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Many of us have them. Useless old notes stashed away in an attic, cupboard under the stairs or parents’ garage. But when the time comes, either because you are moving house or clearing a space, you don’t know what to do with your old notes and essays from yesteryear. It might be your GCSE artwork or that blinding essay that was your only first class work in a University life spent drinking, or the culmination of hard work and dedication which you just can’t bear to part with. Let’s face it though, how many times have you looked at it all? Is it still useful?

There are few people who can justify keeping their work; lecturers, teachers and some medical students are among the few exemptions. More often than not, though, degree courses bear little resemblance to the future careers of students and if they do, further training is undertaken anyway. Is it just vanity and sentimentality which leads us to hang on to our work – even though most people have certificates as well as the plethora of notes and essays?

Well, I’m putting it to the public: three years of decent uni work. Some of it still topical, some of it timeless – especially the tirade against democracy which got a 1:1. The box is about 100cmx100cmx100cm, very heavy and I’m expecting to move all of my stuff at least twice this year. Should it stay or should it go?

Ex-students can opt for a compromise – just keep the finished essays, not the notes. Or, upload them to university notes websites (one of which pays you with vouchers). If your notes are all handwritten, there’s a company which will scan pages at a rate of £300 for 3000 pages. One could then put it all on a USB stick and Bob’s your uncle.

Let us know what you did with your old school/college/university work – just click on the poll below:

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