Why You Should Start a Journal ... Now
By Naiche, age 16, New York
Sure, as a writer, journaling does come easily to me. However, I find that maintaining your best memories - being able to look back on them - is important for everyone. Even if you're not the "writing type," I've drawn up a list of ways to journal without even picking up a pen.
For the social butterfly ...
If you enjoy interacting with others (or have that hidden longing to be famous), a blog may be for you. Yes, it's still a form of writing, but I've seen bloggers capture memories and events in a few sentences or funny images. You'll have an online archive of your day-to-day life, and you'll be giving others the chance to read and comment on your work. You can start a blog on Tumblr or Blogspot in just a few minutes.
For the camera savvy ...
Scrapbooking lets you speak through your pictures and have some fun with arts and crafts along the way. You don't have to be a professional with a glue gun to add some fun designs and frames to your favorite pictures. You can make a habit of taking a few pictures a week, and soon you'll have a collection of your best moments. (There's also a website called Daily Booth, where members upload a photograph a day and share them with others).
For the rock and rollers ...
Ever had a song that completely summed up your day with its lyrics? Try assembling a playlist that describes your day-to-day life. I've been known to play around with my songs on iTunes, labeling them by whatever mood I'm in. You can go as far as creating mix CDs with songs that go along with big events in your life.
There you have it. Those are some fun, alternative ways to journal. But, of course, you can always pick up a composition notebook at your nearest CVS or Duane Reade and start scribbling away.
