.avif)
Journaling has many benefits for your mental health. One important thing it can do is help you get to know yourself better — and self-discovery is a big part of university. If you’re stuck for ideas about where to begin, try these journal prompts.
1. What Is a Challenge You’ve Overcome?
Think about a time when you faced adversity in life and were able to overcome it. Although it may have been unpleasant at the time, it ultimately made you a stronger person — and that’s something to be proud of. Think about what you learned and how you can apply these lessons in the future.
2. Where Do You Want to Be in 10 Years?
University is a great time to reflect on the future. You likely chose your major because you want to enter a particular field or make a difference in the world in a specific kind of way. Think about where you’d like to be with your career in 10 years. What else do you want to have achieved? Where will you be living? Who will you be living with? What will your lifestyle be like? How will you spend your free time?
3. What Are Your Goals?
Think short and long term about what you want to achieve in life. It’s useful to keep a list of goals you return to occasionally to reflect on your progress. You may decide you no longer want to pursue a particular goal or you may want to adapt some of your goals to fit new ambitions.
4. Who Motivates You?
In addition to thinking about yourself, consider what kind of people you like to surround yourself with. Thinking about who in your life motivates, inspires, and builds you up will teach you something about yourself.
5. What Emotions Do You Experience Most Often?
It’s worth keeping track of your main emotions each day, even if you don’t do any other form of journaling. This will reveal how your mood is changing and help you detect patterns. You may notice that certain activities or people contribute to a higher or lower mood, which may influence how you decide to spend your time. If you record that you’re sad on most days, it’s worth finding out if you can receive counseling services on campus.
6. Which Mistakes Have You Made That You Can Learn From?
Turn something negative into something positive by reflecting on the lessons you’ve learned from your mistakes. You may determine you’ve made one big mistake or several smaller ones. If your mistakes are similar to each other, consider how you should change going forward.
7. What Do You Want to Learn About Yourself?
Since you’re journaling to discover yourself, it’s worth spending some time considering what exactly you want to find out. Think about what would be beneficial to learn about yourself.
It’s difficult to know much about yourself if you never have time alone. Gain a private space by moving into the Waterloo student housing at 308 King. We offer one-bedroom apartments with or without a den, as well as the option of a second bathroom if you want to share with someone else. You’ll be close to campus, public transportation, and local amenities. Contact us for information about a lease.
