Written by Thia Gayle – Student Writer
On the very first day I started University, I decided to write a diary about my university experience. University was an exciting new chapter in my life as it presented opportunities for me to earn my degree, study my favourite subject, explore a new environment, join a wide range of extracurricular activities and form new friendships.
I just thought to myself I’m only an undergraduate student once so as soon as University officially ends, I will never get the chance to go back and start University all over again. Believe it or not, the three or four years at University fly by very quickly and before you know it, you’ve entered the world of full time work and your university experience may become a distant memory. This is where a diary would come in handy: Writing a diary at University could end up being one of the best decisions you’ve made for plenty of reasons:
1) Used as a Motivational Guide: Your university diary can be used as your motivational guide as it documents how you overcame the obstacles you faced at University such as submitting your 9,000 word dissertation by the deadline. The diary is proof that you are capable of overcoming any challenges thrown at you in the future.
2) No Word Limit: Writing your own diary is not the same as writing an essay where you have to reach a certain word count. You can write as much or as little as you want. It is completely up to you! You are your own boss!
3) Journey of Transition: Your university diary shows how much you have grown and matured over the three years you spent at University. You would have transformed from a dependent and anxious 18 year old fresher student to a 21 year old graduate with newfound confidence and independence and most of all who is ready to embark on the real world!
4) Therapeutic: We all know that University can be tough at times. You may experience difficult situations such as missing family and friends from back home or you may be struggling to make new friends. By writing in a diary, it will allow you to openly express your feelings and will prevent you from bottling up negative feelings which in turn would make you feel worse. The diary will be particularly helpful if you are a person who feels uncomfortable with confiding to other people about any negative emotions you experience.
5) Reflect back on positive memories: Your diary allows you to reflect back on the joyful memories you created back at University such as attending your Annual Summer Ball and participating in student societies. Even to this day, two years after graduating from University, whenever I read through my diary and revisit the fun times I shared with my friends, I can’t help but let out a massive smile!
6) Writing in your own voice: When writing in your diary, you develop your own voice as you are writing about your university experience from your own perspective. You get to choose the type of content and language you use.
For instance, you could write about your experience living in halls in slang if you wished to! You don’t need to worry about changing your own style of writing to impress others as would be the case when writing academic essays where you are expected to write formally. You are writing as you and there is nothing easier other than being you! Your university diary will hold all the precious memories you created at University for the rest of your life….from passing your first assignment to meeting your best friends. Years after graduating from University, you may be feeling nostalgic and find yourself asking “Wouldn’t it be interesting to look back on how my life was like as a university student 20 years ago?”.
Well, your diary has all the answers. You can relive each day of your university experience and this is why from the first day I debuted my university diary, I never looked back.
