For activation use the tangerine technique. It helps to broaden your vision so that you can take in phrases and meaning rather than individual words so it isn't as hard a focus as you may have been used to applying for regular reading, though the letters are in focus. If you use reading glasses this is the time to use them.
As for mind mapping. I initially hated them too. Wanting to draw them like in the mind map book. Had to remind myself of the number one rule... they only show the good looking stuff and they drew a lot of other mind maps that were more practical than they were beautiful. Also I was aware that to draw mind maps like that you had to do more than one. Not my cup of tea... whatever notes I wanted to make had to be useful the first time around.
So I looked at the 'hints' (they call them rules) for good mind maps and threw them out the window. I made my own rules.
Draw something in the center. With a different colour draw a fat stem with the main idea and branch of any related ones with the same colour. When a new main idea comes up swap colour. Use a new page to continue before that page gets too crowded. Drawing pictures is optional (I also have a personal rule to write in Lowercase even on the main branch... it's easier to read with a glance). Decorate when I feel like it. Use symbols at branches to connect phunny notes or details like emails, definitions, phone numbers in a block somewhere on the page. I also do *not* redraw my mind maps... I have found the ones created in class or first up trigger more associations with what was discussed in class than those drawn later so super messy works suprisingly fine.
So even though your inital mind maps may look like a knotted ball of wool you will be surprised what you can recall from them when you look at it later due to the simple fact that during class you were actively participating rather than 'transcribing' what was said in linear notes.
One way to get over mind mapping fear is to give it a go in situations where it doesn't matter. One suggestion is the News however if you're a movie buff you might want to try it for the next movie preview... Movie in Center, Actors names as main stems, who they played and how they described the character on first substem. What they liked/disliked about making the movie on another substem. Or do it with the music video shows, Nature shows if you're so inclinde. The thing is that any mind maps you make during these programs don't matter but they help you get into the flow of creating mind maps. Having drawn a few for test drive it allows you to concentrate on what is meaningful during class.
This is the most useful site that I have found that explains mind mapping for learning.
http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/mindmap/index.html
Alex
