I Bullet Journaled My Gap Year

Hello, Reader!

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably noticed that I bullet journal. In fact, I’ve journaled all of my adventures this year and I have endless spreads of my favourite memories and projects. I use my journal every single day, with very rare exceptions, so I think it’s time I talk about it!

I got into journaling quite gradually, I think. It all started in year 11 when I began using my school planner religiously because it gave me peace of mind to have all of my deadlines and exams written out. It relieved some of my stress and made me feel like I’m organised and more prepared for my GCSEs. At the beginning of year 12, I bought my first “real” planner - and it was the real beginning of my passion for planning. It was a simple planner from Wilko; it had weekly double spreads with space to write in plans and to-do lists for each day and a few pages for notes at the back. We were inseparable. Since then, I’ve bought a new planner every 6 months… because I can’t commit to having one planner for an entire year. Don’t judge, there’s a reason why there are planners that start from January and planners that start from June and that reason is so that I can get a new planner every 6 months. Five planners later, I decided that mid-way through my gap year was the perfect time to start a bullet journal. I had the time, an endless amount of ‘inspo’ posts saved on Instagram and a lot of determination to make it work. I knew that initially it was going to be more time consuming than a ‘normal’ planner but I was willing to put in the work. There was definitely an adjustment period and a lot of experimenting until I found spreads and layouts that worked for me. 

I didn’t read the Bullet Journal Method (a book by the guy who initiated the idea of the bullet journal) but I knew what I wanted out of it; to plan my daily tasks, to reflect on my feelings and experiences and to record my adventures. I found lots of bujo accounts on Instagram which helped me figure out what kinds of spreads I’m interested in and I got to work! Now, my journal includes my entire life - it’s a mix between a planner, a diary and a scrapbook for me. A lot of pages are focused on goal setting and to-do lists which are definitely the main things that keep my productivity and progress in check. These range from my Impossible List (which I’ll make a post about soon!) and my 12 Goals for 2019 to monthly, weekly and daily to-do lists. On a regular basis, which tends to be every few days, I write a reflection on the events of those few days or my mental health or my feelings - I find that it grounds me and helps me process things. If the goal setting keeps my productivity in check, the reflections keep my mental health in check - which is a balance that I try quite hard to maintain. Other than that, I use the journal to store memories! I’ve gotten into the habit of collecting everything- leaflets, business cards, tickets- especially when I’m travelling. 

My favourite spreads in my journal are my “to be read” list, which you can find on my Instagram and the map of my boyfriend and I’s trips throughout our relationship - we’ve travelled a lot together. I also really like my monthly “Memories” spread which includes a grid to fill up with my daily memories - it’s a form of a gratitude log for me.

I found that using the fanciest, most expensive supplies isn’t as necessary as it seems on Instagram and I’m definitely on a budget so here are some of my favourite supplies! My first bujo was a pink, dotted Leuchtturm1917 which I really loved, but I wanted to explore other notebooks too, so my current one is a pink, dotted Scribbles That Matter. They’re both quite affordable and durable - I haven’t had any problems with either of them so I recommend! The Leuchtturm1917 definitely had more ghosting than the Scribbles That Matter one but it never really bothered me so I would use it again in the future. When it comes to pens, that’s definitely where I splash out a little because I love a smooth, thin gel pen and I’m very loyal to the MUJI 0.38 black gel ink pens. At this point, I don’t use any other pens… ever. For some colour, I use the Crayola Supertip markers which are also quite cheap on amazon and great for bullet journaling. Occasionally I also use the Scribblicious fineliners and Paperchase gel pens. When I started my first bujo, I went a little crazy on washi tape and stickers. All of my washi tapes are either from Poundland or the Works except for a few sets that I got as gifts. Stickers are from… anywhere I find them; Poundland, the Works, Flying Tiger, Wish and probably more places I can’t remember. Also, I like looking out at car-boot sales for people selling old stamps or postcards - they’re really nice to decorate with! That’s pretty much all I use - hoarded over the past 6 months.

So, now you know all about my bullet journal. Feel free to ask any questions about it here or on my Instagram!

Love, 

Agnes xo