I am obsessed with journals—really, any office supply item. I was at Target recently, which is my equivalent to Disneyland, and I left with an embarrassing amount of stationary. All I wanted was to kill some time and pick up some Diet Coke, but we have all been victims to the vortex of Target. As I was checking out, the cashier said, “Wow. Someone likes to write,” as she scanned my items with judgement and a twinge of pity in her eyes. All I could do was awkwardly giggle because I hadn’t realized that my purchase would be seen as odd. Even though I currently have an abundance of blank journals and notebooks, I couldn’t resist.
So, I am here to offer advice to others like me. Here are some ways to use those blank journals while simultaneously getting your life together.
Daily Journal
Since my freshman year, I have purchased a journal for the sole purpose of tracking my daily life. I try to write entries every day. My life is not always worth documenting, but it will be something that I will want to look back on. This is the time of our lives, right? This daily journal doesn’t just act as a way to catalog my life events; it offers an outlet to vent or just sort through thoughts.
Morning/Dream Journal
One of the first college classes I took was a creative writing class, and our professor encouraged us to partake in a journaling task called “Morning Pages.” Every morning when we woke up, we had to write at least 3 pages in a journal. It could be ramblings, dreams, or even something completely made up. It was a way to get those creative juices flowing first thing in the morning. Plus, it was also a great way to wake up. By the time I was out of bed, I was already clear-headed and ready to start the day.
Fitness Journal
A fitness journal is just a great thing to keep. It can be used as a tool for planning daily food intake or exercise, as well as a weekly or monthly journal for measurements or tracking weight loss. I’ve even used one to record healthy recipes that I enjoy or plan on trying out.
To-Do List
I love lists! It is so satisfying to be able to cross off item after item. I tend to turn to either a small journal or a regular notebook to keep track of daily tasks. Sometimes I keep my to-do lists in my planner, but for the most part I like it to be separate. This is a great tool if you want to get and/or stay organized. You can keep track of daily tasks, homework, shopping lists, and ongoing lists (like: movies I want to see, books I want to read, etc.).
These are just a few ideas to keep you going. The great thing about any of these journals is that they can be completely customizable depending on how you want to use it. There is always something that needs to be written down and memories that need to be recorded. So never let the judgmental cashiers in your life let you feel guilty for buying yet another journal.
