Students blog

Dear diary, let me tell you about my day. Let me have a space to be fully vulnerable. Let me chronicle who I am and how I change and grow.

Journaling is a valuable tool that I've graciously incorporated into my life. It gives you space to be yourself without judgment and to identify feelings. Journaling relieves stress, helps you notice patterns in your life, and can soothe intense emotions. I've also found encouragement in starting to journal.

When I go through life's moments of distress, it's always helped me to turn towards the paper. I don't think there's ever been a time when I didn't feel at least a little better after writing down everything that bothered or upset me. I eventually recognize the things in my life that cause constant stress and address the issue. When you write in your journal, you may notice patterns looking back at previous entries. It's a great way to hold accountability. Writing thoughts down on paper records things that persistently generate joy, or even, unwelcome ill feelings. If being around a person or place makes you feel negative consistently, you may realize that you may not want to be around such circumstances anymore. As you look back, you recognize things you like and dislike. It's an awareness that perhaps you may not have gained otherwise. Recognizing patterns can be a catalyst to redirect in ways that make you happier and healthier.

When you journal, you create a space only you have access to. Nobody can judge you. You can express whatever you need to freely. Having such a private space allows you to talk about anything you want! Journaling encourages vulnerability and enables you to address your thoughts and feelings without anxiety about what other people may think. You can be completely honest with yourself about any experience throughout your day. With a scribble, emotions no longer need to be held inside. They flow outward and become able to be felt. Journals are a place for you to be yourself without fear. The ability to be open soothes stress tremendously.

Starting to journal feels so time-consuming at first. For me, the key was to romanticize it. To make it something I look forward to doing every day. I got myself a leather journal that I love dearly. I also went to a local store and got a fountain pen that I would always want to use (fountain pens are a lot of fun). I wanted every part of the practice to be something that was calming to me. I recommend getting a notebook you like. Make it one that you look forward to using. Get a pen you enjoy with a color of ink you think looks pretty. Add parts of your personality to your practice.

In the end, journaling is all about you!

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We all have rituals that we embrace as sacred additions to our days. They can be as simple as a comforting cup of tea to help you wind down at the end of a busy day to a full-blown skin and hair care routine that takes nearly an hour. Routines can help one manage stress and anxiety, aid with productivity, encourage you to know yourself more deeply, build self-confidence, and forge healthy habits you can be proud of. With a solid routine, we find peace of mind and a sense of calm in our otherwise chaotic lives. It is my sincere hope that this blog helps you find space in your day for serenity – student and educator alike.

When I am overwhelmed, I feel there's no space to breathe or do things that make me happy. It's easy to feel like doing something for yourself will take away from the time you could be doing something else 'more productive.' There's always more work to do, right? With a routine, you set a non-negotiable time to do the things that help you find calm and take care of yourself. By making space to do the things that make you feel relaxed, you cut down on stress. Such things can be included in your custom-made routine tailored for you, by you.

There's always some goal we want to accomplish occupied in our minds. I had a few - taking supplements, caring for my skin, and journaling every evening. They're small things, but these tasks I wanted to accomplish were things that I thought the best version of myself would do. As you add goals to your routine and follow through on completing them, they become habits. The things that people do that you look up to can become something of your own. It's rewarding to reflect on your progress and realize that the qualities you hold in high regard are integrated into your own life. Making things like that a part of your daily routine, it's easy to feel a well-deserved sense of pride.

When you have a set routine, you can truly focus on the demanding tasks you need to get done. Routines create space for you to do difficult, needed tasks while also making space to take care of yourself. I have a routine for when I come home after a day of attending lectures. I make mock-tails and sit down to watch a movie. It's simple, but it gives me something to look forward to and helps me push through the day. Creating a routine can provide something to look forward to and feel like a reward. Routines can be a much-needed respite to nudge you through tough days.

A routine should generally be a consistent practice, but it doesn't have to be completely inflexible and set in stone. A routine can change as you do. If a goal or ritual no longer serves you, replace it with one that makes you feel more like yourself. Adding and taking away from your routine encourages you to learn more about yourself. Through assessing different routines, you try things you thought you'd like but realize you don't. Through consistent diligence and holding yourself accountable for your routine, you trust in yourself more. You believe deeply in yourself and your ability to follow through on your goals. You know you can become the person you want to be.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

The weight of an exam creeping up can be daunting. We spend so much time in our classes, and seeing the effort paying off is a rewarding feeling for any student. Setting ourselves up for success doesn’t need to be a negative experience. Sometimes it may be hard to push ourselves to do the work, but there are some steps that I’ve found to be beneficial when studying.

The first thing I like to do is to plan what I need to cover each day. Find out what content will be covered in your exam and try to spread it out over the number of days you have to study evenly. For example, you know chapters 1-4 will be on the exam, and your professor has given you a practice exam. You have 5 days to prepare. Study one chapter per day, and on day 5, do a practice exam or get extra practice on a topic you may feel weaker in. This makes it so that you’re not cramming and that you don’t feel overwhelmed at the last minute. It’s nice to have enough time to feel confident in the material you need to know.

Another way to avoid distraction is to declutter first to promote focus and lessen environmental distractions. Try setting time aside before you complete any studying to ensure you give yourself a clean, neat environment to concentrate in. When a space is clear and well-kept, you’re less likely to feel distracted by things that may be out of place. Deep into your studying session, you’re less likely to procrastinate by cleaning if your space is already clean.

It can sometimes be hard to motivate yourself to sit down and focus on what you need to do. There are so many other things that feel way more fun compared to studying. It could be playing games, baking, going out to eat, watching shows, or reading a fun book. I like to use those things as motivation. These fun activities can be powerful drivers towards a goal if they’re things you really look forward to. When I finish a certain amount of studying, I might reward myself by watching a couple episodes of a show I like. Doing this has personally helped me feel like I have control and balance with schoolwork and life. Preparing for a test doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and you can still have time to yourself. By using fun things as a reward, there doesn’t need to be guilt over not getting things done. It encourages you to focus for a certain amount of time, then to fully enjoy things you enjoy afterwards.

Finally, talk to yourself with kindness. Be your best hype man. Maybe you have a lot of material you’re going over. Try to appreciate all that you’re learned and how far you’ve come. It feels a lot better than approaching a difficult situation with dread. If you’re stressed, don’t forget to breathe. Find calm, then continue with what you were doing. Through finding calm when dealing with stress, we can be resilient.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!