6 Journaling Prompts for Students

When you’ve had enough studying for the day, you can keep a journal as a form of self-care. Journaling is great because it allows you to meditate on your goals, track your progress, reduce stress and anxiety, and find inspiration in the ordinary. 

To start your journaling journey, get a notebook and pen, and establish a writing routine. Set time to write every morning after you wake up, or every evening before bed.

The blank page may intimidate you at first, but the key here is to just get started. It might take a lot of trial and error to find out what journaling method works for you. But if you don’t know where to start, here are some journaling prompts that can help:

Daily Affirmations

Positive affirmations are important because they can brighten your outlook on the world when you say them to yourself, or in this case, write them down in a journal.

The power of words will make you ready to face the challenges of the day. For example, you can write down a quote from a famous person who inspires you. 

The Morning Show

Journaling in the morning can help if you dread getting out of bed, or if you feel stressed or anxious when starting your day. It will make you feel calmer and more grounded in reality. You can write down your to-do list, which will serve as a guide as you go about your day.

The Thank You Note

Make a note of the things that you are grateful for on the day. Keeping a gratitude journal means you are acknowledging the goodness in your life. Instead of simply listing down the good things that happened to you, you can write about what your life would be like without certain people or things. You can even write how some of the negative outcomes you have experienced turned into something positive.

The Praise Journal

Maintain a list of achievements, big or small. You can write down the positive remarks you received from a professor, or paste a copy of the stellar grades you received. You can revisit these anytime you’re feeling less than stellar about your studies. 

The Future You

Imagine where you want to be five or ten years from now. You’re probably envisioning how far you’ve come from living in the student apartments near McMaster. This will help you determine your short- and long-term goals and to see if your current situation aligns with these goals. This prompt will help you get to know yourself a little bit better, and discover areas within your life that may need improvement. You can reflect on the changes you have to make to achieve these goals.

The Challenges

A journal can be a safe space to express the challenges you’re going through. By writing down your thoughts in a journal, you become more self-aware and work through the thoughts that you might struggle to share out loud. 

Make journaling a daily habit to become a better person. This simple habit of writing down your thoughts can have a huge impact on your mood, mindset, and motivation.