Lists are Dead to Me

Fact: I make lists.
Not just shopping or chore lists. I also make lists of music I like, things I plan to be better at, songs I've written, things I plan to buy in my lifetime, places I've been, and I even have a continuous list of things I like in general. That one's a long list. Pages long. Even with columns.
And that list I just made? Just the beginning of all the things I list.

The history of lists tells us that they are used to keep people organized and help them get things done. And when I say "history" I really mean that this is common sense. You don't need me to tell you what they're for. If you don't already know, you're probably one of those guys that has never made a list.
Most people make mental lists of things to do or buy, especially when the list is short. But then there are people like me. Who write everything down, even if it's only two bullets long. I assume this problem of mine comes because I'm also a writer. I write everything down. If there's a pen in my hand, ink ends up everywhere. Usually on my palms. Where I list things I can't forget. Are you seeing a pattern here?
Listing things isn't actually all that different from note-taking. Think about all those history, science and math notes you take (or have taken). Chances are that the more organized and formatted those are, the easier it is for you to study and the better you do on assignments and tests. For some people, lists are an innate skill, but the rest of us learn it by necessity in school. So if you don't think you're very good at it, don't worry. You have years of school to practice and get better. I guess you could also assume that your interest in the subject matter and your final grade also affect how well you take notes and make lists.
So the real drive behind lists is how much you care about the subject matter. The more interesting you find it, the more likely your list will be detailed and probably included doodles and drawings to illustrate what you find most fascinating.

Now here's the problem that I faced while earning my undergraduate degree. So. Many. Lists. A college student has so many things to keep track of and his method of keeping up is usually different than everyone else's. I was a planner kid. Except that I never used the layout of my planner. I adapted it to my own way of thinking. This worked wonderfully for me. So wonderfully, in fact, that it created a problem.
Remember back there how we talked about mental lists? Suddenly, those no longer worked for me. And it wasn't even halfway. Meaning that if I didn't write anything down, I would forget every single thing I was supposed to do. Not most of the things, all of them. Don't ask me how, but my memory was hashed. Defective, if you'd like. I was able to equalize the problem over a summer break, but don't think these kinds of things can't happen. And don't think they can't resurface either.
So here I am, no more crazy homework/study schedule. Just working and jumproping like any normal 4-year degree holder. And I've encountered this problem once again. But worse. Now all my lists are quite short and very unique; however, when I grab my notebook and turn it to a clean college-ruled page, I forget all but the first bullet of my list before I finish writing the list title . . . I think my mind has settled on short-term memory-loss.

And the most curious bit of this? I wonder, what was the good of becoming an expert lister if I can't even get my lists written before I forget them? Oh irony, how vicious you can be.

Awesome_