Although “doodling” in class has been frowned upon probably since the creation of schools, for visual learners, it can be a way to better absorb study material. Adding diagrams, drawings, and other visual components to your note-taking is called sketchnoting, and it can be a powerful way for people to learn.

That’s probably why someone had the bright idea of creating a whole holiday around sketchnoting. This holiday is known as World Sketchnote Day, and it’s observed on the 11th of January each year. It’s a day for people to celebrate this “art form” and to spread information about it far and wide.

The History of World Sketchnote Day

Sketchnoting is an activity that goes back to ancient times. Early humans drew cave paintings that showed off their day-to-day activities or passed on important information about a particular area or threat. This was before written language, so this art form is one that’s been around for as long as humans have been around.

The holiday supporting this activity hasn’t been around quite as long, however. It only appeared in 2006 after designer Mike Rohde used the term sketchnoting as a way to capture complex ideas quickly and without having to do a lot of writing. The practice caught on, and pretty soon, people all over were showing their sketchnoting abilities.

Observing World Sketchnote Day

Everyone can observe this holiday in their own way. People can share their “sketchnotes” with one another, either in person or online through social media using the hashtag #WorldSketchnoteDay. This is a great way to connect with like-minded individuals and to share the love of sketchnoting.

While this activity might have once been known simply as “doodling,” it’s now being seen as an important part of classroom learning. And that’s mainly due to the popularity of this holiday.