10 things I wish I knew in undergrad | advice for my first-year self

TL;DR

Choose a note-taking system you can maintain for years, because saved learning becomes easier to retrieve and reuse later.

Briefing Cornell Notes

Briefing

Undergraduate success isn’t about chasing perfect grades—it’s about building systems, collecting real-world learning, and protecting your identity so you can take creative risks. The most urgent advice is to choose a note-taking setup and stick with it for years. Whether it’s a commonplace book, bullet journal, Notion workspace, or a spreadsheet, the point is to preserve what’s learned now so it’s easy to retrieve later. Relearning from scratch wastes time, and the material from classes, performances, and reading often becomes useful long after the semester ends.

That same “save it for later” mindset extends beyond coursework. Notes should capture the plays and theatrical productions seen during the degree, but the practice generalizes: when something in the real world connects to what’s being studied, write it down. Even leisure reading—like gothic literature—can matter, because future assignments and research often draw from lived experiences and personal interests. The transcript also pushes students to stop treating grades as a personal identity. “A student” is framed as a myth; what truly exists is each assignment, graded through professor preferences, biases, and sometimes plain mistakes. Over-identifying with marks narrows thinking and discourages bold, interesting work.

Instead, the advice urges students to diversify who they are and what they do. Students should lean into hobbies and roles beyond academics—maker, artist, writer, athlete, sibling, and more—so performance metrics don’t become the only measure of worth. When writing assignments, the transcript recommends choosing topics based on genuine curiosity, even if they don’t seem “impressive” to professors, friends, or family. It argues that writing improves when it comes from real interest.

Form matters as much as content. A future theater theory paper—about whether props can be considered actors—is used as an example of how a conventional academic format can feel dull even when the topic is exciting. The solution is to rewrite the assignment as a dialogue between a theater theorist and an actor, using a Socratic style to make the ideas sharper and more engaging, ultimately winning an essay prize.

The remaining guidance targets professional confidence and emotional resilience: publish strong work early (like a thesis or standout essay), treat professors as approachable humans rather than intimidating gatekeepers, and resist the academic habit of comparison. Competition is portrayed as a pipeline toward scarcity thinking, so the transcript advocates collaboration—group study, peer support, and even co-written papers when allowed.

Finally, it recommends course selection based on enjoyment rather than status, and it urges students to start therapy sooner than later. University mental health supports are described as a strength, not a weakness, helping students identify root causes of unhelpful patterns before undergrad’s academic and social pressures intensify. The overall message is that these years are formative—so document them, protect your creativity, and build support early.

Cornell Notes

The core message is that undergrad should be managed through durable systems and a stable sense of identity—not through grade-chasing. Pick a note-taking method and keep it for years so class insights, performances, and even personal reading remain retrievable later. Grades shouldn’t define who a student is; professors grade through preferences and biases, and over-focusing on marks reduces creative risk-taking. Write about what you genuinely care about, and don’t be afraid to reshape assignments into formats that make the ideas come alive. Build confidence through early publishing, office hours, collaboration over competition, and earlier mental health support via therapy.

Why does the advice emphasize choosing a note-taking system and sticking with it for years?

The transcript treats note-taking as long-term knowledge management. The recommendation is to select any workable method—commonplace book, bullet journal, Notion setup, or even an Excel spreadsheet—and commit to it so information from classes and experiences is preserved for the next decade. The practical payoff is retrieval: without a consistent system, students end up trying to relearn and search for old material later, which costs time and effort.

What should students write notes on beyond lectures and assignments?

Notes should capture real-world connections to course content. The transcript specifically calls out taking notes on plays and theatrical productions, but it generalizes to any field: if students see relevant behavior in the world (for example, in psychology or cognitive science), they should connect it back to what they’re learning. It also encourages noting pleasure reading—like gothic literature—because it may become useful later even if it feels non-academic now.

How does the transcript reframe grades and academic identity?

Grades are described as unreliable signals shaped by professor judgment, potential bias, and sometimes incorrect ideas about what “good work” looks like. The transcript argues that identifying as “an A student” is misguided because it replaces meaningful engagement with fear of losing status. Over-investing identity in grades is said to make thinking shallower and reduce willingness to take big, interesting risks.

What does “form matters as much as content” mean in practice?

A theater theory example illustrates the point: a final paper on whether props can be considered actors could be written in a conventional, jargon-heavy five-paragraph style and end up feeling boring despite the student’s interest. The transcript’s alternative is to rewrite the assignment as a dialogue between a theater theorist and an actor, using a Socratic format. That shift in structure makes the ideas more engaging and, in the example, leads to an essay prize.

Why does the transcript push collaboration over competition?

Academic competition is portrayed as deeply embedded—professors may compare students’ work to distribute grades evenly, and students later compete for spots, funding, publications, and jobs. The transcript warns that this can create a scarcity mindset that holds everyone back. The recommended counter is active collaboration: help peers, organize group study, ask about co-written papers, and build a community of support rather than fear.

What role does mental health support play in the advice?

Therapy is urged earlier than the fourth-year on-campus option. Undergrad is described as challenging both academically and socially, so using free university supports sooner helps students identify root causes behind negative thoughts and behaviors. The transcript frames therapy as strengthening—improving self-awareness and coping—rather than as weakness.

Review Questions

What are the consequences of not using a consistent note-taking system throughout undergrad, according to the transcript?
How does the transcript justify writing about topics you love even when professors or peers might not approve?
What specific strategies does the transcript recommend to counter scarcity mindset and comparison in academic settings?

Key Points

1
Choose a note-taking system you can maintain for years, because saved learning becomes easier to retrieve and reuse later.
2
Take notes on real-world experiences that connect to coursework, including plays, observed behaviors, and even pleasure reading.
3
Treat grades as feedback on assignments, not as an identity label; professor judgment can be biased or simply wrong.
4
Write about what you genuinely care about, and don’t hesitate to reshape assignment formats to make the work more effective.
5
Publish strong work early (like a thesis or major essay) to reduce intimidation in grad school.
6
Use office hours to build relationships with professors and view them as approachable humans, not untouchable authorities.
7
Replace competition with collaboration—support peers, organize group study, and pursue co-written work when allowed.

Highlights

A consistent note-taking system is framed as the single most important undergrad habit because it prevents future time-wasting relearning.

Grades shouldn’t define identity; over-focusing on marks can make students less creative and less willing to take meaningful risks.

Turning a dull academic assignment into a dialogue format can transform engagement—and even win recognition.

Collaboration is presented as an antidote to scarcity mindset, with group study and co-written papers offered as concrete tactics.

Starting therapy earlier is described as a strength that helps students identify root causes before undergrad pressure escalates.

Topics

Note-Taking Systems
Writing for Interest
Grades and Identity
Collaboration vs Competition
Therapy and Support

Mentioned

Morgan