There is an art to taking notes...
Pictures speak 1,000 words, and a word just speaks one word.
So, instead of just taking notes, doodle too!
It will help the information stick to your brain better.
Here are some ideas
To see how note taking relates to my personal interests, go here
http://thelostsocklife.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-art-of-smart-thrifting.html