The college life is full of work and stress. There are many things to accomplish and many activities to engage yourself in such as schoolwork, internships, and job hunting becomes the next thing to think about. If you top it up with your social life and family, the situation can be devastating. A lot of college students tend to get absorbed by all this and forget to focus on what’s important in life. Always find time for yourself. Spend some few hours off college and do something that makes you happy so that you can restore the peace in you after a nerve-racking day.
Finding time for yourself will help you realize what makes you happy. The college life is short, but you should have the freedom to find time for yourself on a daily basis by being independent in decision making and interacting with your loved ones.
One thing that helped me balance all of this was journaling. Journaling is very important if you want to know yourself better and to help you manage the stress of college life. I’d like to share seven types of journals you can keep to stay inspired throughout the semester.
Note that these are just a few of the types of journals, and everyone can experiment and find the perfect one.
Let’s get started!
1. Day to Day Life & Involvements
There has been a misconception that when you journal, you have to write about everything you did yesterday. This happens to make people find journaling boring since they think it’s all about writing the mundane details of your daily life. However, you can journal about hanging out with friends, doing schoolwork, old memories and any other emotions you want to express. You’re the only one reading it!
2. Time Capsule Journal
This type of journal helps college students to record daily activities that are important to them, such as sports, milestones and academic achievements. You could journal about local events that are connected to your campus.
3. Bullet Journal
If you have a lot of responsibilities and goals to balance, then the bullet journal would be helpful. Sometimes, you may need to go back in a journal and fail to find your notes in an accessible place. This can be frustrating, as organization is key to success. You can avoid this situation by noting down important points with important ideas you want to work on in color coded, decorated sections that encourage you to write more.
4. Dream Journal
Do you have some unusual dreams that you really want to remember but end up forgetting? Studies show that creative people have better dream recall. However, keeping a dream journal can boost your creativity even more. When making entries in a dream journal, timing is everything. Dedicate some time to journaling every morning after waking up. This way, you will still remember your dreams vividly and have the opportunity to note down every important detail. When you do it after classes, it is unlikely that you will remember much.
5. Prayer Journal
This type of journal is especially useful for religious college students. You can write down what you want to pray for or what your heart desires. Once you get your prayer answered, you can use a fountain pen to mark it. You can write something that will get you motivated whenever you feel down.
Sometimes you might think that nothing is happening in your life, but when you check the marked prayer items, you realize that you need to continue praying.
6. Reading Journal
A reading journal is great for book lovers. This type of journal will help you to note down books that you’ve read or are excited about reading. You can also add your opinion about a book or some thoughts you found exceptionally interesting. The experts from EssayOnTime claim that our writing skills are the reflection of our reading habits. So keeping track of great books you have read will help you celebrate your progress.
7. Personal Development Journal
When still in college, you should strive for excellence in life and keep track of your achievements. You can write about the changes in your life, new things you discover about yourself and the goals you set.
Journaling is a fantastic way to keep your mind focused, relax, and record memories. Note that there are no perfect journals, but as long as it is yours it will inspire you in your everyday college life. The greatest thing about journaling is that it helps you to discover new aspects of your character and new skills. Make sure that your journal is always nearby to write an amazing new entry.
Serena Dorf, L.A. Twitter Google+
Serena Dorf graduated from UCLA with a Master’s degree in Journalism. She is thirsty for knowledge and is always on the lookout for inspiration ideas. She loves writing about journaling, education, personal development, and social media. When she is neither writing nor cuddling up with a book, she is usually daydreaming, taking a stroll along the Venice Canals, or trying to improve her Swedish.