Have you ever been reading a book and you suddenly realize you have no idea what you just read? Yeah, that happens to me all the time. It happens to a lot of people, actually. The idea of constantly zoning out while reading a book is annoying, and there's a simple way to make it a lot easier to comprehend things as you go: annotating.
Hear me out: I know that annotating can be the most annoying thing in the world. Whether it's a book, an article, or a poem (especially poems, those are awful) when a teacher says that you're going to be annotating something, everyone's instant reaction is dreadful - except for me. Yeah, that's right. I'm the one nerd in the class who loves annotating.
I wouldn't be so interested in this activity if it weren't for good reason. I know the secrets to making annotating not only super satisfying, but also pretty fun. After I started implementing these easy organization strategies, I haven't read a book without annotating it. Even if you're stuck having to annotate something for an assignment, these are some good strategies to try and make it a lot less dreadful and boring.
Stuff to Use
You don't really need much to annotate a book. In fact, all you really need is a pencil or pen...if you're boring. Colored pens and sticky notes are always my go to when annotating a book. It also helps to have any sort of highlighters or even markers. This helps organizing different sort of notes you want to take, or simple things you want to point out while reading.
Things to Look for
While annotating, I can't really give many tips on what to look for. All I can say is, if there is something that stands out to you, highlight it, make a note about it, or acknowledge it in some sort of way. Books can be so much more than just reading. Whether it's a quote, a word, or simply just the description of something that seems to make you think twice, make some sort of acknowledgement that it does! It ensures you're getting the most out of whatever you're reading.
Ways to Organize Annotations
Now for the fun part. My favorite way of organizing annotations is by color coding them. I place my notes into three categories: things I relate to, things I don't understand well, and things that I really like and just want to elaborate on. When I want to comment on something, I add a mini sticky note to the side of the book in either blue, green, or pink. I also highlight the phrase that stood out to me in the corresponding color. I know this seems stupid, but it can actually be very helpful when trying to organize your thoughts.
Of course I understand that annotating isn't for everyone. It can be totally boring, and for some people, a waste of time. However, ever since I started making comments on what I'm reading, books seem to stick in my mind so much better. It helps me not only remember what I read, but also understand what I read. This is why once I started annotating, I never stopped. Hopefully this helps you to do the same!