For those of you who don't know, bullet journals are all the rage right now. Though they initially began as a way to organize your academic and work life, they can be used in any way you want. The thing I love about journaling is the moment when you've finished it (or just halfway through), and you get to flip back and look at the different person you were.

I decided to create a bullet journal for 2018 for both creative and personal reasons, and it's quickly become one of my favorite hobbies. What better time to pick up a new hobby than the beginning of a new year, anyway? If you're interested in beginning your own journal, below are 18 different ways to make that journal beautiful and unique.

1. A beautiful cover page.

Start your bullet journal off right with a beautiful cover page that represents who you are. Though wreaths and calligraphy writing are popular trends in the bullet journal community, you don't have to adhere to this mold of creativity. Draw (or not!) whatever makes you happy. This is going to be your journal, after all.

2. New Year's Resolutions (of course).

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to set goals for yourself. Use this page to remind yourself of the changes you want to undergo. If you want to get fancy, add in some sub-bullet points that show all the steps you need to take to achieve your goals. For example, if you have a more tangible goal such as "get an internship," write down who you need to talk to and what you have to do.

3. Books I have/need to read in 2018.

This is a pretty popular page in the bullet journal community. You can keep it simple with a plain check-off-as-you-go type of list or get more creative. I've seen people draw entire bookshelves to go along with the reading theme, but again, this journal is for you. It can be as artful or as plain as you want it to be.

4. Movies and shows I watched or should watch in 2018.

Similar to the idea above, write down all those movies and TV shows you told yourself you would watch a thousand times. You're going to love yourself for doing this when the Sunday afternoon boredom hits. Don't worry if you don't get to all of them by the end of the year, either. These pages aren't meant to be a stressful to-do list but rather something fun.

5. Fifty reasons why I love myself.

This is a pretty cheesy one, but I think it's important, especially for the people who get down on themselves. Don't be afraid to be vain either. If you love your eyes, put that on your list because it's part of who you are. If you're not into that sort of thing, there's still plenty of things you've done that I bet you're proud of. Did you help someone pass a math test once? Write that down. Stay away from the chips for two days straight? Grab that pen and note it! Celebrate your little successes.

6. Self-help tip page.

For me, having a reference list of all the things I can do when I'm stressed out or upset is a life-saver. In my journal, I have a list of songs that make me happy, meditation videos, relaxing activity ideas, pictures of my pets, and even a reminder that I feel safer with a blanket wrapped around me. Don't be ashamed of anything that helps you feel better, no matter how juvenile you think it is. This page is meant for you and you alone.

7. Reasons I am thankful.

I'll be the first to admit that I get a little caught up in myself sometimes and forget to be thankful for what I have. Write down your own reasons for being thankful and read them over every now and then to keep you humble.

8. Your personal life mottos.

We all have those phrases and lyrics we live by -- doodle them out! I personally think it would be interesting to do this page twice, once at the start of the year and once at the end. If the words you write change, something happened to you that made you grow as a person. Spice up the page by writing a reflection on your feelings!

9. Moodboards for each week.

If you want to make your bullet journal a little more creative, incorporate some personal doodles or cutouts that create an overall mood. Did your week go exceptionally well? Decorate your page in bright colors and quotes that remind you of why you're so happy.

10. Weekly and monthly spreads.

These two pages are popular among bullet journalers who use their journal for organizational purposes. You can turn your spreads into works of art with drawings, banners, and pretty lettering, but don't be hard on yourself if your pages aren't perfect the first time around. Your bullet journal is meant for creativity, not perfection.

11. Your week or month in review.

What were your highlights? What did you accomplish? Are there any lessons you've learned? Write about the experiences you've had to add a little extra personal flair to your bullet journal. If things didn't go so well, it's okay to write about those things, too. The purpose of keeping this journal, in my opinion, is to be able to look back at the end of the year to see how you grew and why you did.

12. Collages of things that make you happy.

I personally love collages because they can be messy yet still look beautiful. I create mine using magazine clippings of words, pretty backgrounds, and faces of celebrities I like. You can also include pictures of your friends and family, or simply just pretty scenery you like.

13. Pretty doodles.

You don't necessarily have to have an entire page dedicated to doodles, but it never hurts to just draw for fun. You can use these doodles as decoration throughout your other pages, too. I've seen people create little characters that pop in and out, sort of like mascots.

14. A picture/quote/lyric a day.

This is just another way of documenting how the year is going for you. Write down something that represents your emotions at the time, or simply keep track of the words that inspire you. When the year is over, you're going to love looking back at how you've changed over the months.

15. Habit logs.

Trying to make or break a habit? Habit logs are excellent for keeping track of whether you're reaching that goal or not. In the bullet journal community, for example, many people keep a page tracking how many cups of water they've drunk that day. You can be as simple or creative as you want with this. I've seen people use water droplets to symbolize each cup they've drunk before.

16. Meal Planners.

For those people who have a bad habit of skipping meals or just not eating the right food, weekly meal planners will be a lifesaver. Not only does it take away the stress of deciding what to eat, but you can switch around or repeat meals anytime you want. Just because you created this schedule one way doesn't mean you're bound to that specific version of it.

17. Favorite recipes.

For college students, this is an especially helpful page (or pages!) once that freshman meal plan is gone. Write down those old family recipes you love or create your own that you accidentally discovered on your college-student journey.

18. Ideas to save.

This is a page where you can write anything you want whether it be a line from a story you want to write or ideas to save the world. It can even just be doodles if that's what you're feeling at the moment. Make this page look however you want, just jot down all those golden ideas! You'll never know when they come in handy.

19. Life lessons learned in 2018.

Admittedly, this can be a sadder page to create, especially if this was a hard year for you. Knowing all the mistakes you made and how you overcame them, though, is crucial to growing as a person. No one has to read your bullet journal if you don't want them to, so don't be afraid to be as personal as you want.

20. Good moments in 2018.

Finish your year on a happy note, and keep a running list of good things that happened to you in 2018. Even if it's something small as your crush smiling at you, write it down! Save all those warm fuzzy feelings for memories later on.