TOP 3 TIPS on How to Properly Take in Lecture Material

Let's be honest – lectures can feel like trying to drink from a fire hose sometimes. One minute you're scribbling frantically trying to get everything down, the next you're completely lost because the lecturer just flew through 20 slides in 10 minutes. Here are three game-changing approaches that actually work (coming from a science/maths student, so humanities students might need to adapt these slightly).

1. Set Yourself Up for Success Before You Even Walk In

This is the absolute game-changer that most people skip – and it's why they spend the entire lecture in panic mode. The key is getting hold of the lecture slides beforehand if possible. Most lecturers upload them to your learning platform, and if they don't, just ask. Seriously, the worst they can say is no.

Once you've got the slides, print them out or load them onto your device. If you're using an iPad or tablet, even better – you can annotate directly onto them. If you're working with paper, print them with space for notes (maybe 2-3 slides per page). This isn't about being lazy; it's about being strategic.

When you've got the structure already there, you can focus on what the lecturer is actually saying rather than frantically trying to copy down everything on the slides. You'll catch the explanations, the examples they give that aren't written anywhere, and those crucial "this will definitely be on the exam" moments.

Choose your seat wisely too. Front few rows might feel intimidating, but you'll hear everything clearly and be less tempted to scroll through your phone. Trust me, that Instagram story can wait an hour.

2. Listen First, Write Second – Quality Over Quantity

Here's where most people go wrong: they try to write down every single word the lecturer says. But here's the thing – if you're writing constantly, you're not actually listening or processing the information. It's like trying to have a conversation while someone's shouting random words at you.

Focus on understanding first, then note the key points. What's the main argument? What are the crucial concepts? What examples are they using to explain complex ideas? These are way more valuable than having a perfect transcript of everything said.

When lecturers are speaking quickly (we've all been there – 100+ slides in an hour is just unfeasible), don't panic. Instead of trying to keep up word-for-word, focus on the big picture. What's the overall point of this section? Write down key terms and concepts, then fill in the details afterward.

Use your own shorthand and abbreviations. You don't need to write "therefore" every time – a simple arrow (→) works just as well. Develop your own system of symbols and stick to it.

And honestly, put your phone away during lectures. I get it – they can be boring sometimes, but if you're scrolling through TikTok, you're literally wasting your time being there. Either engage with the content or don't bother showing up.

3. The Review Game – Make It Actually Stick

Taking notes during the lecture is only half the battle. What you do afterward is what actually makes the difference between passing and excelling.

Within 24 hours of the lecture (ideally that same day), go back through your notes and clean them up. Fill in any gaps, expand on abbreviations, and make sure everything makes sense. If you scribbled something quickly and now can't read it, look it up or ask a classmate.

This is where that slides-plus-annotations method really pays off. You can add extra explanations, link concepts together, and create a proper record of what was covered. If you prefer handwritten notes, this is when you'd do your neat rewrite – consolidating everything into a format that's actually useful for revision.

Connect the dots between lectures, readings, and assignments. How does today's lecture build on last week's? How does it relate to that reading you did? This isn't just busy work – it's how you actually understand the subject rather than just memorizing isolated facts.

Create questions for yourself based on the material. What would you ask if you were writing the exam? What concepts are you still unclear on? This helps identify what you need to follow up on.

Pro tip about lecture recordings: If you're genuinely ill, most lecturers can arrange for lectures to be recorded or provide remote access. Don't be afraid to ask – universities are usually pretty accommodating for health reasons, and it takes the pressure off trying to attend when you're not well. Just remember, recordings are meant to supplement attendance, not replace it entirely.

Quick disclaimer: I'm coming at this from a science/maths background, so these techniques work brilliantly for subjects with lots of formulas, data, and structured content. If you're studying humanities subjects with more discussion-based lectures, you might need to adapt these approaches – but the core principles of preparation, active listening, and review still absolutely apply.

The bottom line? Stop trying to be a human photocopier and start being an active learner. Your future self cramming for exams will thank you massively.

Madeleine x