The latest trend in organization is something called the Bullet Journal. The idea of this is to have your to-do list, planner, and journal all in one, and recently I've jumped on the bandwagon. Because the word "journal" is in the title, don't get the misconception that you're going to be writing "dear diary" at the beginning of every entry. The idea of a bullet journal is to save you time and put things in the shortest way possible.

The first thing that drew me to bullet journaling is the creative side. There is a set of guidelines on how to set up your journal (index, future log, migration, etc.), but besides that it's all personal preference. There are hundreds of ways you can set up your journal and different artsy trackers you can make. You can track your exercise, your water intake, a list of what makes you happy, or use it as a doodle book...the possibilities are endless.

The second thing that drew me to bullet journaling is the mental health benefits. It is used as a form of art therapy which helps with those struggling with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. You are also more conscious of your mood and what triggers a bad mood because you can track how you feel each day. In my bullet journal I write 5-7 things that made me happy that day. You can also track your habits: when you can't sleep, when your appetite changes, when you feel sick.

Bullet journaling is a way to hold yourself accountable. I'm one of those people who if I write down what I eat, I'll eat better. I don't want to look back on my day and see I ate half a pizza and a bunch of chocolate (although those days do happen). I'm also a person who LOVES to cross things off. If I write down on my to-do list to workout, then I have to workout so I can cross if off the list. It's such a rewarding feeling. At college I don't have my mom here to make sure that all my ducks are in a row, so this bullet journal is taking the place of that. It's a constant reminder.

Bullet journaling is the ultimate organizational tool. It has everything you need in one place and with the index, you'll never have to go on a scavenger hunt to find what page you're looking for again. For more information on bullet journaling go to https://bulletjournal.com.

For some inspiration, follow some of my favorite bullet journalers on Instagram.

@minimalistbujo

@creative.pine.apple

@breeeberry

@showmeyourplanner