Often, students find themselves caught in the delicate balance between perfection and progress. Although no one will argue it is important to do your best, it is critical to realise there are times when the process itself matters more than the final outcome.

This is particularly true when it comes to the study of shorthand.

We've all been there – the frantic scribbles, the somewhat indecipherable outlines, the seemingly incomprehensible word groupings that stare back at you from your notepad. Your daily practice efforts might appear chaotic at times, even messy, but herein lies a valuable lesson: the beauty of imperfect practice. It is not always about having perfectly organised and visually pleasing notes; it is about the relentless practice, the drills, the mock exams, and the exercises that shape our learning reflexes.

When you're under pressure, your mind races to capture the crucial details and to keep up with the flow of information. Whether it is during a lecture or an exam, the goal is not to produce a beautiful piece of copperplate Teeline. The overriding objective is to transcribe your written notes accurately and to ensure your understanding of the spoken word is solid.

In practice, too, Teeliners engage in complex work that requires mental and physical coordination that builds that mysterious muscle memory (see "The Eight Stages of Writing Shorthand"). Your practice sessions might be full of awkward movements, stumbles, and the occasional misstep. But it is through these imperfect repetitions that muscle memory is honed, and when faced with a real-life "combat scenario" like an exam, if you have done your work, the reflexes take over, ensuring the right moves are executed, even if the execution isn't as graceful as you would like.

Shorthand practice is the essential training ground for developing your cognitive reflexes. It is the repetition that solidifies understanding and ensures that, when faced with a high-pressure situation, you can recall the right information at the right time, even if the preparatory process was a bit chaotic.

So, to all the students out there, embrace your shorthand for all that it is and even what (in your mind) it is not.

Own your notes and recognise dedicated practice helps you to push your cognitive boundaries and ensure the development of the necessary reflexes that will serve you well when it matters most.

Keep practising those drills, those mock exams, and those exercises. Any chaos in your notes today is simply the foundation for the clarity and accuracy you will bring to your work in the future.

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