As pen and paper dependence fades and the student body becomes increasingly technophiliac, more students use computers to not only to do work outside of class, but to take notes inside of class as well.
Some students find typing notes much faster and easier than writing.
Typing "is much easier than taking notes by hand and so much more efficient in my mind," fourth-year College student Andrew McDowell said.
McDowell did stress, however, that he realizes some classes are more appropriate for typing out notes than others.
"It's easier for history and government classes where things don't need to be very organized, but for classes like econ where you have to draw graphs, I still write out my notes," McDowell said.
Other students like third-year Commerce student Divya Sahay prefer using a computer to organize their notes at home, but find it inconvenient to take a computer to class.
"I'm just used to typing now and find it much neater," Sahay said. "But in class I don't like carrying around my laptop."
McDowell avoids this problem by using a Personal Digital Assistant and keyboard to type his notes, rather than a full-sized laptop.
"I've been typing my notes for about two years now, and when I started I didn't feel like spending $1,700 on a laptop," McDowell said.
Not all hope is lost for students who have not mastered typing, as there is something to be said for the natural act of writing.
"I like writing better," third-year Commerce student Jae Youn said. "I type really slow, but when I write things down, ideas just seem to come to me better."
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