Aside from my notoriously illegible handwriting (which becomes even worse after just a few seconds, but more on that later), my main gripe with using paper is that I end up with smudges all over my hand—being left-handed doesn’t help. The smudging often makes my already hard-to-read handwriting even more of a mess. (This issue even contributed to my struggles in English classes back then.)
These days, the only time I use pen and paper is during language interpretation sessions. It helps me retain very short-term memory, but afterward, I can hardly make sense of any of the notes I took.
For everything else, I rely on apps. I currently use OneNote. I've tried various solutions, but I found OneNote strikes the best balance between online and offline functionality—it’s saved me many times in situations with spotty or slow international roaming.
Well, fountain pens are actually worse for lefties because the "push" motion tends to tear the paper. If only there were truly functional, smudge-free inks! While some brands claim to be "smudge-free," they don’t dry quickly enough to prevent smudging from a lefty’s own hand—they seem more focused on preventing smudges from other objects rather than the writer's hand.
As for pencils, they’re not much better than pens in this regard. The smudging issue persists, just in a different form.
You might recheck your assumptions. It’s possible you’re pushing too hard (since it’s not a roller ball, you don’t need force to get flow). And there’s a variety of different “grips” for us lefties, and I write daily with my vanishing point and kon peki ink with no smudge.
I’ll agree somewhat on pencils, though. I used to have gray hands when I was in high school after all my notes.
These days, the only time I use pen and paper is during language interpretation sessions. It helps me retain very short-term memory, but afterward, I can hardly make sense of any of the notes I took.
For everything else, I rely on apps. I currently use OneNote. I've tried various solutions, but I found OneNote strikes the best balance between online and offline functionality—it’s saved me many times in situations with spotty or slow international roaming.