Marble Pedestal: Journaling in pandemic

Online school has been another stressful burden to bear during this dreadful pandemic. During these times of high anxiety, students and many others have turned to journaling as a way to vent, unload and de-stress.

Journaling is when you take your thoughts, the events that have transpired in your life, or your frustration and document them into a book to get it out of your head. In my opinion, the effects that it has on one’s mental and emotional state of mind and well-being are completely overlooked. 

After you write what has been bothering you down on paper, for example, journaling allows the mind to slowly forget and move forward. In the heat of the moment, you write those feelings down onto the paper, and in a way the paper acts like a sponge — it takes that negativity and leaves your mind fresh and blank.

It is a great way to clear your head and improve your mental health because you enter a more positive headspace. When you read your thoughts after writing them down, reviewing them can help you solve problems or identify ones you need to work on.

For myself I have really bad anxiety, especially with proctored exams, and writing in a journal helps me feel better. Journaling helped me identify a problem I did not see clearly before and I acted on it before it could have any more negative effects on my performance in class. I would suggest it for anyone, even people who are still doing well in a pandemic. Writing is therapeutic and can help improve your mood or make it even better.

Journals don’t have to be like diaries and written text. Journal entries can take on many forms. Many people have adapted and evolved journaling into their own thing. From a bullet journal, to a day planner, to a wreck-it journal. Do not underestimate journaling, it’s nothing like the Dear Dumb Diaries series. Keeping a journal is the best way to keep track of yourself and improve yourself for your benefit.