking Apps for Windows (Android)
11. BlackNote
Overview: BlackNote is a black-and-white notes app for Android. This is the appropriate solution if the normal white background of most apps weary your eyes and you need a break.
Pros:
- Simple: Very easy to use, each gadget is self-explanatory.
- Easy to see: Its black background makes it easier to see without tiring eyes.
- Passwords: You can create notes with passwords so people can´t see them.
Cons:
- Doesn´t work: The checklist feature doesn´t work very well.
- Recover: It is not very easy to recover already deleted notes.
Price: It’s free!
Platforms: Android
12. ClearNote
Overview: ClearNote is a note app for Android made by the creator of BlackNote. It’s basically the same app except it’s colorful.
Pros:
- Bar: The ClearNote Bar appears in the top widget sections of your home screen and gives you access to ClearNote app, YouTube, Camera, Watch, Calculator, and Web Search.
- Ease: It lets you manage and maintain all the significant notes, to-do lists, checklists, and other notes facilities with real ease.
- Widgets: It provides note list widgets and sticky note widgets with transparency configuration.
Cons:
- Home screen: The notes on the home screen don´t immediately change when you edit them.
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Platforms: Android phone or tablet
13. Dropbox Paper
Overview: Create new documents or edit existing files, and share them with your team directly from the app so you can capture your inspiration wherever you are.
Pros:
- Free: This is a free product giving many advantages to users and at the same time, very easy to use. It lets you use your creativity for an excellent result!
- Integrate: This program has the ability to integrate many other programs and applications.
- Collaboration: Team members can each edit and view changes in real time.
Cons:
- Confusing: The default folder view is unappealing, and the slow to adjust UI can be confusing, resulting in the creation of many empty documents rather than opening an existing one.
Price: Free
Platforms: Android, iPhone and iPad
14. FiiNote
Overview: FiiNote is a professional application that allows you to create and store notes.
Pros:
- Complete: It’s compatible with a keyboard.
- Handwriting: It´s one of the best note taking apps for writing with your hand.
- Simple: Everything is very simple and easy to use.
Cons:
- Bugs: Some problems with moving objects, they may appear and disappear or appear in a different place.
Price: Free
Platforms: Android phone and tablet
15. Bundled Notes
Overview: Bundled Notes is a beautiful, cross-platform note-taking, writing, list-making, and to-do app.
Pros:
- Complete: Notes and to-do lists in one app, with reminders.
- Boards: Support for kanban-style boards.
- Editor: Markdown editor that is easy to use and has no character limit.
Cons:
- Drawing: No drawing tools
- Sharing: No sharing options
Price: There’s a monthly tier going for $1.89, but you can also choose to pay for the yearly subscription at $15.
Platforms: Android phone and tablet
16. OneNote
Overview: OneNote is the digital notebook to organize your thoughts, discoveries and ideas and simplify your planning of special moments in your life. Microsoft OneNote lets you take notes on your mobile phone and sync them across all your devices.
Pros:
- Organization: It has Notebooks and sections and then individual notes allowing organization.
- Multi- format: They are multi-format – Pictures, words, formatting and can move things around the page.
- Accessible: The information is accessible both online and offline once synced to the computer.
Cons:
- Multiple: Not able to work with multiple notes at the same time.
Price: Basic (free) Premium ($7.99 per month) Business ($14.99 per user, per month)
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
17. Squid
Overview: Take notes by hand naturally on your Android tablet or phone! With Squid you can write as you would on paper but using a stylus, rubber-tipped pencil, or your finger.
You can easily fill out PDF forms, edit/grade papers, or sign documents. As well as import images, draw figures, add text to your notes, quick select, copy/paste, move objects between pages and notes.
Pros:
- Flexible: You can resize, duplicate, and annotate images with flexible image capabilities.
- Versatility: Multiple styles of background templates add versatility.
Cons:
- Missing: Missing some features that are standard in other digital notebooks, such as tags, folders, sync, and a search bar.
Price: Free
Platforms: Android phone and tablet.
18. Notion
Overview: Notion is a hybrid of a project management tool and a note-taking app. It combines the best features of both kinds of software.
Pros:
- All in one: You can do the work of several different apps all in Notion.
- Teams: It has the option for collaborating editing.
- Versatility: You can use Notion for personal, freelance business and planning startups.
Cons:
- Mess: Because of its versatility it’s very easy to create a mess using the app.
- Confusing: While the integration of products into Notion’s all-in-one software is generally convenient, it can be confusing and disorganized at times.
Price: Free download with option of $4/month personal plan.
Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac and Windows
19. Standard Notes
Overview: Standard Notes is a concise and private note-taking app. It securely syncs your notes across all of your devices, including Android, Windows, iOS, Linux, and the web.
Pros:
- Safety: Standard Notes encrypt your notes and information.
- Useful features: Has more features: tagging, markdown, themes.
- Sync: It is transparent about sync status and progress. When you open Standard Notes on your phone, there’s a little bit of text that counts up the notes that have been synced and saved in real time. No more fear or uncertainty about whether your notes actually synced.
Cons:
- Slow: Syncing+decrypting notes on mobile can sometimes be a little slow—and can sometimes make the app crash if it takes more than a second or two.
Price: Free download and in-app purchases for $4.17 per month.
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS
20. Nebo
Overview: Nebo is capable of combining handwriting and text in a single word, sentence, or paragraph. No other note-taking app allows you to write when it’s convenient and type when it suits you.
Both active and passive styluses are now supported by the app. You can now write in the app with your fingers.
Pros:
- Converting: Best handwriting – converting app
- Languages: Supports 66 languages
- Equations: Supports Math and Chemical equations
Cons:
- Instances: Doesn´t support multiple instances
- Images: You can´t drag and drop images
- Recycle: Contains no recycle bin
Price: Free download and for complete features it costs just $11.42
Platforms: Windows, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS
Best Free Note Taking Apps
21. Google Keep
Overview: Google Keep enables users to take plain-text notes and organize, edit, and share them with others via a suite of collaboration tools. You can also use Google Keep to record voice notes and set time and location-based reminders.
Pros:
- Search: The search functionality on the app is great.
- Pictures: Allows pictures to be part of the notes.
- Layout options:
Cons:
- Bugs: The iOS app occasionally becomes unresponsive and does not update your notes (does not display new notes from other devices or computers); this issue must be resolved by reinstalling the app.
- Space: Can take a lot of space of your Google account´s quota
Price: Free
Platforms: Apple and Android mobile devices plus a web app
Related: Amazon Prime For Students – How to Save Hundreds Every Year with Prime
22. Slite
Overview: Slite is a collaborative knowledge sharing app that improves teamwork even when members are separated. Slite is the place to keep your team’s wiki, organize project documentation, share company updates, and even keep personal notes.
Pros:
- Simple: The user is not distracted by the variety of features available. It just comes to you.
- Layout Options: The layout options for placing elements, along with all of the widgets available, make Slite a powerful tool while keeping the overall user experience light and intuitive.
- Meetings: Slite makes it extremely simple to create docs in which you can not only organize, add tips, and charts, but also collaborate with another team or team member on the fly, in meetings!
Cons:
- Small: Very small things, issues with how tables look on large monitors.
- Convenience: a more convenient interface for “tracking changes” or seeing what has recently changed.
Price: Free
Platforms: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android
23. NotesWriter
Overview: Whether it’s today’s journal entry, tomorrow’s thesis, or a future bestselling novella, you have handwritten notes, a business memo to share, an essay to write, a story to tell, an article to edit, or a lecture to record.
All of your notes and documents can be created, edited, and organized in one location using Notes Writer.
Pros:
- PDF: One of the best apps for PDF reading.
- Brightness: It has a convenient option to adjust the brightness.
- Multitasking: Having open tabs is great for multitasking and studying.
Cons:
- Limit: There are roughly 36 pre-made notes and 6-7 folders included with the free software. When you try to create your own folders or notes, it warns you that the free version has hit its limit and that you must upgrade to have limitless notes.
Price: There´s a free version
Platforms: iOS and Android
24. Grammarly
Overview: Grammarly is an academic writing application that automates grammar, proofreading, and writing revision. Grammarly examines and checks a piece of text you’ve written for errors.
The free edition covers the essentials, while the subscription version goes a step further by providing stylistic and best-writing-practice recommendations.
Pros:
- Real time correction: Instead of writing everything out and then selecting the “check spelling and grammar” button, you’ll be able to tell straight away whether you’ve made a mistake.
- Highly accurate: There aren’t many mistakes made by this grammar software. It may occasionally misread what you’re trying to say or insert a comma where one isn’t required or desired, but it has a high rate of accuracy overall.
- Easy: Grammarly doesn’t just tell you when you’ve made a mistake. While that would be fine, this program takes a step further by providing explanations so that you can learn and develop.
Cons:
- Doesn´t work on everything: Grammarly does not work with Google Docs, which might be a big pain for those of you who rely on this writing program on a regular basis.
Price: Free with in product purchases
Platforms: Android and iOS devices
25. Paper
Overview: As a productivity tool, this app has a lot of potential. It can be used to jot down notes, brainstorm ideas, or draw out a tale. Paper’s adaptability allows you to blend the arts and productivity while working with digital technologies.
Pros:
- Pictures: You can organize, easily cut, and add pics and edit them.
- Quick: The ability to easily use and switch tools.
- Control: Gives greater control over the graphic elements that you are able to add to notes and sketches.
Cons:
- Brushes: The brushes are not very precise, which makes it hard to be exact.
- Tools: Very limited tools in the free version.
Price: Free
Platforms: iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
Related: 30 Best Blogs for Teenagers – The Ultimate 2022 Guide
26. Ulysses
Overview: Ulysses is a distraction-free, minimalist writing tool that works with both short and long-form projects. It is used by bloggers, authors, and content providers to write articles, novels, and other types of material.
Pros:
- One place: The app stores your writing in one single place.
- Distraction: Distraction free interface.
- Exporting: Comes with a lot of exporting options available for you to share your work and notes.
Cons:
- Template: No pre-designed templates
- Cost: The citation machine costs money.
- Only with sheets: Because Ulysses only works with sheets, there are no unique features or arrangements for taking notes or rapidly writing down uncooked ideas for future reference.
Price: Free version, paid version
Platforms: Mac, iPad, iPhone
27. My Note Taking
Overview: Perfect and simple notepad for journaling and taking notes everywhere you go.
Pros:
- Easy: Clean and beautiful interface with easy-to-understand functions.
- Search: With the quick search feature, you can find your notes faster.
- Customize: You can customize font size and style.
Cons:
- Ads: Full screen ads may pop up on your screen.
- Keyboard: The keyboard may sometimes block the words.
Price: Free
Platforms: OS: iOS, iPhone, iPad
Related: Bullet Journal Ideas – The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
28. Zoho Notebook
Overview: Zoho Notebook is a free note-taking app by Zoho Corp, a cloud-based software business that specializes in low-cost solutions. Over the previous few years, Notebook has constantly evolved, and it now syncs your notes across all major platforms and the web.
Pros:
- Quick: Saves information in a quick way.
- User friendly: It’s incredibly user-friendly, with vibrant color note pages, and it takes very little time to install on most platforms.
- Customize: You are able to customize the covers of my notebooks as well as the color of each note.
Cons:
- Shortcuts: Lack of shortcuts which is frustrating when working on multiple tabs.
- Cards: Notes are presented as cards, there is no option to have a list view, which takes less space.
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS mobile devices, macOS, Windows, Linux, and the web.
29. Quip
Overview: Take notes, organize your to-do lists, and collaborate with co-workers. Share folders to organize your projects at home or in the office. You can use all the functions perfectly without an internet connection: as soon as you reconnect everything is synchronized.
Pros:
- Concise: When your team needs to quickly brainstorm and scribble down ideas, Quip is a terrific tool to employ. It removes all extraneous formatting and user interface options, leaving you with a blank canvas on which to work smarter.
- Functionalities: Import and export functionalities are really good.
- Cloud: Having your notes accessible via the cloud is a fantastic way to stay on top of things.
Cons:
- Limited: Text formatting controls are limited.
- PDFs: Doesn´t work well with PDFs
Price: Free
Platforms: iOS and Android
30. Nimbus Note
Overview: Nimbus Note is a cross-platform information repository and note-taking application that lets users make and update notes, customize screenshots, save web pages, and share files with their peers quickly.
Pros:
- Sync: Note-taking web app which has a fully syncing android and ios app.
- Tons of features: Excellent organizational options (workspace, folders, multiple levels of subfolders), and a plethora of functionality.
- External elements: Ability to integrate external elements into a note as “Embed.
Cons:
- Order: Impossible sorting (defining the order of) workspaces and notes manually.
Price: Free
Platforms: iOS and Android
Final Thoughts
Taking good notes in class is essential, they help extend the teacher’s explanation, which then facilitates success in exams.
Taking notes with a pen and a paper brings with it the idea of boredom and quickness; students might just see it as an obligation of just jotting in everything that comes out of their teacher´s mouth in such a fast way they are not even understanding the meaning of their notes.
But today, with such advanced technologies, all those applications to write notes have saved and can save many students’ and adults’ lives at the time of writing their notes, ideas, or whatever crosses their minds.
These applications bring with them a number of tools that not only work for writing down each idea, but also let you organize everything your way, letting it look clean, colorful and even with incorporated images, videos and audios.
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