During this time of unprecedented worry and uncertainty, it helps to have something constant and therapeutic in your life. So if you have a never-ending stream of tasks, commitments and reminders bogging you down, or if you’re looking to become more mindful, keep a Bullet Journal©, which has been described as a diary, journal and written meditation in equal parts. , Maybe for you.
These aesthetically pleasing blank notebooks, transformed into works of art, have become popular on Instagram And Pinterest over the last decade.
Although recreating them may seem intimidating, the original method of Bullet Journaling is quite simple. Founder Ryder Carrollthe author of The Bullet Journal method, writes in his book that it is a “mindfulness practice” and productivity system, allowing you to “declutter your mind and organize your thoughts using a pen and of paper “. Its system uses calendars, indexes, daily and monthly logs, and a daily assessment of what’s important and what can be “migrated” to the next month to make you as productive as possible.
Bullet Journaling took off on social media and BuJo users (yes, they have a nickname) took Carroll’s minimalist method and made it their own. Today, countless YouTubers are sharing their Bullet Journaling processes, some incorporating his method and others who have created completely new ways of doing it.
Discover how these six BU students practice Bullet Journaling.
Abbey McCracken (Sargent’20)
Photos by Cydney Scott
Why did she start a Bullet Journal:
McCracken started a Bullet Journal his freshman year of college after seeing the journals on Instagram. “I always loved using a planner, but I started experimenting with it because it was a way to channel my creativity, but also to stay organized,” she says. “It held me more accountable.”
Why she loves Bullet Journaling:
Bullet Journaling helps her stay organized, is therapeutic, and gives her an artistic outlet. She likes how the journal forces her to put a list on paper, so she can cross things off and see what she accomplished in a week.
How she describes her personal Bullet Journaling style:
It’s a mix between an art journal, a diary and an album.
His advice to future Bullet journalists:
“It’s a great outlet for anyone who is artistic, but also wants to stay on top of their game, both academically, professionally and in their personal lives,” McCracken says. “I think everyone can benefit from it, and it doesn’t have to be super artistic for everyone. It can be as minimalist or artistic as it suits your personal taste.
Sofia Marcelli (CAS’23)
Photos by Cydney Scott
How often do Bullet Journals:
Marcelli has been Bullet Journaling for six months. She creates layouts at least three times a week, but writes tasks on them daily.
Why she loves Bullet Journaling:
She enjoys art and drawing, but large projects can take a long time to complete. Bullet Journaling allows her to use her artistic skills and is a good way to stay organized. “It helps me de-stress and relax after a really long day,” she says.
Her Personal Bullet Journaling Style:
It changes from month to month. “Some months are minimalist and others are full of color,” says Marcelli. “This month in particular I’m doing a floral theme so it’s all over the place. The last month has been really brilliant. She said the strangest theme she ever did was a light theme “with lamps and lights everywhere.”
Emma Cohen (COM’23)
Photos by Jackie Ricciardi
Bullet Journal Objective:
Unlike many BuJo users, Cohen doesn’t actually use his journal to plan. “I do all my planning on my computer,” she says. “I use my Bullet Journal to track happiness, gratitude and things like that. It’s more of a relaxing thing.
Things it tracks:
His daily mood on a grid with symbolic colors (yellow = happy).
How long has she been Bullet Journaling:
Cohen has been keeping her Bullet Journals since she was a freshman in high school. “At the end of the year, I can look back and see trends in how the school year starts,” she says. “It’s good to remind myself that it starts out stressful, but it seems like it’s getting better.”
Mary Baldino (Questrom’23)
Photos by Jackie Ricciardi
How long has she been Bullet Journaling:
She’s been doing it for two years.
Why she publishes Bullet Journals:
“It’s a creative outlet for me, and it also forces me to use it because I’m a very forgetful person. I used to bounce between planners. I could never stick to just one: I would use it for a week and then give up,” says Baldino. “But if I take the time to create these custom spreads and layouts based on what I need,” that pushes her to keep them.
How she describes her personal Bullet Journaling style:
“I would describe my style as quite eclectic,” she says. “Whatever theme comes to mind that month, I kind of follow it.” » She recently created a “retro 70s theme” and a “candy overload” theme for the monthly calendars. She’s also dabbling in “mixed media journaling,” which uses traditional art supplies, as well as different pieces of paper, washi tape, lace, and other decorative products.
Why she got into Bullet Journaling:
Bullet Journaling is also a social tool, says Baldino. “My best friend at home started doing it, around the same time I started seeing it on my Instagram and Pinterest. She thought it was a lot of fun and a way for us to get closer because it became an activity we would do together,” she says. “We would gather all of our supplies on one table and just do our job.”
Why she finds Bullet Journaling so useful at BU:
Baldino originally had two Bullet Journals — one for school-related things, one for her personal life — but it was too much to keep track of, she said, “especially at a school like BU where you’re so involved.” Now everything happens in one place so nothing is forgotten.
Kimmie Zak (CFA’20, CAS’20)
Photos by Cydney Scott
Why she loves Bullet Journaling:
Zak says she’s never been able to use pre-made planners. Bullet Journaling “is kind of a way to slow down and do something that I love doing.” It’s a break from all the stress.
Her Personal Bullet Journal Style:
Colorful and artistic, she says. “Some people choose a set format for each week or month,” she says. “I just like to do whatever makes me productive or whatever makes me feel. This year I’m trying to streamline it a bit so I can cut down a bit on the time I spend setting it up each month or week.
Why she started:
“Before I started using a Bullet Journal, I used a pre-made planner, and I could never get into the habit of using it, so it would just be blank and I would just memorize my entire to-do list. do,” Zak said. “During my senior year of high school, I had so much to remember that it just wasn’t possible anymore. »
His advice to potential Bullet journalists:
“With practice, anyone can achieve this. My first journals were by no means pretty or perfect, but you just have to keep practicing and it gets better,” says Zak. “People always say to me, ‘Oh my God, I could never do that,’ which is also something they say a lot about art. There is no right or wrong way to use the Bullet Journal. You don’t need to have perfect calligraphy, fancy pens, or a fancy notebook. You just enjoy it and you can do it.
Vanessa Chien (Questrom’19)
Photos courtesy of Vanessa Chien
Why she started Bullet Journaling:
Although Chien does not practice traditional Bullet Journaling, she uses a semi-premade journal and Bullet Journaling methods. She now works in account management, but when she was at BU, she worked with companies like Sweetgreen to “write” their menus on the board and other in-store signs. “When I started lettering in first grade, I kind of started Bullet Journaling without realizing it, because the community on Instagram around Bullet Journaling, planning, and lettering overlaps very heavily” , she says. “A lot of times that line is not very clear. You could do both at the same time without knowing the exact separation between the two.
According to her, what is the role of intentionality and mindfulness in Bullet Journaling:
“I’m a very anxious person, and when you have a lot of responsibilities weighing on your shoulders, I think planning, journaling, and writing things down can help me pace myself,” Chien says. “It can really slow me down and break things down into steps.”
She also says that the online mental health and Bullet Journaling communities overlap significantly. “It’s something I really love about movement. It’s a very simple way to ground yourself and improve your mental state. It definitely helps me relax and take things one step at a time, because I can feel overwhelmed very easily,” she says. “So it’s kind of my own coping mechanism.”
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