Tips to Start the School Year Right with Evernote

When the classroom door closes and the lecture begins, are you ready and organized?

Head back to school with these essential Evernote tips to tackle your notes.

For taking notes, uploading files, and creating to-do lists, Evernote is an easily-accessible and full-featured application that can help you manage your way through the school year.

Create a Stack

This is the first step towards good organization for the school year and can be structured in a couple of different ways to suit your needs and preference.In Evernote, you can create what is called a Stack that includes several notebooks inside it.

Method 1:  Inside each of these stacks, you can create notebooks for your classes during those terms such as Psychology and Nutrition. If you only use Evernote for school and nothing else, you can create stacks for each term such as Term 1 and Term 2.

Method 2: If you use Evernote for more than school, it is wise to create a stack specifically for your school and name it as such. For example, Washington High School or State University. Then within this stack, create notebooks for the terms or semesters or for your individual classes and be sure to use tags as well. The tags will allow for faster Evernote searches when needed.

The easiest way when you use “Method 2” is to create a notebook inside the school stack for each class. You can then use tags to indicate Term 1 and Term 2 for searching if needed. The key is to organize Evernote, its stacks, and your notebooks in a way that makes the most sense to you.

To create a stack on the Web or desktop app, just select and drag one notebook on top of another. You can then give your stack the appropriate name.

Capture Notes

If you are able to use your mobile device or computer in class, then taking notes directly inside Evernote is the best way to capture them. Create a new note inside the appropriate class notebook, give it a meaningful title, and add a tag if you like. The notes automatically capture the date and can be sorted using a variety of fields such as creation date, tag, size, or reminder.

If you are unable to use Evernote to take notes during class and must do them by hand, you can still use the app for storing your notes. You can simply scan or take a photo of your notes and upload them to Evernote on the web.

Plus, the camera on the Evernote mobile app allows you to snap a photo of your notes and upload them directly. You can give them a title, add tags, include a location, and even scribble a drawing on them.

So, whichever way you capture your notes during lectures and classes, Evernote can still help you keep them organized and reduce the risk of misplacing them.

Tackle To-dos

In addition to being a full-featured note-taking tool, Evernote offers a great way to track your tasks. This is especially useful for larger assignments, lengthy essays, and even group projects. The way you add a to-do list to a note depends on the platform you are using.

For instance, on the Web, just click the checkbox icon from the Tools menu within the note. On the desktop application, select New Note > Format > To-do > Insert Checkbox. After you have created each task in your list, you can easily check them off as you complete them.

Set Reminders

Evernote has Reminders. You can add a reminder to any note, to-do list, photo, or another item you save. The application allows you to choose both the date and the time and will notify you when that time comes.

For getting your tasks completed and your assignments done in time, this is a handy feature. To set a reminder, just click the alarm clock icon on your application.

Send and Share

For group projects or that classmate who missed the lecture, you can quickly share both notebooks and individual notes. On the web application, select the arrow next to the notebook and on the desktop app, right-click on the notebook. Both will display the Share Notebook option for you to choose.

If you are using the mobile app, just select the notebook, tap the sharing icon, and enter the email address. You can share a notebook or note from any platform and can decide whether your recipient can edit, view, or do both.

For single note sharing, open the note and select the arrow or Share icon from the note navigation on any platform. Then, enter the email address of your recipient and an optional message. If you prefer to share an item using a link, this is within your sharing options on the web and desktop applications as well.

Get Mobile Apps

One of the most attractive features of Evernote is its accessibility. It is available on the web, as a desktop application for Windows and Mac, and on Android, Blackberry, and iOS mobile devices. Being able to have it at hand everywhere is essential for students.

Note that as of June 28, 2016 the company has made a change to their device availability for Basic plan subscribers. Your account will be limited to two devices and you can choose which ones if you use more than two. If you are a current user, you have probably seen the notification by now. However, if you are a new user, please be aware of this.

The Basic plan is free and there are paid Plus and Premium plan options as well which will allow for all devices and come with extra features.

In addition, the company states that applications using the Evernote API will not be effected by the new device limitation. Examples include Web Clipper, Evernote Web, and Evernote on Apple Watch.

Use Browser Extensions

Because the Evernote Web Clipper is such a convenient tool and not included in the above stated limitation, using it when doing online research for class is a no-brainer. The extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera. For Internet Explorer or the Edge browser, Evernote recommends its desktop application.

With the browser add-on you can quickly clip a web page or article, capture an image, and then save it all to your chosen notebook. The extension also allows you to create a bookmark, take a screenshot, or save a simplified version of an article without images. You can then add a tag and include a note if you like.

Connect Other Apps

You likely use plenty of other apps, whether Web, desktop, or mobile, to complete your school assignments. Luckily, Evernote integrates with many other applications to provide you with even more flexibility, organization, and handiness.

Here are just a few examples of those apps per platform and you can visit the Evernote App Center for a complete listing.

• For Android: Boxer email, IFTTT, and Office Suite Pro
• For iOS: DocScanner, Dolphin Browser, and Pocket
• For Mac: Alternote, ConceptDraw Mindmap, and Saferoom
• For Windows: OmniPage, TuskTools Calendar, and Get It Done
• For the Web: Feedly Pro, Google Drive, and StudyBlue

Do You Use Evernote for School?

With extensive features, convenient accessibility, and helpful app integrations, Evernote is a wonderful way to get and keep you organized throughout the school year. So, plan ahead by getting your stacks and notebooks created and you will be ready to go when that first class begins.

Do you have tips and tricks for Evernote that you would like to share with other students? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.