Effective notetaking – with Zebra Pen brand ambassador, Peach

How to be effective at notetaking

Hi, I’m Peach – I’ve been a Zebra Pen brand ambassador now since spring 2024. I can’t believe I’m just about to go into my final A-Level year, studying Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and History. But I’m feeling on top of my studies – because I love my subjects, PLUS I’ve got a great set of notes ready to go! 

I’m a big fan of effective notetaking, and in this how-to guide, I’m sharing some of my top tips. For me, there is a magic formula, and if you follow these simple suggestions, you’ll feel calmer, more confident and ready to reach for the stars!

What you’ll need:

• Mildliner pens are the ultimate notetaking multi-tasker – the highlighter and bullet marker combo make for killer keywords and memorable topic titles. Right now, I’m using purple and grey, but I go through phases of my favourite colour palettes. 

• Sarasa Clip 0.5 mm in black. (If you prefer a thicker nib, these are available in 0.7 mm vintage black too.) I’m also a huge fan of the new limited edition ‘A calming moment’ Sarasa Clip gel pens. The vintage shades come with pretty, inspired-by-nature barrel wraps, and are the ultimate note-maker’s pen. That feel-good glide of a Sarasa gel across the page makes light of any lecture!

• Chill music – and study snacks! (I won’t say “No” to a matcha or cheese and crackers – particularly truffle Cheddar!)

Choose a template and stick with it

Pre-prepared templates are the key to successful notetaking. My go-to template is the Cornell notes layout – it’s well-structured and very popular with students. You divide each page into two – listing key questions, topics or single-line summaries down the left hand side. Then use the right hand side for your subject or topic summary. Use short sentences or phrases and complete it as soon as possible after class.

You can also create a section at the foot of the page too for overall summaries – perfect for that last minute flick through your notes before you head into an exam

I usually use an online template, but why not draw your own?

Make killer keywords

Keywords literally are the key to effective notetaking. Highlighting your key words, dates or facts means you prioritise as you go – noone can remember everything! Zebra Mildliners were made for this job. The dual nibs mean you have a highlighter to emphasise important words, dates, or facts, and a bullet tip for underlining, circling or to draw attention to specific paragraphs. If you have a Mildliner Brush as well, this is ideal for designing a memorable subject or topic heading. 

Highlighting is a staple in most of my notes and is perfect for both science subjects and essay-based subjects! And I highly recommend a pop of colour! The ‘power of the pop’ draws your eye to the important stuff when you come back to it. 

Take pleasure in choosing colours that resonate with you. Right now, I love the Mild Smoke Blue, Mild Violet, Mild Grey and Mild Red. But I change up my colour combos each month or with different subjects – and I’ve always got a couple of extras in my bag, just in case.

Leave lots of space in your notetaking

The easier your work is to read, the easier it is to remember. For me, there’s nothing worse than a page that’s wall-to-wall text. Leaving plenty of space literally gives your notes room to breathe – like a visual pause – encouraging you to absorb the facts. Plus, you’ve got room to go back and add more detail if you want to. 

Using icons and symbols for standout

Meaningful symbols and imagery help engage me so much more with my work! For content-rich subjects like sciences, I use visual prompts including symbols, numbers and diagrams – it’s fun and really helps my active recall. Even a tick and a cross (or a smiley face and a frown) make positives and negatives come to life!

Peach’s top three reasons for great notetaking

✍️You’re summarising as you go – and that means you’re using your brain and gaining a better understanding of what the lecturer was talking about!

✍️You’re highlighting key points – which makes your brain actively recall information!

✍️And you’ll be revision-ready – flashcards and practice questions will be a doddle!

Why handwriting your notes is important

Confession time. I genuinely love the whole process of completing a set of notes! It’s important to do past papers and practice exam questions too, but if I’m honest, I actually prefer the notetaking! It’s quite relaxing. 

Handwriting your notes means you listen harder, evaluate information and prioritise key facts as you go – often making new connections with what you already know. And if your note spreads look gorgeous too, so much the better. Life will be so much easier when it comes to revision time (why not check out our top tips for revising too?) 

Making good notes helps us feel calm, confident and in control. Ready for anything!