I am lucky enough to have two very best friends. They are the people that I know will stick by me through everything, my soul sisters, my bridesmaids. With one of them moving into college this year as a freshman, I knew I’d get her an awesome going away present. I wanted it to be a creative gift, but I really didn’t have the time to craft something. Fortunately, my boss at the Paper Source gave me an amazing idea – to initiate a Traveling Journal, which is what her daughter did with her friends from home when they became scattered all over the country.
It’s expected that once we separate with our friends to attend college, it can be increasingly difficult to stay in touch with all of them. And even though technology is always at our fingertips, journaling is a much more personal mode of interaction. The traveling journal was a fun way for the friend group to stay updated on each other’s lives, as well as something to look forward to receiving in the mail. When they graduated four years later, the girls got together and read the journal from the beginning, laughing out loud at all of the things their younger selves thought were so important. The journal reminded them of their numerous crushes, difficult classes, and friendship woes that they had long since forgotten.
Much like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the Traveling Journal is a way for my friends and I to share our college (mis)adventures, stories, and experiences in detail, because how much can you really say over text? You can fill the journal with tidbits like movie ticket stubs, lipstick prints, drawings, or whatever else might capture the essence of each journal entry. You must have the journal in your possession for two weeks at the most before sending it to the next person. So far, I’ve received the journal once and it was awesome to both read my friend’s entry and to write my own hilarious contribution. After all, college life is wildly entertaining! I’m planning on starting a traveling journal for my high school friend group, too, which should be interesting because we are all in different states – South Carolina, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Having a Traveling Journal is a unique way to bond with your circle of people and save your college memories so that you can look back on them one day in the future. It’d definitely an activity that I recommend starting with your own friends from home to stay connected on an almost monthly basis!
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/sites/www.open.edu.openlearn/files/ole_ima…