The beginning of the semester is upon us, bringing with it new class schedules, new work schedules, new extracurricular events, and the stress of figuring out how to juggle it all. A new way to organize all of this and more is becoming increasingly popular on social media—bullet journaling.
A customizable twist on a classic planner, bullet journals are a great way to get your thoughts out on paper and sort out everything you want in life, but at first glance, they can look a little daunting. Here’s a quick beginner’s guide on how to start bullet journaling and hopefully make some sense of your busy upcoming semester.
1. The Supplies
You don’t need the fanciest journal or the most expensive pens to make your bullet journal! If you fall down a Pinterest bullet journal inspiration rabbit hole, you might notice that people get very expensive with their supplies, but don’t let that discourage you. A simple journal with either dotted or grid paper can be found at Target or Michaels for as low as $5, and I like to use Crayola markers with black pens. Anything you have laying around will work!
2. What to Include
The options for what to include in your journal are literally endless. Some things that might help you to get started include a monthly calendar, weekly calendar, and if your schedule is extremely packed, even a daily schedule. Other great things to include are monthly goals, to-do lists, grocery lists or meal prep ideas, habit trackers, music playlists, future tv show or movie watchlists, or chore charts.
3. Making it your own
Because you’re designing your bullet journal yourself, it does take a bit more time and effort than a regular planner. However, it’s a great way to take time for yourself to not only plan and be productive, but to express yourself through a creative outlet. The best part of bullet journaling is the fact that you can make it completely your own. Whether you customize it with fun color schemes, patterns, seasonal themes or doodles, you can make it 100% yours.
Even though upon first glance bullet journaling may seem hard to master and a big time commitment, it’s only as difficult as you make it. With just some simple supplies and a little bit of creativity, you can organize your daily routine to make sure you’re staying on track while giving yourself a creative outlet and relieving stress. Bullet journaling just may be the answer you’re looking for to upgrade the way you organize and plan this semester.