I never kept a to-do list in college and I recommend you don’t either. Learn to type fast, and take a shorthand course if you can.
However, in the business world, to me the art of a to-do list is a profound life-long study – a martial art.
Mine has the following attributes:
1.) Categorize “must do” items separate from “want to do” items
2.) Each of those sections should be in “force rank order” of importance. Other kinds of ranking do not work for me.
3.) Manage severely what goes into your list. The list is not a catch-all of everything you think about, these are things you will do. If it doesn’t make the list – stop obsessively thing about it. The purpose of the list (and calendar) is to reduce brain noise – to place the item/idea “somewhere safe” so that you don’t have to think about it over and over in order to remember it.
4.) As much as possible schedule to-do’s in a calendar for a specific date with adequate time to complete. Once scheduled, it’s off the list.
5.) I have a third section that serves as a “tickler file”, for things that have no real time limit. Things like “Return book to Marla.” so that I do not forget.
If you need to get into Critical Path Method, or complex tasks with multiple participants, then various project planning tools can be used. Creation of those kinds of models are great fun/art as well!