I was a strong opponent to writing on paper, I’ve tried a plethora of to-do apps, used an erasable “smart notebook”, bought a touch screen pen, there was even a time that I was worried that I won’t be able to fill legal documents right (that bad) but it wasn’t until I decided to buy myself a Fountain Pen as a gift (inspired from a subreddit about fountain pens) that I turned my mind around paper.
Suddenly I forced myself to write on paper just to satisfy the purchase I made. I slowly started to integrate notebooks in my work routine, creating simple to-do lists which laid on my desk for me to obsess about, and make sure I don’t forget something important for the day. The feeling of crossing a completed item or placing a tick next to it, is just different on paper.
Two years after that change, I still use paper notebooks often, mostly when I’m studying or planning things. Recently I liked the idea of having a book-like notebooks curated by me, and have in them only things I find important about a topic. I’ve already started with the one I use to study computer science stuff. The goal is to have something that I personally made, which I can use for reference or learning.
I like to obsess about how the notebooks I own are designed and the personal touch I can give to them. It’s something physical that you can pull out whenever you want, the only requirement is to have it in your bag or pocket. You don’t have to worry about battery or internet.