When you were little, did you have a diary that you wrote in at night? Maybe you decorated the cover or even had one of the ones with physical locks on them. I used to hide mine under my pillow, but now it’s stored in the wide expanse of Apple’s free, pre-installed Notes app. Slowly, without realizing it, many people have turned their devices into makeshift journals. After all, the one thing most people don’t separate from, even when using the bathroom, is their phones. It makes sense then that the Notes app has taken on this new role.
So for many, “Dear diary” has slowly turned into clicking the “new file” button. The appeal is the ability to write things down immediately, wherever you are, without the hassle of carrying pen and paper. Some of our most private, innermost secrets are now protected with just an online password. Every time I create a new note on my phone, it transports me back to my childhood, where I used to sit on my bed with the soft glow of a lamp and scratch out a new journal entry.
What goes into a notes app?
The beauty of this space is that you can really dump all kinds of thoughts/reflections into it, kind of like a kitchen-sink cookie.Â
Most people have a mix of mundane and more personal notes:
- Workout routines
- Grocery lists
- Wish lists
- “Rebranding my life” written at 1:03 AM
- Brainstorming text messages
- Manifestations
- Rants about a long day
a space of escape
The app takes away the intimidation of a blank page and the permanence of physical writing. Perhaps there’s something about typing words that can feel more casual and low pressure since they can be easily erased with the delete button. Another appeal is that there is no demand to be aesthetic, as you’re limited to the generic Apple font and not much else.Â
Many college students struggle with the pressure of being “put together”. Especially as a woman, there are societal expectations to have your appearance, routines, and everything set just right. Many girls are socialized by family or school to be agreeable, soft and quiet.Â
Because of this, there are few spaces where you can be completely unfiltered without consequences. But the Notes app can be a refreshing place for escape and contrast. These notes can often be disorganized, messy, loud and unfinished. Grocery lists are allowed to sit next to emotional spirals without being judged. It’s the kind of space where your understanding of things can constantly be rewritten and visited.Â
A Notes app can be one of the most unfiltered glimpses into somebody’s life. And you never know, perhaps that’s exactly where I’m writing this from.