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Hi! I’m Yu, and I’m a student living in Italy, studying science.
One year ago, I would never have thought that I would keep a planner but since I had discovered the bullet journal on Instagram I was hooked.
I didn’t have a planner before, apart from a rarely used mandatory scholastic one where I jotted down my homework. However, I had a sketchbook and I liked the idea of filling a notebook but I never managed to do that. I was also having a stereotypical teenage existential crisis and I thought a lot about my future.
So, when I stumbled upon the system I thought it was the perfect solution, as I wanted to fight procrastination, draw more and put some order into my mind.
I’m currently using a Leuchtturm1917 dotted A5 notebook and it’s my first “proper” bullet journal (I tried the system on old notebooks beforehand). As for other supplies, my favourites are: Muji 0.38 black gel pen, Stabilo point 88 fine liners, Faber-castell textliner 48 highlighters and Stabilo aquacolor pencils.
The first page in my bullet journal is the key. It’s outdated now because I changed it, but I didn’t do another dedicated page.
Then I have the future log, this is the second one I did and it’s pretty similar to the first one. I usually stop using it for a certain month as soon as I set up the monthly log for that month, that’s why I have enough space for everything.
I also have pages for my yearly goals but I prefer keeping them private.
The first type of my Monthly Log is based on the original one. It was pretty simple and I usually paired it with a habits tracker, that I don’t use anymore, in the next page.
The second type is more complex because of the cover page. Although it took more time to set up I really enjoyed decorating it.
The third, and my current layout, is simpler than the second one as I changed the cover with a big heading. I love it because it gives me all the space I need for my events.
Daily logs are the most dynamic part of my bullet journal. I can change the layout, incorporate new things, sketch and write diary entries whenever I want to. They rarely look the same but they have a similar structure.
I usually don’t use weekly logs (even if I have to admit that my dailies look like them when the spread is completed) except during busy periods, when I pair them with a running list, or when I need to have a little break from planning.
One of my favourite spreads was the gratitude log. I loved it’s function and it really helped me feeling better about my day.
Eventually, I stopped using it because I started being inconstant with filling it up and this caused me some distress.
Now I’m using a mood tracker as a substitute. It works for me because at the end of the day it makes me reflect on the good things that happened, and the bad ones get lost in the average rating.
I love the flexibility of the system! I think it is thanks to this characteristic that I was able to keep using it for so long.
I’m currently keeping my planning pretty simple, it’s focused on my daily – mostly school oriented – tasks as I don’t feel the need to plan deeper as much as in the beginning. I’m actually pretty happy with how it is now. That’s why there aren’t lots of different collection right now.
My notebook is also ending so I’m waiting to start a new one before doing “heavy planning” or trying new things.
Bullet journaling has become much more than a planner. It is a relaxing routine, a safe port when I’m troubled, and a way to express myself and satisfy my creative soul without being too taxing.
I can’t say that my life changed but I am definitely feeling more in control. It changed my mind-set and definitely helped my mental health.
