Lesson 1: The Rise of Aesthetic Note Taking

Social Media Influence and the Drive for Perfection

I know we all know someone who prides themselves on having the prettiest notes. They sit down with their pencil cases and go from one highlighter and colored pen to another.

While this method might work for certain individuals, extensive research consistently demonstrates that activities such as rereading, highlighting, and other passive techniques commonly linked to this approach tend to have minimal effectiveness.

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Enter the world of aesthetic note taking: Where notebooks resemble art canvases and highlighters take on the roles of brushes and paint. Each page is crafted with vibrant colors, carefully selected fonts, and delicate diagrams. But what led to the rise of this trend?

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The Age of Visual Pleasure: It's because we live in an era where social media platforms dominated by visuals, have emerged as powerful tools that influence our daily decisions, behaviors, and even our aspirations. Whether it's the fitness trends on twitter, or educational videos on instagram, these platforms significantly shape our perceptions, which is further amplified by viral videos with countless influencers and students showcasing their 'perfect' notes, often using hashtags such as “studygram” or “studytok”.

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Perfectionism in Play: While social media democratizes the spread of ideas, it also promotes a culture of perfectionism. The race to have the 'perfect' life, the 'perfect' outfit, or even the 'perfect' notes is relentless. Every picture of flawless notes, no matter how aspirational, can also unintentionally set unrealistically high standards for students worldwide. The thought often becomes, "If my notes don't look like that, am I even doing it right?"

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Validation and Approval: Likes, comments, shares, and followers have become new-age metrics for validation. For many, a post that gains widespread appreciation feels rewarding. When one's notes get thousands of likes or are shared across study communities, it provides a sense of accomplishment. This, in turn, fuels the cycle of spending more time making notes "look" right, often at the expense of their actual utility.

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The Illusion of Productivity: Crafting beautiful notes can sometimes give students the illusion of productivity. The time and effort invested in making notes look aesthetically pleasing might feel like a fruitful study session. However, this could detract from the main goal of understanding and retaining information.

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However, it's essential to strike a balance. Aesthetic notetaking isn't inherently problematic. For many, the process of beautifying notes can be therapeutic, helping in retention and making study sessions enjoyable. The problem arises when the emphasis shifts from understanding content to merely creating visually appealing notes.

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Finding the Middle Ground: So, how can students enjoy the best of both worlds?

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• Purpose-driven Aesthetics: It's beneficial to use colors, but maybe each color can signify something – like blue for essential points, red for definitions, and so on.
• Time Management: Allocate specific time for beautifying notes if that's a passion. However, ensure it doesn't eat into the time meant for understanding and revising content.
• Digital vs. Manual: While many prefer manual notes, digital platforms can offer tools that make aesthetically pleasing notes quicker to produce, leaving more time for actual studying.
• Sharing and Collaborating: If you love creating aesthetic notes, consider sharing or swapping them with friends who might be good at other aspects of studying, like creating mind maps or quick revision sheets.

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In conclusion, while the rise of aesthetic note taking, fueled by social media, has added a colorful dimension to studying, it's essential to remember the core purpose of notes: aiding in understanding and retention. As the age-old saying goes, "All that glisters is not gold." Similarly, all that's color-coded might not lead to comprehension. It's all about striking the right balance!

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