As a first-year student, you may come across a lot of new things. Sometimes you can get bogged down by everything that happens around you. I would highly recommend journaling during your first year. Maybe not every day, but journaling nonetheless.

Here are some perks of journaling:

1) It allows you to organize all the thoughts and feelings you have about being in college. By writing out your feelings, you really start understanding the root of what you feel, and you can put that understanding into reality.

2) It allows you to stay organized during the semester. With homework, exams, projects, meetings, dates, etc. It’s a lot to have to remember. By writing down all that you need to do, you can better handle your priorities. (I recommend a planner/agenda for this).

3) It allows you to record memories that you can look back on later in life. When your kids are heading off to college and have questions on how you felt in college and how you dealt with what all college students face, you can whip out your old journal and show them exactly what you felt.

4) It’s relaxing. You get to tell your journal anything and everything you may feel uncomfortable sharing with friends and family. By releasing the feelings you keep inside, it helps with relaxation.

5) It improves your writing. The more writing you do, the better writer you are. It truly helps with developing your voice.