People often forget about the importance of keeping a journal. I currently have one for my home and another for my study abroad travels. Writing things down seems like an illusion of the past because of how technology-crazed everyone in the world is nowadays. But there’s something about keeping a journal – turning the page, writing down the events that happened that day, what you were doing, how you were feeling and what makes for a good laugh or cry when you need it. Yes, I have had those nights where I wish I could forget what happened. However, writing down is preserving those memories that I’ll look back upon in a few weeks or even months and laugh at the stupid things I did in college or the embarrassing things that happened to me; it’s worth every minute that I used writing it down in my journal.
It’s the little things that people forget when they’re remembering a get-together with some friends. Like who was there and how they felt – even if it wasn’t a huge party. It’s the emotions you feel while you’re there, what you’re doing, what you see and how you are feeling in that very moment. It’s the moments like THON where I wrote down what happened after every shift because I wanted to keep the memories alive and pristine. The moments when I walked on the floor for the first time and how I felt when the line dance came on were memories that if I had never written them down, I don’t know if I would remember them as clearly.
It’s the embarrassing moments that happen to you, your friends or those random boys at the frat party that you want to remember. It’s the “nights you won’t remember with the people you’ll never forget.” It’s the things that you wish didn’t happen but unfortunately did. It’s the laughter you all shared after you slipped down the stairs because you didn’t see the puddle of beer. It’s the nights you spent eating Pokey Sticks on the floor of your dorm room crying over the girl who made out with your brother’s best friend’s cousin’s friend who you were “talking to.”
Even though some of those memories are hard to look back upon, they eventually turn into hilarious stories that you will never forget. But if you never took the time to write any of those things down, how else would you remember why you were eating those massive Pokeys in the first place?
It’s the people you want to remember as well. It’s your friends that you spent your girls’ nights in with as you watched sad movies and cried while eating tubs of Ben & Jerry’s. It’s the boys who have walked in and out of your life because you were sometimes too naïve and actually believed that “nice” senior frat boy who smiled at you and told you he thought you were cute. It’s the family members that make a difference in your life every day. Despite the struggles that happen, they’re the shoulders for you to cry on.
It’s the crazy family parties you attend and holidays with traditions that you cherish. It’s the red and green Santa hats that your aunt bought for your entire family and made you all take pictures in just for fun. It’s reading the little quotes that sit on the dinner table at Thanksgiving that you all have to read or the familiar smell of Grandma’s coleslaw that shows up at every family party… even after she has passed. It’s the laughter and love you all feel together.
So remember those things. Write it down, value those memories, go grab a pen for your new journal and fill it with the wonderful remembrances of life.