There's nothing quite like returning to an old journal entry. Like talking to an old friend or reading a well-loved book, it never fails to bring a sense of nostalgia and a strange joy of knowing where you came from and where you are now. It is easy to forget where you were even a few months ago, and even easier to forget how you felt about it. Journals allow you to see from the perspective of your past self and understand how you felt at the time. They are a great way to learn by contrast, and laugh at your own naivete.
It is surprising how much you can teach yourself! Revisiting old entries sheds new light on past ideas, often creating new thoughts that might otherwise be lost or unnoticed. Personally, my school writing projects often spring from seeds sown in my journal, creating a catalog of pre-written pieces that make writing more manageable. All I have to do is assemble the building blocks I've already created!
Oddly enough, one of the best parts about journaling is self criticism. It is so easy to have grand plans for a new year and to set lofty goals, but we all know life never works out the way we expect it to. It is surprisingly amusing to look back at what you thought you would be doing versus what you actually ended up doing. For example, I have a journal entry from a few years ago where I talked about my theme for the school year-a concept that I borrowed from an excellent CGP Grey video. My theme was a Year of Growth, with a focus on making better decisions with my time as I was entering college. I did mostly achieve this goal (and wrote a journal entry about it at the end of the year), but I completely forgot that I even set this theme for myself and it wasn’t as grandiose as my initial writing made it sound. It's amusing to see past declarations like "it's time for me to rise to the occasion and become more responsible" when, in hindsight, I barely knew what that even meant!
Now, you might wonder where to start with journaling. The answer is surprisingly simple: just do it! Journals are supposed to be messy and unfiltered, capturing the current moment so that you go there whenever you want-almost like a time machine. The key is to choose a technique that minimizes effort and is always available, as friction tends to erode journaling habits-I could write a whole article on this topic alone! If you are paralyzed by choice (and believe me, there are lots of options) then just choose whatever tool you are comfortable with—you will be surprised how many great tools are immediately accessible. Have an iPhone? Just create a folder in Notes and sync it with all your devices! Not in Apple's ecosystem? Use Google Keeps or Docs. As an Andrews student you already have a Google account, so why not to use it?
As you take time over Thanksgiving to reflect on the past and express gratitude, consider adopting journaling. I assure you, the effort is worthwhile—your future self will thank you for it!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.