digital notes guide part 2/5: taking effective lecture notes (but make them cute!) 🎀
1st post
posted by: glowettee
hey study butterflies! ♡ mindyyyyy hereeeee
welcome back to our digital notes series! today i'm going more into the actual note-taking process during lectures/classes. this is important, since you can swap out notebooks for a digital notebook which becomes a lot more seamless.
♡ pre-lecture prep
because being prepared changes everything:
night before setup:
review previous notes (refresh your memory!)
pre-read lecture slides
create note template
set up quick-access tools
prepare questions
charge all devices
quick-access toolbar:
highlighting shortcuts
screenshot tool ready
recording software open
reference materials linked
custom stickers folder
favorite templates
♡ the actual note-taking method
this changed my whole study game:
(SUPER IMPORTANT) the butterfly method (my signature system):
main points in center
supporting details on left wing
examples on right wing
questions in antennae section
vocabulary in body section
connections in trail section
active engagement tricks:
use different colors for different types of information
create mini mind maps as you go
add little drawings for visual memory
insert voice memos for complex topics
flag confusing points with cute markers
leave space for post-lecture additions
♡ making it aesthetic but effective
because why not have both?:
visual organization:
use boxes for definitions
clouds for main concepts
stars for important points
hearts for memorable examples
arrows for connections
flowers for chapter markers
color coding system:
pink for main concepts
lavender for examples
mint for definitions
peach for formulas
baby blue for dates
gold for important warnings
♡ dealing with fast-paced lectures
because professors/teachers love to speed-talk:
shorthand system:
create cute abbreviations
use symbols for common words
develop personal code system
quick bullet points
voice record if allowed
flag for later review
quick capture methods:
screenshot important slides
quick sketch diagrams
voice memo key points
type keywords only
mark confusion points
flag for detailed review
♡ post-lecture enhancement
because the real magic happens after:
immediate review:
fill in gaps while fresh
add pretty headings
organize messy sections
insert relevant images
complete examples
link related concepts
enhancement techniques:
create summary boxes
add practice questions
insert related resources
make concept connections
highlight key points
add memory triggers
effective notes aren't just about capturing everything - they're about creating a resource you'll actually want to review! think of it like creating your own aesthetic textbook that speaks your language.
pro tip: don't try to make everything perfect during the lecture. focus on capturing information first, make it pretty later! i usually spend 15 minutes after each lecture prettifying my notes.
xoxo, mindy 🎀





















