This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Helsinki chapter.
“Dear Diary…”
Yes, keeping a diary in this day and age might seem old-fashioned and kinda cheesy. Isn’t writing your thoughts down something that Facebook statuses and Twitter updates are for?!
I’m one of those people who believe that you can never have too many notebooks, and that you should always have one at hand if a sudden inspiration to write about your daily experiences and thoughts hits you. Here are some reasons why I think its beneficial to do so.
1. A Diary Does Not Judge
A diary is a strange medium – all of its contents are by you and for you. This is why it’s a completely judgement free zone. It’s a safe way to relieve frustration and stress, or negativity caused by the relationships in your life. It allows you to process these feelings freely and naturally, because you can write about your emotions as truthfully and accurately as you wish.
Say you’re working on a group project with a class mate who is leaving most of the work for you and shows up 15 minutes late to your presentation. You’re probably pretty annoyed, right? Instead of bottling up your emotions or throwing a fit at your lazy partner, take out your diary and write an accurate, heart-felt description of your feelings about the situation. This way you are giving space to your initial emotional response without causing social drama, and afterwards you can deal with the situation in a more constructive manner.
2. …or Interrupt
You don’t turn to your diary when you’re in need of an opinion, but to freely express your own – or help you find one in the first place. While sharing thoughts and opinions with other human beings can be one of the most rewarding things you can experience, and talking to your best friend or your family members when something is troubling you is definitely a healthy way to deal with worries, sometimes it’s good to reflect upon things on your own – and writing down your views and ideas is a great way of doing this.
In social situations we always have to compromise ourselves a little bit. The season finale of your favorite show might have been the greatest thing you’ve ever seen and you could go on about it for hours, but your friend is still in episode 5 and it would be uncool to spoil it for him. But when it comes to diaries, you don’t have to practice this sort of self-denial. The things you write about don’t have to interest, be understood, or agreeable to anybody else but you.
3. Old Diaries Work as Reminders
Yes, you are young. Sometimes maybe a little foolish. There are still many lessons to learn in life, and your opinions and ways of thinking are going to change as you grow. But what you’re feeling and experiencing now is valuable; it’s your own, unique experience of an era you’re only going to live through once. Record these thoughts – you’ll thank yourself later! Reading through old journals is an enlightening experience: you will see how you’ve changed, and maybe also find bits of wisdom discovered by the young you and realize they’re still relevant. Diaries are a great tool for keeping track of who you are and who you used to be – and who you maybe want to be in the future.