What’s the Best Tool for Taking Notes at University? (Honest Student Take)

📓 Traditional Notebook & Pen – Old School, Still Relevant

Yes, people still write by hand.
And yes — in some cases, it actually works.

Pros:

• Helps with memory retention

• No distractions

• Cheap

• Works everywhere

Cons:

• Slow

• Hard to organize

• Terrible for diagrams, slides, and revisions

• Not great for technical subjects

Best for:
Humanities, theory-heavy courses, smaller classes, or universities where laptops aren’t really used in lectures.

If your uni is very “classical” — pen and paper might still be enough, and if you're that type of person who learn better by writing things down this is an easy yes for you. 

I only used paper notebooks when I studied for exams to practice lessons. Otherwise I always reorganized my notes (so a tablet was better solution for me).

📱 Tablet (iPad, Android) – Amazing… for a While

This one is personal.

For the first 3 years of university, I used an iPad for note-taking.
And honestly?
For the first 1.5–2 years, it was amazing.

Why tablets are great:

• Handwritten notes + digital storage

• Easy diagrams

• Clean, organized folders

• Perfect for PDFs and slides

• Feels modern and efficient

Why it stopped working for me:

My learning style changed.

I realized I:

• Took fewer notes

• Focused more on listening

• Learned mostly from presentations and summaries

• Started using AI tools to understand and revise content

At that point, handwriting became unnecessary friction. Don't get me wrong, I loved that thing. I didn't have to worry about forgeting a book at home, the notes synced across all my devices, so before an exam I just pulled out my phone for a quick recap. Sadly it slowly become a Netflix machine, and for that price I didn't wanted to use it just for that. Tablets are great early on — but not always a long-term solution.

If I were on a graphic design or architect major, I would definitely use a tablet.

💻 Laptop – The Most Flexible Option

Eventually, I switched to a laptop.

And for my current workflow, it just makes more sense. I can do all the things that I did on my iPad and so much more, but with a bigger screen and longer battery life. Tablets are tablets, even if you buy a keyboard case for them.

Why laptops work well:

• Fast typing

• Easy access to slides, docs, AI tools

• Perfect for projects, essays, group work

• Better for revision-based studying

Downsides:

• Easy to get distracted

• Not always allowed in lectures

• Can feel “too digital” for some people

Best for:
Upper years, project-heavy majors, tech/business/photo/video/... students, or anyone using AI and digital materials a lot. 

A little advice:

You don't always need the more expensive piece of tech. For example when I'm not doing schoolwork on my laptop I make videos and photos for brands and for myself and my laptop's power is more than enough for me. (I use a Macbook Air M4)

📱 Phone – Just Don’t. Seriously.

Let’s get this out of the way. At this point just don't take any notes, just full focus in classes.

Using your phone for note-taking at university is the worst option.
No debate.

Why it sucks:

• Tiny screen

• Constant notifications

• Zero focus

• Easy to fall into Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, anything

If you’re using your phone, you’re not taking notes — you’re pretending to. Honestly, have you ever read notes/lessons from your phone? Don't lie.

Do yourself a favor and don’t build bad habits early.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Every University Is Different

This part matters more than people think.

Some universities:

• Require Windows laptops

• Use specific software

• Expect digital submissions only

Others:

• Barely use laptops

• Prefer handwritten exams

• Don’t care what device you use

👉 Before you buy anything:

• Check your university’s requirements

• Ask older students

• Ask professors

• Look at your curriculum

Buying the wrong device can be expensive and useless.

🎯 How to Choose the Right Tool (Before & During Uni)

If you’re about to start university:

• Don’t overinvest immediately

• Wait a few weeks

• Observe how classes work

• See what others use

If you’re already a student:

• Ask yourself how you actually learn

• Are you memorizing or understanding?

• Do you revise from notes or slides?

• Are you using AI tools?

Your tools should support your brain, not fight it.