I have been usingGoodnotes on my11 inchiPad 8th Gen with Apple Pencil1st Generation(yeah the older one :p) with silicon grip, since 2 years now. Initially when I began my preparation, post joiningCGP Batch, I was very excited with the entire idea of Digital Notemaking. I made running notes of Economy (offline class), World History, Post India Independence (online recorded classes) entirely on Goodnotes. This was somehow my way of spicing up my otherwise monotonous preparation.
Everything was favourable untilI was reminded in class by my then Faculty “how I wasn’t a special case and won’t be getting an iPad in Actual Mains to write my exams; Hence, I shouldn’t give up on the pen and paper mode of note taking.” It didn’t make sense to me instantly, but later FOMO creeped in and the speed issue actually hit me in my first CBT test.
Later I gave up entirely and resorted to the same old scribbling method of notemaking to work on my “on paper writing skills”. Currently I use goodnotes for reading PDFs and some basic short notemaking.
However, based on my experience of extensive digital notemaking,here are my two cents which might come handy while taking running notes on Goodnotes -
# Use silicon grip on Apple pencil to avoid pain.
# Select square boxed or ruled paper instead of Blank sheet (for better alignment)
# Zoom in the portion where you wish to write and then write instead of directly writing on the given space (for better font size)
# If possible don’t use Glass Template on iPad (it goes alltak- tak -tak -tak when you write, might annoy at times)
# Select 3 different tip sizes for Headlines or Body and fix them once (So that you do not keep adjusting pencil grip)
# Select 3 differently pen colours once (for the same reason mentioned above)
#Use ruler whenever there is alignment issue. Put a straight line, write as per the need. Erase it later.
#Use “Shape” icon for drawing various shapes
I am attaching few excerpts from my “Good-notes”@Neyawn for reference-
PS : One night when I was writing something, my father while passing by my side noticed me and curiously asked-“Do you get assignments to submit in your coaching? Why are you making such Dhinchak Rangeen notes? Are you planning to sell it?” It was then I realised I should probably stop romanticising the art of making notes and rather focus on just getting the job done to the earliest. After all it’d be just me reading my notes.
PPS: At the end, it’s all about the internal enthusiasm and inherent interest which pushes one to make notes diligently, either on paper or digitally.
