I’ve been using Obsidian with help from LLMs, syncing stuff to Drive and occasionally dropping files into Colab (don’t laugh). But writing formulas in LaTeX is a pain.

Lately, I’ve just been handwriting notes and condensing them, focusing on solving tough problems properly. The other day I looked back at some notes and couldn’t even understand my own handwriting.

I just got a drawing tablet hoping to combine it with Obsidian, but now I’m struggling to get used to writing on it. I won’t throw away my notes anymore, but digitizing them is gonna be slow.

How do you take notes?
I'm a student and can't afford paid tools.

>>33351164 (OP)
Pen
Paper
Write the important stuff

plain text files for everything, sometimes spreadsheets or drawings (also made with a drawing tablet, or just scanned papers) if suitable, or really whatever format works best to store and display information. I think what matters most is enforcing a proper directory structure by not relying on file search or tagging. I also don't have a central system for note taking only, instead the notes are wherever I need them, usually along their actual project files. The specific tools for writing and organizing themselves don't matter much (and can be exchanged as needed), but I use vim as the default editor within ranger, which is my preferred file browser. The combination of the two, utilizing all key bindings and shortcuts, as well as knowing exactly where to find everything in the first place makes dropping in and out of notes and topics extremely fast.

>>33351308
I should probably add that I also do everything on a single device (my laptop) so I don't have to bother with any cloud services or collaboration tools (I don't have any friends) aside from email and github. 80% of what I do (programming) can be done with a keyboard, so whenever I need handwriting (math, circuits, brainstorming), I connect a wacom drawing tablet (one of the small ones without a screen, input only).

>>33351164 (OP)
I don't take notes. I find out the textbook that is being used for the subject (there always is) and read that in the following manner:
https://archive.4plebs.org/adv/thread/33313418/#q33316056

>>33351164 (OP)
honestly, had written with doodles. the doodles remind me of the head space I was in when I made them. memory is complex and related to more than just strings of facts.
I think Japanese kids used to buy a unique perfume and put a little on there note for a major test. that way there brain would associate the memory across senses, they would then wear a little on there wrist on the day of the test and it worked as a brain hack.
I think it is more evidenced based than it sounds.