Yes, you read that title right. I’m back at it again with another guide. The first guide was all about reading (specifically one of my favorite authors, Colleen Hoover) and this guide will naturally be all about writing (specifically why you MUST start journaling). I know what you’re thinking: “This girl’s job is writing for the Odyssey so of course she loves it. Isn’t her opinion a little biased?’. The answer is yes… but NO. Sure, I’m a nerd for anything that includes a notebook or an open word document but I’m also someone who doesn’t obsess over something without good reason. Basically my goal, by the end of this article, is to convince you that journaling is super fun and important. Hopefully, you’ll even pick up the hobby yourself. I’ve already gotten two other people sucked into the journaling hole so if you’re really not looking for yet another hobby to consume your “busy” schedule, you should probably click out of this article (or just let me seduce you).

Journaling is exactly what it sounds like but also so much more (if that makes sense). Obviously, it’s writing or logging inside of a journal or notebook continuously as a form of documentation. Documentation of what, you may ask? Your life. Who you are. But I’ll get deeper into that when I write about why journaling is so important. First, I have to erase the stigma that surrounds it. Above, I said journaling is so much more than what it sounds like. This is very important to understand. A lot of people believe journaling is when you sit down with a pen and paper and write down what you did that day every day. Just reading that bored the hell out of me. This is why so many people fail at journaling or don’t begin at all. This is why I failed at journaling so many times before. There’s nothing exciting or thrilling about reading lengthy descriptions of your six hour Netflix binge. Now, this is not to say you can’t write about an exciting day you had. You have the freedom to write what you want, but it doesn’t have to be the only thing you write. The goal of journaling is write about something you would want to read about years in the future. Someday, you’re going to dig out this journal and read it again as a completely different person. The question to keep in mind while journaling is: What would future me want to remember? Can’t think of anything? Well, I’m here to help you with that. Here are some journaling ideas from my own journal. These are very personal, so you should feel lucky that you're even seeing them. Keep in mind, you don’t have to use any of these. My journal is simply to be used as inspiration. When you begin to write, you’ll eventually find what style you like.

1. Poetry/quotes.

I enjoy filling my journal with some of my favorite quotes and poems. The one you see above is "The Unrequited Love Poem" by: Sierra Demulder. I find that when I care enough about a poem or quote to put it in my journal, I really relate or connect to it in the moment. Someday when I reread my journal, I can read those poems or quotes and see if they still mean as much. If they don’t, they will at least take me back to the place I was in at that time in my life.

2. Things you want to do/bucket list.

Whenever I find something really cool to do or an amazing place to go, I put it in my journal. This is sort of my way of forming a bucket list or a collection of things to do within my lifetime. In this specific entry, I talked about how badly I wanted to go to the Room of Rainbows and I included some facts about it because I thought they were interesting.

3. Book/movie/TV show reviews.

I read a lot of books and watch a lot of movies and TV shows. This is common amongst a lot of people so I’m sure this idea will be helpful for you. Whenever I watch or read something interesting, I often put it in my journal. I usually only do this if I end a book/movie/TV show with a lot of thoughts and comments and ideas. I like to record them all before I lose them. Later in life, you can read these entries and possibly reread or rematch to relive that experience if you want to. Above, I have my review of "Paper Towns" (the top is blurred out for privacy reasons).

4. Rare experiences.

The entry you see above was made the morning I bought my tickets to The 1975 and I’m using this as an example of writing about experiences that only come along every so often like concerts, vacations, etc. Whenever you go to a concert or travel or whatever it is, write down how it felt, a play-by-play of how it all happened, your favorite part, etc. These are probably the most fun memories to revisit in a journal.

5. Thoughts/emotions.

This is one of the most common ways to journal and it’s probably the most meaningful. Whenever you have something on your mind or you’re feeling a very strong emotion, try to convey it through words on paper. The photo you see below is an entry all about Monet because I was trying to figure out why I loved his paintings so much so I wrote about it. Of course, these entries can get a lot deeper (depression, panic attacks, drama with friends or family, etc).

6. Song lyrics.

I write A LOT of song lyrics in my journal. This may seem pointless or stupid because we have the internet to look up lyrics, but I really enjoy having these in my journal. I pick one of my favorite songs or a song I really love at the moment and write all the lyrics down. When I look back on these entries, I can read the lyrics and understand why I connected to them. I can also re-listen to them and giggle about what a “throwback” it was (terrified of the day Taylor Swift becomes a throwback).

7. Playlists.

This idea is cool for the same reasons as song lyrics. This is just a way to record lists of songs you like . In my case, I make playlists for every month so I can see the different types of music I’m listening to as the months and years go by. Playlists are, too, for re-listening purposes but they’re also great ways to see progression in your taste and style.

8. Receipts/photos.

These are the types of journal entries that are necessary for experiences words can’t express. I like to put receipts or photos (which you’ve seen in nearly every picture) in my journal to either add color/decoration or commemorate something. In the photo below, I hung out with my friend for the last time before she moved away and we went to a bookstore, so I taped in my receipt from that day. Sometimes these things are nice to include just to break the constant writing look in your journal (once again, some writing is blurred for privacy).

Obviously, there are a lot more things you can put inside of your journal, but these are some of the most common for my journal. You don’t have to be a writer or an artist to journal. You don’t have to be poetic or have creative talent. Anyone can journal because everybody does it their own way. Do not feel pressured to follow the rules. Be messy. Scribble, write vertically, rip pages. Do whatever makes you happy because this journal is for you and you only.

Now for the finale. Why should you start a journal? Journals capture a moment in your life so much more vividly than any photograph or simple memory could. One day, when we get old, it will become harder and harder to remember what you were like at one time. What your favorite band was. What you did on your summer vacation. What haircut you had when you were younger. The examples could go on. We all forget, but journals allow us to relive our happiest and saddest of times. Journals are also said to be great coping mechanisms for people with issues like anxiety, depression, etc. Writing down your thoughts and feelings is a way to organize them and clarify what the underlying issues are. Journals are also a safe place to vent about things you don’t feel comfortable telling anybody. Now just go out there and write!