Self-Programming Basic Data Structures/Algorithms (C++)

Why do you need class notes?

These days, we live in an era where we can easily access the lectures we want through YouTube or various online lecture platforms. With just one click, we can listen to expert explanations, and we can even fall into the illusion that we are taking classes in a classroom. Online lectures are certainly useful tools. However, we often rely on their usefulness and forget the essence of learning. Let’s take a closer look at why studying from books rather than online lectures helps us build deeper skills.

Above all, books require an active attitude from learners. Just watching the lectures will help you get through the class. If you just follow the screen and the voice, at some point you will easily find yourself thinking, "I think I saw it, but I don't remember it well." On the other hand, books are different. You have to read the words, understand them, and organize them yourself, so your brain uses more energy. This process is much more effective in storing information in long-term memory. In other words, studying through books is not simply accepting information, but a process of reconstructing knowledge with your own hands .

Also, the book can be adjusted to the learner's pace . Since the lecture has to match the instructor's pace, the lecture continues even if you don't fully understand, and on the contrary, even if you do understand, you may hear the same explanation over and over again. With the book, you can read the parts you don't know multiple times and quickly skip over the parts you do know, so you can maintain an efficient learning flow .

Studying through books naturally develops the ability to judge and summarize important content on your own . In online lectures, the instructor directly emphasizes, “This part is important,” but in books, instead of such guidance, the learner must identify the key points and take notes or structure them on their own. In this process , critical thinking and information structuring skills are naturally trained.

In addition, books are effective in developing the ability to search for information and connect concepts . When reading a book, there will be a moment when you think, “This concept is connected to something I saw before?” Since there are no hyperlinks in the book, you have to use the table of contents or index to find related content yourself, and this process allows you to build connections between knowledge on your own . This leads to real learning that goes beyond simple memorization and involves understanding and connecting concepts .

Of course, I am not saying that online lectures are not helpful. Online lectures are very effective as an introductory tool that allows you to quickly grasp the flow of concepts or that beginners can easily approach. However, you should not stop at just their usefulness. Online lectures can be likened to a sketch , and books to a carving knife . You cannot complete a sculpture with just a sketch. In the end, you must study, think, organize, and repeat on your own through the tool called a book to create real skills .

The lecture is the beginning, and organizing the document (book) is the end. True study does not stop at listening to someone explain, but is accomplished through the process of asking questions, organizing, and digesting it as one's own. At the center of all these journeys, there is still a book.