One Binder or Many?

[StangGang92]

So, I'm entering my freshman year and our pre-reqs take only a year before we start NS, anyways I was wondering in the pre req stage if you take one big binder and divide the classes or give each class it's own binder?

On Monday and Wednesday I have 3 classes in a row without time allowed to run back to my dorm to change binders/books. So the one binder for everything appeals to me.

My classes are:

Foundations of Biology

Intro to Pysch

Gender Comm.

Writing and Social Issues

Call to Adventure (Nursing class)

I know some of this stuff I might want to keep, so I didn't know if I should have some classes with an individual binder and others that can share one binder.

Any insight?

Also any other school/dorm supply advice is greatly welcomed :)

[SingDanceRunLife]

I just finished my freshman year in a program like yours where the prereqs only take up the first year. I used a separate notebook and folder for each class, except in classes with few handouts, and for those, I shared folders...so pretty much the same thing I've done since middle school!

I personally hate binders (which I know I'll have to get over for NS), and that's why.

Basically, do whatever you're most comfortable with.

Dorm stuff:

* Plates, cups, mugs, silverware

* Surge protector (mostly so you can plug more stuff in)

* Fridge

* Microwave

* Whiteboard x2 (so you can have 1 on the outside of your door, and 1 somewhere inside your room)

* More hangars than you think you need

* Bins to put stuff in

* Meds (cold, nausea, etc)

Umm...basically anything you use at home, you'll want to bring to your dorm!

[JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN]

I used one binder for all except for Anatomy and Physiology. The instructors printed out a rather thick study guide that I stuck in a medium 2" binder with some lined paper. I wrote notes on the study guide and the lined paper.

[princsheather]

I've always used a seperate binder for each class. My anatomy class and my physiology class I've always gotten a huge binder for because my professors like lots of handouts. For all my other classes I usually just get a half inch or one inch binder. But I'm a neat freak and have to have my school stuff organized, I've know people who have just gotten a 2 inch binder for all their classes and it works perfectly for them so its all personal preference.

[StangGang92]

I'm a very organized person and I think that the one binder for everything would drive me nuts - but I can just imagine falling over carrying 3 binders/books plus a laptop.

I must just have to do some experiments and see what works best.

Thanks very much!

[mariposabella]

It depended on the class. For science I always had a separate binder. You should probably wait until you have your first day. Maybe for some of your classes all you will need is paper to take notes.

[princsheather]

If you do use one for all the classes definitely have it really divided up so it's super organized. That's what I'm going do for the first time in a very long time because even though I've always used seperate notebooks I've never needed that much space.

[twois]

I use one medium/big binder, and if a class produces an large amount of notes/handouts (i.e. A&P or any of my upper division history classes from my first degree) I'll keep the ones already covered and tested on in a separate binder at home. If you're studying for Exam 3, well into the semester, there's no need to have your Exam 1 and Exam 2 notes with you usually... and at the end of the semester, when I study for finals, I typically only study for one or two on any given day, so I can just take the one or two smaller complete-semester binders with me then.

Get a good set of binder dividers, sturdy plastic with a good numbers of tabs (not just 3-4, cause that's a joke), with removable/changeable tab labels, so they'll last several semesters. And don't be afraid to give one class several tabs if need be. Often I'll give one class a notes tab and an assignments tab, and sometimes they get a third for handouts or a big project/paper.

That way, on a regular day, I only have to grab one binder for class... if my binder's in my backpack, it's the right one and everything I'll need for class that day will be in it. I can't handle juggling 4-5 binders all semester long, that's an absolute recipe for disaster with my usual last-minute preparation for anything.

THEN after the semester is over, I save whatever I need to keep in either 1/2" individual binders (for the rare class like A&P where I wanted to keep every single note I took) or in regular folders (for classes with small amounts of notes & handouts worth keeping)... and I always keep every paper I write or big assignment that's easy to keep in a binder dedicated to syllabi (ALWAYS KEEP THEM) and significant schoolwork.

It sounds like I help keep Office Max in business, but it's not really that complex... basically, I have one big binder and multiple 1" binders that get reused every semester, a 2" one for syllabi and assignments from past semesters, and rarely have to pick up another 1/2" one for archival notes.