Journal Writing!

     What does society think of when the word "journal" pops up? Do they think of a junior high girl giggling as she writes about boys in her diary with a bedazzled pen? Or do they think of an explorer, jotting down his adventures into a leather-bound book in the light of an old lantern?
     There are many different ideas when it comes to keeping a journal. In my opinion, keeping a journal is very important. Starting to journal when you are young will prove beneficial in your later years, or maybe even in a few days. Looking back at what you did and how you felt at the time can help you make better choices in the future.
     I am an avid journal-er. I write every day in my personal journal (which is an awesome bright orange), and I journal about everything: my feelings, music, crushes, and even current events. It makes me feel better when I'm upset, and it's fun to read later on.
     Keeping a journal is very easy, and consists of three basic steps. First, write down anything you want. Just put what's in your mind on paper, even if it seems silly. You don't have to put any planning into it, or punctuation. You could even draw pictures in your journal. The next step is to never tear out pages or delete/erase what you wrote, no matter how tempting it is. Even this step is hard for me, and I have broken this "rule" many times in the past. The last step is review what you wrote, either immediately after to a year later. You can reflect on what you wrote, and maybe see how silly it was. All of these are the basic start of journaling, also, you don't have to write every day if you don't want to.
     When it comes to picking out what kind of journal to have, it is entirely your choice. You could make your own journal, or you can use a composition book. Maybe a pink diary with a lock and key is what you want, or you could even journal on the computer.
     Journaling is a great habit to start early, and it will prove to be very valuable later in life. I highly recommend it!