How long do you keep course materials?

eventualeventer said:

Out of curiosity, how long do you keep your course materials after you complete a course (particularly relevant biology courses)? Books? Your notes? Professor's slides? Notecards?

I'm a horrible packrat and haven't ditched anything since I started college, and I think I still have some notes from high school. Motivate me to either chuck or organize!

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Since I've been in vet school, I've realized I should've kept more. The notes- not so much. But the books are what's helpful. My old Bio 101 book simplified things for me in Vet Physiology that my prof made complicated. My old Repro book is helpful for Reproductive Endocrinology. I wish I would've kept my Neuroscience and Cell Bio books.

It depends on the person. If you think you really will use them, keep them. But I personally don't think you'll be digging through old notes. Books are a lot easier to use in a scramble for info.

I'm keeping all my upper level bio and chem books, excepting my genetics texbook which was really horribly written. Besides, books are way too expensive and keeping them often feels better than selling them back to the bookstore for $30 after buying them for $100.
I keep my notes as well, though I should probably just throw them away since they're not exactly indexed for easy reference. However, for classes that I hated I have a bonfire in my driveway and incinerate my notes at the end of the semester after grades are in. It's extremely satisfying! Yes, I do have an inner pyromaniac .

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I have everything from high school and above in my science courses.

For each course, I tidied everything up at the end of the semester, then I bought those huge legal file folders that are 2" deep with a closure. I would put the text book, notes, and all other relevant material (lab log, articles, assignments, etc) in the folder. On the outside of the folder on the top binding (where the flap folds over to close it) I labeled the field, class, professor (so something like Biology, Neurobiology BIO 422, Prof MNOP.) On the front of the file, I wrote a list of the contents in the file (notes, text info, lab log, etc.) Then I stored these in plastic legal size boxes. During school, I kept these in boxes labeled by the semester. Later on I reorganized the boxes by subject.

When I worked at the zoo and had to come up with lab programs for local colleges, internships, and such, I found that this system worked very well. Also, if I am using the material frequently, I can easily pull the files from the box and put them on a shelf...and if I need a temporary set up, I can just set the box on its side.

I am a pack rat, but it has really worked for me.

I kept everything, too and have come to realize that I really didn't/don't need any of that stuff. I agree that the books are very helpful, but the notes--not at all. (Sad, but true!) In vet school, you just don't have the time to go back and read minutiae about every little thing from undergrad on top of what you actually need to know for practice and for the exam and from your actual assigned reading. To clarify a concept, a textbook is a much more reliable source of information in my experience (I was always afraid that if I used my notes as a reference that maybe I misunderstood at the time, or the info was outdated, etc).

Thought I would really use them, but alas...definitely hang on to your textbooks, though, especially physiology stuff. Just MHO.

sumstorm said:

I have everything from high school and above in my science courses.

For each course, I tidied everything up at the end of the semester, then I bought those huge legal file folders that are 2" deep with a closure. I would put the text book, notes, and all other relevant material (lab log, articles, assignments, etc) in the folder. On the outside of the folder on the top binding (where the flap folds over to close it) I labeled the field, class, professor (so something like Biology, Neurobiology BIO 422, Prof MNOP.) On the front of the file, I wrote a list of the contents in the file (notes, text info, lab log, etc.) Then I stored these in plastic legal size boxes. During school, I kept these in boxes labeled by the semester. Later on I reorganized the boxes by subject.

When I worked at the zoo and had to come up with lab programs for local colleges, internships, and such, I found that this system worked very well. Also, if I am using the material frequently, I can easily pull the files from the box and put them on a shelf...and if I need a temporary set up, I can just set the box on its side.

I am a pack rat, but it has really worked for me.

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Gapes in absolute awe .

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Part of the reason I kept my HS stuff is that I went to an unusual HS on a college campus, took a lot of my classes along with freshman (probably one of the few non-med students who routinely spent time in human cadaver labs.)

My notes are pretty organized, so I could use them if I wanted to, but I could probably get rid of most of them safely, but some of the classes, like neuro, have a lot of mnemonic notes that will probably help me.

Part of this probably has to do with being the first college grad in my extended family as well.

Gosh-I could not handle keeping all that stuff. I am the kind of person who likes to simplify, and I get rid of books and notes once I finish the class. My fiance, on the other hand, is a pack rat and I drive him crazy when I try to organize/get rid of his stuff

I don't hold onto a lot of other stuff. Books were really treasured in my home...and my education meant more to me than anything (and I pretty much sacrificed everything for it), so those are harder things for me to let go of. also, I went to a school that was very research focused, so I have a lot of research interwoven into courses, which was interesting (and still relevant.) Either way, if your going to keep stuff, organize it. It certainly won't be useful if it isn't organized.

I usually keep textbooks or give them to others, depending on whether or not I think I'll reference them ever again. I'm keeping my biochem, genetics, and intro bio (hugest book I've ever had), but just gave my O-chem behemoth away yesterday (it had been just riding in my car since December. I swear I get better gas mileage now.)

Notes...well, I've got a desk drawer stuffed with old notes. About once a year (or once a move), I go through and purge anything I haven't touched since the class let out (which is usually everything). Sometimes I'll pass notes on to other people if they want them. I have e-copies of final notes and study guides, so keeping the handwritten ones around doesn't really make sense.

sumstorm said:

During school, I kept these in boxes labeled by the semester. Later on I reorganized the boxes by subject.

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Wow Sumstorm, you are a paragon of organization. This reminds me of your salad box trick.

I like to keep assignments and papers I have written. Science class notes and textbooks I'm not attached to because I figure that by the time I want to refer back to something I should use a more up-to-date resource. In general I am in conflict between wanting to hold on to things and being frustrated that my room/ storage are too cluttered. It means that cleaning is an emotionally involved process!

aspiringDVM said:

I'm keeping all my upper level bio and chem books, excepting my genetics texbook which was really horribly written. Besides, books are way too expensive and keeping them often feels better than selling them back to the bookstore for $30 after buying them for $100.
I keep my notes as well, though I should probably just throw them away since they're not exactly indexed for easy reference. However, for classes that I hated I have a bonfire in my driveway and incinerate my notes at the end of the semester after grades are in. It's extremely satisfying! Yes, I do have an inner pyromaniac .

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My friends and I always joked about burning our Organic Chem and Physics books/notes. XD I'm a stickler for book buybacks (moolah!) and recycling (can't even read those chicken scratch notes anymore anyway), so I declined. XP

I had to get my vet school acceptance letter before I was able to part with my notes from undergrad engineering classes, despite the fact that I have not once referenced a single page of them in six years working as an engineer. I am a horrible packrat and while I was pretty sure I'd never need them, I still couldn't bring myself to part with them, because "What if???" But I couldn't have them sitting around unorganized, so when I graduated college, I bought a two-drawer file cabinet and labeled hanging file folders by quarter, and put my big notebook (I had one for each quarter) in it. Then I made a file folder for each class, tossed in tests, handouts, etc, and put those in the appropriate hanging folders with the notebooks. The books stayed separate, on a bookshelf. So I could easily have found anything if I'd ever wanted to... but I never did.

So I've managed to throw out the engineering notes, and am selling my engineering books online. But I'm still hanging on to all the stuff from my prereq classes, though I realize this is probably unnecessary. I think I might take a cue from the others here and toss the notes and keep the books.

My notes were very neat/organized, but I was also payed a premium (class note taker for the college.)

I think, if I hadn't worked in zoo education, I would have dumped everything by now...but I really used most of that stuff at the zoo, I would say I dug out at least one file of stuff a week, mostly because I was designing labs for colleges. Also, my notes are just choke full of descriptives for concepts and mnemonics (again, I was paid well for that.) I did refer back to some (but far fewer) of my books while workng for NOAA and now, as a dog trainer, I only really ref my ethology books... and my stats texts. The best thing, for me, about having them is REMEMBERING how hard some of the concepts were to grasp initially, which I think a lot of people forget once they are comfortable with the concept. So having all the stuff from where I worked through it, figured out examples, etc has really helped me teach others. I can't imagine I would use much in the future...but having said that one of my huge fears about vet school is that my education is 7 years old and I will need to quickly relearn stuff from way back when....not sure if the texts would help me as much as my notes.

I guess it also really depends on the quality of your notes. My college has study guides from my notes for intro bios, chems, and physics.

I burned mine It was fantastic.

I did keep my biology book. I liked it and used it a few times to look up concepts that my physiology book was making confusing.

I kept an o-chem book because I loved o-chem but have not used it.

Everything else I threw away and have not regretted at all (burned a small hated portion, recycled the rest, dontated text books). I agree with the others. You may want to keep your bio book, everything else is probably just sentimental value.

In vet school I plan on keeping notes around until boards. I'm holding onto the texts I think I will use down the road.

If you want to sell your texts sell them asap. If you hold onto them for just a quarter longer there's a chance your school will pick a different book/new version. I always got rid of mine the last day of finals.

I keep everything! I have notebooks from the 6th grade!! It is funny to look back and see how much my writing has progressed. I have found myself going back through these notes countless times.

BR549 said:

I keep everything! I have notebooks from the 6th grade!! It is funny to look back and see how much my writing has progressed. I have found myself going back through these notes countless times.

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Where do you keep all that stuff? I would go nutso with all that clutter

It's hard for me to throw stuff out, but since I have moved so much, it was important to hang on to the necessities. For me, I have a great genetics, and cell bio book (to be honest, I sold back my books and bought an older version for $10 or so online). Also, I am hanging on to my grad-level endocrinology notes...I think that's about it--I'll probably buy a biochem book (an edition or two old) to have for reference.

BR549 said:

I keep everything! I have notebooks from the 6th grade!! It is funny to look back and see how much my writing has progressed. I have found myself going back through these notes countless times.

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I recently came across some of my elementary school stuff my parents stored away. 90% of it went along the lines of "win i grow up, i want to bee a veturinarian." Guess some things never change .

I have kept all my notes (al only a few books, like repro book, equine nutrion book, and one or two others)... now i am pretty much throwing it all out. I don't see myself going through them once i get into vet school classes, as my notes in undergrad are kinda a mess, and probably not nearly as in depth as classes will get...

so to answer your question... pretty much all of them, of which all are being thrown away currently.

aspiringDVM said:

I recently came across some of my elementary school stuff my parents stored away. 90% of it went along the lines of "win i grow up, i want to bee a veturinarian." Guess some things never change .

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hahaha that's pretty darn funny
funny / slightly related story... My SO's little 5 yr old cousin had a project at school where they had to draw a picture of what they wanted to be and present it to everyone's parents. Shes a little on the spoiled side so not surprisingly she drew a picture of a princess. When it was time to present, one by one all teh children were saying they wanted to be doctors, cops, teachers, etc so when it came down to her turn, she put the picture behind her back ad said "i wana be an animal doctor!" smart yet so sneaky at such a young age!