This Easy Notebook Hack Will Make You a Multitasking Pro

Kimberly Wang
Aug 23, 2015

The first day of school has officially arrived, guys. Students everywhere are heading back to class with their brand new notebooks + school supplies and are gearing up to learn. Thanks to the folks at High Five HQ, we learned about a super cool notebook hack DIY that is a total game changer. Here’s how you can DIY your own index right into the back of your notebook.

Materials:

– colored ink pen(s)

– lined notebook

Instructions:

1. In a fresh new notebook, write your notes/a recipe/whatever you like onto the first page.

2. On the edge of the page, on the topmost line, draw and color in a little rectangle with an inky pen. Use whatever color you’d like.

3. Flip to the back page, and in the corresponding line, write the index topic that first page’s content falls under. Use the same colored ink as the little rectangle from page one.

4. Continue taking your notes/adding recipes/whatever into your notebook, marking the page and adding to the index in the back as you please.

5. Optional step: Change the colors of your pens for different subjects/categories.

This simple hack only requires one pen and a notebook, but feel free to use multiple colors for a more vibrant look.

Decide what you want to fill your notebook with! It could be notes for different school subjects, a recipe book or even a dream journal. The sky is the limit.

When you’re done with your entry, color in a small rectangle on the side of the page in the top line. Make sure you get the very edge of the page—that way the mark will show through even when the book is shut.

Flip to the back page where your index will be and write the topic in the corresponding line.

Over time, continue adding entries to your notebook and index as you please.

And voilà! You’ve got a totally DIYed index built into the back of your notebook, making every entry so much easier to find.

Take this nifty trick to class with you, and don’t be surprised when all your classmates are trying copy your style.

Grown ups, feel free to use this hack for work too. This trick is pretty handy for absolutely anyone.

And that’s genius notebook hack 101. Go forth, note-taking masters, and prosper.

What do you think of this nifty notebook trick? Will it be changing the way you take notes? Tell us in the comments below!

DIY Production + Styling: Kimberly Wang

Photography: Kimberly Wang + Michael Leung

30 Congratulatory New Job Gifts to Give Your BFFs

Don’t you just love when something amazing happens to one of your own? We all LOVE our friends and we have every reason to celebrate when they land their dream job. As supporters, we have been with them through the fun times and the not-so-fun times. And since this is definitely one of those better times, why not celebrate? Let your bestie know that you are their biggest cheerleader with a congratulatory new job gift (and a few drinks!). With everything from desk flair to essential techy goods, these 30 gift ideas are perfect for sending your friend off on a new adventure.

ban.do Giant Gem Speaker

Music makes the world go ’round, and this portable pink speaker is perfect for someone who LOVES listening to tunes 24/7. It’s also great for an impromptu dance party or in-office happy hour.

Kate Spade Business Card Holder

This letter-engraved card holder means business. And with a case this rad, your friend will want to give out their new business card to every person they see.

Paper K Studios Personalized Notepad

It’s awesome to have your name printed on anything and everything, isn’t it? Gifting your friend one of these notepads will let them know you were thinking ahead (insert best friend points here). Maybe you can get yourself one too while you’re at it… you know, for being such a good friend. ;)

Sonix Tamarindo Portable Power Bank 

When function and sparkle come together, we are all for it. This mobile charger makes it easy to stay in touch on the go so there are no dead phone excuses for the new boss.

Rifle Paper Co. Notebook Set

These notebooks with golden accents look oh-so-classy and will help your friend stay on top of their crucial new-job to-do lists.

Ash And Ember Co. Canvas Tote

We already know that getting a job requires hustle, but it never hurts to have a reminder. This canvas tote bag is sturdy, encouraging, cute and it fits everything. #Winning.

Sweetwater Decor Boss Lady Pen Set

We know that a new job means taking a lot of notes. But with these pretty pens, your friend will be taking notes like a boss.

House of Longfellow Triceratops Planter

Things that are out of the ordinary are just SO cool. This little guy would stand out on any desk and might turn into a conversation starter at your friend’s new job.

Erin Condren Carry All Clutch

A new gig means carrying lots of awesome new things. This personalized carry-all clutch is roomy and perfect for anyone who wants to stay organized.

Happy Tea 3 oz

We all love a little something that can get us through a tough day. Working alongside this happy tea can make a day much better (and tastier).

Personalized Stationery

If your pal is constantly sending cards and thank-yous, we think a personalized stationery set would be the perfect gift. Plus it will become one less thing to check off on their to-buy list.

Birch Lane Geo Terrarium

A terrarium is easily customizable for someone who loves plants. And this geometric pair is the just the thing to deck out someone’s new desk.

Feminist Pencils Beyoncé Personalized Pencil Set

You can’t go wrong with these gilded pencils. They’re great for that friend who loves to doodle or pencil everything in on their calendar.

Red Rose Digital Cubicle Poster

Jobs that require cubicles often call for a glamming session. This sweet print can make any regular cubicle feel instantly homey.

CB2 Set of Five Cord Tacos

Cord. Tacos. Yup, we all love and need them in our lives. Pick these up to keep your friend from pulling an amateur cord-tangle situation at the new office.

Day3Dream Wooden Desk Organizer

Who doesn’t love storing all their must-have gadgets in one spot? This classic station makes it easy to not misplace everything that always gets lost in the desk abyss.

Zana Products Pink Specks Soft Pot Fabric Bucket

Keeping items fashionably stored is no longer a problem. These fabric buckets, which also come in different prints, and are multi-functional. Feel free to store (or plant) away.

Kate Spade New York Rotating Stamp And Ink Pad

We found a new way to communicate in the office, and these stamps are it. If you need to tell the world you are in need coffee, are having a paradigm shift or are out of the office, then this stamp has you covered.

UO Wireless Bluetooth Earbud Headphone

Most of us like listening to some tunes at some point during our day, and doing so with cute earphones is even better.

American Greetings Awesome Sauce Congratulations Card

Everyone who gets a new job deserves to be called awesome sauce. A card like this is bound to bring a smile on that special someone’s face.

Dry Erase Calendar Message Board

No more wasting paper with those other write-on calendars. If your friend likes to be able to see their monthly agenda without having to open their 50th browser tab — this dry erase calendar is perfect for any office (or cubicle).

Gingher Stork Scissors

It happens in every office: eventually someone, somewhere is going to need a pair of scissors. So, why not get your friend the prettiest pair on their floor?

Memorable Dimension Multi-Photo Frame

It’s sad, but true. Being at work means being away from the things we love, whether it’s your kids, your pets or hey, even your plants. This pretty gold frame will remind your hard-working friend what all that time in the office is really for.

Marble Mini Lidded Trash Can

While your friend’s office probably provides a little trash can, give your friend another opportunity to customize their space. Plus, the swinging lid is good for squeamish people who hate being able to see everyone’s rubbish.

Liquid Lava Desk Timer

Your new friend is going to have to stay productive in order to stay ahead. A lava-lamp-looking timer is a useful, if a bit nostalgic, tool for keeping your friend on track. Plus it’s a total ’90s blast from the past.

Particle to Play Llama Duster

This is one dust buster that your friend won’t need to hide in a drawer. This adorable, little llama is cute on display and super useful when spring cleaning comes around.

Walkas Mini Portable Cool Mist Humidifier

This cool-mist humidifier conveniently plugs into your friend’s USB ports. Not only does it keep the climate pleasant, but your friend can also use a little essential oil in it to make the air smell sweet (as long as it’s okay with their desk mates).

Paper Source Polyhedra Rose Gold Magnets

Keeping track of memos is always easier when you can keep important documents front and center. These cute, shiny magnets are perfect for using on a magnetized board or calendar so your friend can stay organized.

Paper Source Pushfins Pins

If your friend is more of a cork board person, these whale fin pushpins are a cute touch for displaying photos or keeping track of important notes and memos.

S’well Milky Way Water Bottle

One thing a lot of commuters out there always forget about: staying hydrated. With this gorgeously translucent water bottle, your friend won’t want to leave home without some fresh agua ever again.
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Um, ‘Bridgerton’ Star Phoebe Dynevor Almost Got Arrested Filming Her New Movie

Ever since Daphne Bridgerton became Duchess of Hastings (and actress Phoebe Dynevor exited the show after season 2), fans have been taking every opportunity they can to see her onscreen. And in addition to a new thriller with Zac Efron and a shark movie that sounds downright terrifying, Phoebe stars in Inheritance — a new January movie that was entirely shot on an iPhone...and that Phoebe committed a real crime for.

Here's everything you need to know about Phoebe Dynevor's new movie Inheritance.

What is the Inheritance film about?

Inheritance follows Maya, whose world gets turned upside down when she learns her dad is actually an ex-spy. But things get even crazier when she gets sucked into the middle of an international conspiracy herself. Armed with tons of questions (and a killer pair of sunglasses) Maya has to stay alive long enough to find answers.

The movie filmed all over the world, which director Neil Burger calls a "true adventure."

"Shooting around the world and taking risks to achieve the ‘you are there’ feel," he tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Phoebe delivers a phenomenal performance in the movie, and I’m looking forward to audiences seeing her as they’ve never seen her before.”

Now, those aforementioned sunglasses (which Maya steals in the movie) might only be the focus for a moment, but they were a pretty big deal IRL because Phoebe Dynevor actually stole them. “I remember feeling really nervous and afraid that they would think I was actually stealing, but at the time, we wanted real reactions from the staff. It was very scary,” she says in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

Director Neil Burger explains the team's "contingency plans, excuses, and explanations" in case Phoebe got caught (including buying the same pair of sunglasses so they'd have a receipt). And after Phoebe knocked it out of the park, the glasses were returned, of course!

“There was a safety net that came with the camera being there because it felt like this isn’t real. We’re shooting something,” she continues. “We only had one take to get it right. I’d have to be very cognizant of whether the camera was getting it. You don’t want to have to do that twice.”

IFC Films

And not only did Phoebe Dynevor nab an accessory, but she also almost got arrested for a totally different reason after she played drunk in the middle of New York City. "It was an experience I’ve never had before, and this mother pulled them away understandably," she says. “It was just very, very strange knowing that it wasn’t real, but our director wanted it to feel as real as possible, so sometimes we would keep going and see what we could get out of the exchange with people on the street.

But when the police showed up, and she was worried she'd actually get arrested, she tells EW she immediately switched into her English accent: “I would then come out of [Maya’s] accent and turn on my poshest British actor and be like, ‘I’m an actor.’”

When is Inheritance coming out?

You can see Inheritance in theaters starting January 24, 2025.

Who's in the cast?

The Inheritance cast includes Phoebe Dynevor, Rhys Ifans, Ciara Baxendale, and Majd Eid.

A movie set wouldn't be complete without a crew. And Inheritance's crew was only made up of 10 people!

Stay tuned for the latest news on Inheritance and read up on The 12 Most-Anticipated January TV Shows Coming In 2025.

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Handwriting and Doodling Can Improve Your Memory

Even though we *love* the convenience of our iCals and journal apps, there’s something inexplicably magical about carrying around a good ol’ fashioned paper notebook. Now that paper planners are definitely having another moment (along with adorable sticker sets), we’re super excited to hear that paper notebooks are still important too.

According to a study from Princeton University and the University of California at Los Angeles, taking notes using a paper notebook will actually help you better retain information. Comparing students who took notes on laptops with students who opted for longhand, the researchers found that students with paper notebooks performed better on conceptual questions. They also had a better understanding of the material and were able to recall it.

Furthermore, another study published in the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology shows that people who doodle also have the upper hand when it comes to remembering dull info. For this study, 40 participants were asked to listen to a monotonous mock telephone message detailing the names of people coming to a party. Half of the group was assigned to doodle while listening to the message and — you guessed it! — they recalled 29 percent more information on a surprise memory test.

So whether you use paper notebooks because it helps you recall information better or you’re just obsessed with super cute stationery (we’re guilty!), one thing is certain: Sometimes it’s a good idea to put down the digital devices and go analog.

Are you a paper notebook addict or a strictly digital gal? Tweet us @BritandCo!

(Photos via Getty)

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OMG, You Can Read Part Of The New 'Hunger Games' Prequel Right Now

We're headed back into the world of Panem with Suzanne Collins' fifth Hunger Games book, Sunrise on the Reaping. The new 2025 novel comes out March 18 (along with a new movie that's already scheduled for November 2026!) and it follows the one Hunger Games everyone's been dying to hear about since Catching Fire was published: the 50th Games, AKA the games Haymitch won.

We already know that the novel takes place 24 years before Katniss' first games and that as a Quarter Quell, there's a twist: Haymitch is up against twice as many tributes as normal. People was given an exclusive excerpt from the new book, and it makes me even more excited than I already was.

Here's what happens in the first excerpt from Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

'Hunger Games' fans will love the first 'Sunrise on the Reaping' excerpt from chapter 1.

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- YouTube

The Sunrise on the Reaping excerpt opens the morning of reaping day — which is also Haymitch's 16th birthday. (Which could explain his behavior during the day Prim's reaped and Katniss volunteers. What a horrible birthday!). Haymitch hopes to spend the free parts of his day lounging around with his girlfriend Lenore Dove, if his mother and the Gamemakers don't get in his way.

The excerpt continues with a really beautiful depiction of District 12's Seam, which is modern day Appalachia. It's a tight-knit (albeit struggling) community covered in a "protective" mist as the sun rises. Haymitch knows that this reaping will take twice as many children and fights to stay calm.

"No way to control the outcome of the reaping or what follows it," he thinks. "So don’t feed the nightmares. Don’t let yourself panic. Don’t give the Capitol that. They’ve taken enough already."

And 'Sunrise on the Reaping' proves Haymitch and Katniss' similarities.

We also learn more about Haymitch's family. All we know from the original trilogy is that President Snow killed them after he won, but this prequel actually introduces us to them. Haymitch's mother was widowed after a coal mine killed his father. He also has a 10-year-old brother named Sid who I can already tell is very energetic and very loud.

This really proves that Haymitch and Katniss are two sides of the same coin, and that they're able to understand each other more than any of the other characters. Not only are they both from the Seam, but they also lost their fathers by the age of 16.

And the most important detail to me is the fact they both have younger siblings they'd do anything for — they were simply destined to be a father-daughter duo. Sacrificial love is the beating heart of the Hunger Games series, and I can't wait to see all the complexity and nuance Sunrise on the Reaping brings to the franchise.

Stay tuned for more Sunrise on the Reaping news, and check out the 10 Most-Anticipated Book-To-Film Adaptations We Can't Wait To See In 2025 for more movie updates.

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Every Character Returning For '1923' Season 2

After a two-year wait, 1923 season 2 is finally just over a month away from being on our screens. While we have a lot of questions about what will happen to the Duttons, Teonna, and the Yellowstone ranch, there's one thing we know for certain: this show wouldn't be the same without its cast.

Here's the full list of 1923 season 2 characters, from Harrison Ford's Jacob Dutton to Brandon Sklenar's Spencer Dutton.

1. Harrison Ford As Jacob Dutton

Christopher Saunders/Paramount+

Icon Harrison Ford plays patriarch Jacob Dutton, brother to 1883's James Dutton (meaning he's Spencer's uncle) and Cara's husband.

2. Helen Mirren as Cara Dutton

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Helen Mirren stars as Jacob's wife Cara Dutton, who's totally capable of holding down the fort at the Yellowstone ranch — and writes to tell Spencer at the end of season 1 they need him to come home.

3. Brandon Sklenar as Spencer Dutton

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

It Ends With Us' Brandon Sklenar returns in 1923 season 2 as Spencer Dutton, the younger brother of Elsa and John from 1883. He's a soldier-turned-hunter in Africa who meets Alexandra on a job before learning the ranch is in jeopardy.

4. Julia Schlaepfer as Alex Dutton

Lo Smith/Paramount+

Julia Schlaepfer's Alex Dutton quickly falls for Spencer after their first meeting (ditching her fiancé Arthur in the process), and joins him on his adventure. After they're called back to Montana, Alex and Spencer get separated when they cross paths with Arthur, and a duel with Spencer leads to Arthur's death.

5. Darren Mann as Jack Dutton

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Darren Man plays Jack Dutton, Jacob's great-nephew (and Spencer's nephew) who lives on the ranch with Jacob, Cara, and his new wife Elizabeth.

6. Michelle Randolph as Elizabeth Dutton

Christopher Saunders/Paramount+

Elizabeth Dutton is Jack's wife and is played by Michelle Randolph (who you'll recognize from Landman!). They're madly in love and conceive their first child during the first season, but Elizabeth miscarries in the season finale.

7. Aminah Nieves as Teonna Rainwater

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

Aminah Nieves returns in 1923 season 2 as Teonna Rainwater, who's just escaped the abusive Catholic boarding school that took her from her family. Finally reunited with her father and her friend Pete, it looks like Teonna is finally safe.

8. ​Brian Geraghty as Zane Davis

Trae Patton/Paramount+

1923 season 2 also includes Brian Geraghty as Zane Davis, foreman for the Yellowstone ranch who gets jumped by the police at the end of season 1 after Whitfield and Banner go after the Duttons.

9. Jerome Flynn as Banner Creighton

Christopher Saunders/Paramount+

Jerome Flynn's Banner Creighton is set on bringing the Duttons down, and now that he's out of prison, he's ready for round 2.

10. Sebastian Roché as Father Renaud

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

1923 season 2 (unfortunately) stars Sebastian Roché as Father Renaud (I'm sure Sebastian is great, but I literally hate this character), who's hunting Teonna.

11. Isabel May as Elsa Dutton

Emerson Miller/Paramount+

1883's Elsa Dutton (played by Isabel May) returns for 1923 season 2 as the narrator looking over the story — and her family.

12. Andy Dispensa as Luca

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Our new 1923 season 2 character is Luca (played by The Chosen's Andy Dispensa), who's “a young man working in the engine room of a merchant ship," so he's sure to cross paths with Spencer.

Which 1923 season 2 characters are you most excited to see again? Read up on the The 1923 Season 1 Ending, Deaths, & Betrayals before the new episodes drop. And don't forget to check out 14 New TV Shows To Watch In February.

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