How I began to make notes.

Assalamualaikum and hello there, everyone!

After settling down with my minor posting exams and had been on adapting phase of entering a major posting, here I am writing to you, fulfilling my promise. Although I did not know much how and where to start, but just lets get to know a lil bit on how I started to make notes.

In all honesty, my study style has gone into so much transitions over the years. I did not do much notes back in my school years (because apparently they were only emphasising on doing lots of exercises in order to score). Therefore, the journey of my serious notes-making began when I was in my Foundation in Science (FIS) phase!

Foundation in Science 2013/2014 - Today, 2019, most of them are final year students :')

Too good to be true, aside from the wonderful times I had with them, deep down in me,  I was actually struggling to cope those things I fumbled upon and screwed up.

But! Before that, here’s a disclaimer.  All these years, I’ve been hesitant of..

“should I share or should I NOT share my study style/tips  to people…”,

 Not because I don’t want to expose any sorts of secret study recipe,  but because I felt that I don’t fit in the criteria of the promising student in class. You know what I mean? I am just.. an ordinary student.. (even sometimes I felt I am subordinary or below mediocre) I am just.. not the best student to share these things. 

I don’t know why my notes-making took so much attention because honestly, I do it because I am barely surviving. Making notes is like the oxygen in order for me to thrive in my studies.  That’s how crucial the notes-making for me.

So back to my FIS days,  I can say it was rough tough moments for me because I hit rock bottom a few times (no. I think, all the time!) since I had to repeat papers to repeat subjects and repeat IGCSE exams twice, at. the. same. time! (Yes ladies and gentlemen, REPEAT!)

Imagine.. you’re still taking the same subjects, ‘wasting a year’.. while looking  at your friends on the next level of study, starting their degree, but you’re still here.. stucked in the FIS level. I couldn’t deny further that it made me into a grieving phase where I had to question my worth countless times,

“why am I not like them..?”

I didn’t  know why it was so hard that I hardly grab the rope, I slipped over so many times that I had no option left but to push myself  harder to figure out

“WHAT SHOULD I DO TO SURVIVE..?”

Had it not because I have to repeat those, I wouldn’t take that bold move to change myself, especially my study discipline.

I am reaally thankful for I have a very supportive family that believes in me and allow me to keep pursuing what I want, even I’ve failed tremendously. Because peeps, other downsides than to re-study and sitting for the same exam was.. kaching kaching! m0neY..

Also, important point! When all these thing happen and I am faraway from my family, I am so grateful that I have these support system with me, they are my backbone, my family here..  Although they might say that they didn’t do anything.. but for always being there for me.. is something I truly appreciated with all my heart. So, thank you. I pray that Allah will always be there with each and every one of you.

                         

The Soul Sisters for Life : Mira Anne Syu 2013 vs 2017

The ever lovely housemates of Palm Spring : Kak Paan, Izzah, Husna, Umira, Nabila & Iman (not in picture)

 

Oh not to forget! The amazing support system, Brothers and Sisters! Interesting fact : Although currently none of us end up in the same class (minus the same faculty) haha but we're actually came from the same FIS class! I had a hard time searching for a complete picture of us, so I screenshoted this from our whatsapp group haha even uzma's included! :p

Last but not least, My confidant, Wani! This is our very first picture together back in 2014.

I came to realize that, they were actually the precious gifts Allah SWT gave me - wrapped under the tough days I need to went through. Miraculous isn’t it? (While I was scrolling my google photos to look for their pictures, I couldn’t help but to silently teared up because of how graceful Allah planned everything and made me to meet them, was indeed beautiful. I wouldn’t want to trade anything in this world for their presence in my life, is such a blessing!).

*              *              *

The nature of being silent and observant in me, had took me into another step of emulating one of my best friend’s style in notes-making, and from there where it all began. I will reveal her at the very end of this post soon.

So back to this sister, everyone who’re close to her, will acknowledge how organised she was. Every time when we had exam, apart from studying with those intelligent-born or fast-paced-learner, I will go to her because she is the “step-by-step” kinda person and that made me felt at ease to grasp and absorb things, one by one. She always had this A4 notes that are folded into halves with bullets, numbering, boxes filled with important- things-to-remember and arrows all over it. I wouldn’t say it is a mind map, because it isn’t. It is not a paragraph kinda notes too, because her’s was way much simpler than that. What is amazing about her notes is that everyone who read it, can understand it. Because I notice that most of the time we make our own notes, only ourselves will understand what we wrote and how it works for us.

Long story short, the rough patch that I went through, have forced me to re-evaluate where I am with Allah SWT. How pathetic is it, that here I am, only putting effort to fix the quality of my relationship with Him once I've been denied what I wanted or when something has been taken away from me.

This journey had made me to recognise the most suitable study style for me and internally prepped me the study momentum that needed for the unpredictable tides of a medical student’s life. Since that day on, I began to  love everything that had to do with organising and being systematic. In order to achieve that, I took all the time I need to study, meaning, my study-efficiency are comprises of :

1)   Plan

2)   Consistency

In regards to it, one must have a strong character to impart these above entities, which is your WHY! or.. before lack of better words, your TRIGGERING FACTOR. And from there, discipline will naturally tags along.

Thus, as for me, my WHY or my TRIGGERING FACTOR that time, was to overcome all those bad feelings about myself for not being able to survive FIS on time and to get into degree. I started to do whatever it takes and work harder because I wouldn’t want to repeat the same mistakes again. And Alhamdulillah, currently I am in the 4th year of medical school, and up until now I haven’t yet to repeat any 😂 and InshaAllah, never in the future! Amiin.

So that’s how my notes- making story begin!

Don’t get me wrong, I do celebrate the diversity of the study styles we have. I believe everyone have their own designated ways to study. There ain’t no right or wrong ways to study, because at the end of the day, the one that is going to understand the topic is YOU and the one that is going to retain the knowledge for a long-term memory is YOU. 

So, chin up! Just because some people can do laid-back study without giving so much effort on making notes, doesn’t mean that their way works for you. On the other hand, seeing other people have books full of  handwritten notes doesn’t necessarily reflect that you did not study enough.

You, do you.

With that I end here for now, and will resume the technical part of making notes at the next post, InshaAllah. .

Oh! About the girl that I’m talking about.. here she is!

Us in 2014

Transformed in 2017! haha

Aniza Musa or her glam name, Anne! 😋 If you’re reading this Anne, I would like to say thank youu so much! I have been inspired-in-disguise for how amazing you manage your studies back in those days. I will pass on what I inherit from you and I hope many can benefit from this legacy of making notes, at the next post!

See you!