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Advice!

Hi,
I'll be going into my final year of university for my biomedical sciences degree this September.
I'm thinking of buying an iPad air with an apple pencil to help me with my notes for university and revising for my final year exams. Typing my notes up has never really worked for me with retaining information and note-taking with a pen and paper was usually very messy for me as I would need to rush writing down notes during a lecture, and it would just put me off re-doing the notes afterwards. I'm also thinking of buying a refurbished laptop for about £400 for my final year just to do my assessments and to be able to just do my work anywhere. I do have a high-end gaming pc however I can never focus deeply in my room, no matter how hard I try (I have been referred for an ADHD assessment and I am currently seeking help from the university for this such as inclusive 1-on-1 support and possibly medication after my assessment).
Would anyone have any advice regarding;
1. Buying an iPad and an apple pencil for note taking (has it helped you personally with revision and retaining information?)
2. Buying a refurbished laptop for my final year (is £400 too much to spend just for one more year of university?)
3. Taking ADHD medication for concentration (I know I haven't been diagnosed yet but my doctor, therapist and myself believe that I definitely show a lot of the symptoms).
4. Focus (If you struggle to focus in general and have racing thoughts all the time, what helps you focus on the present task?).

Thank you guys for reading!

Reply 1

Anonymous #2

My degree isn't Biomed, so I cannot give anything specific. I do Computer Science however. My personal preference is to sit through a lecture and take minimal notes. I've found it more effective to spend the lecture time thinking and pondering about what is being taught, which will then lead to further questions during the Q and A. It's stress free, and I am not worrying about scribbling notes in whatever furiously fast paced fashion is required in order to document everything the lecturer says. Instead, I use the lecture recording afterwards to then take more effective notes. I can identify sections that I've struggled on, and rewind back so that I can listen to them again. I believe this is more effective, because
1) Less stress. You aren't focussed on documenting what the lecturer says.
2) Spaced repetition, because I am reviewing the lecture again a day later to make notes, thus leading to improved retention in memory.
3) I can review the lecture at my own pace. Rewind, skip, fast-forward, whatever.

If your school doesn't record lectures, then I would do it myself with a laptop. Get yourself in the lecture hall early, and sit in the front row.

I did not use an ipad and apple pencil, I used a macbook. I have no strong opinions about whether you should type or write your notes. This is your personal preference. However, if you do type them, you do gain the advantage of being able to more easily sort and find specific sections in your notes because your notes are already in plain text. There's no processing required.

As for my setup, I also have a high-spec PC which is what I consider for general light work and entertainment. My Macbook is my designated work computer, and I have not installed anything for recreation on it. This has helped tremendously for my focus, and is why I would suggest buying a separate device solely dedicated to work. If you could work in a different room as well, that'd be even better. You mentioned you might have ADHD, so maybe you could combine a work laptop + different room with ADHD medication (with approval from your doctor ofcourse), the combination of which could further improve focus.