Biting the bullet

Biting the bullet By Andrea plascencia and anna velazquez

In the midst of a frantic and chaotic world, we scroll through our Pinterest, clinging onto the hope that in our lack of stability, we can find a method to fill the gap, a method to make us feel in control. During our scroll, it catches our eyes. That’s intriguing, what is it?

It’s a bullet journal.

At first glance, the bullet journal is truly nothing significant; it is essentially dotted paper. But the bullet journal world online fills our heads with cute doodles and designs and suddenly, it dawns on us. We will make our own bullet journals.

The blank pages and writing utensils sitting on the table give us complete creative freedom, making the small leather book feel special to us, 100% personalized. Ranging from weekly agendas to monthly goals, bullet journals have become increasingly popular to those hoping to be more organized in a creative way.

Rules and limitations do not exist when it comes to bullet journaling. Although it is often seen as a quirky trend, for us, it goes far beyond the social media posts or how aesthetically pleasing it appears. For people like us, this mere journal is a form of expression. The pages of our journals are safe spaces, places where we can unleash our thoughts or simply write our lives away in to-do lists.

As high school students, we are in a constant race against time. Walking in and out of classes which are each an hour and a half means homework, deadlines and projects are bound to pile up. School alone is a hassle, not to mention the other priorities we are committed to after the 3:35 p.m. bell rings. Are we drowning in our responsibilities? Falling into a pit of despair at the thought of having to finish that paper we put off for so long? Certainly. Lucky for us, we have our journals to assist us.

While our bullet journals don’t hold magical powers to help instantly clear our overloaded schedules, they do give us platforms through which we can keep record of everything we must get done. It helps us put the principles we learn in school and our homes into action. We learn those simple concepts we grow up hearing and roll our eyes at: organization, planning and prioritizing are now a reality made so simple.

While we’re well-acquainted with our Pinterest boards, we don’t replicate everything we see. We know the beauty of the bullet journal lies in the fact of essentially doing whatever we want with it, which means exploring and figuring out the styles that fit us best. That’s the entire point, not feeling confined to the limited amount of space a typical planner offers. Every decision is up to us, the space on the pages lying there to fit our needs.

In a society infiltrated with social media, there is something so comforting in being able to put pen on paper. Online, it is a trend to practice “self care,” yet it is rare to see people look up and out of their tiny screens. Our bullet journals are a reminder that taking care of ourselves is indeed a priority and taking care does not have to consist of anything drastic. Sometimes, all you need is a moment of quiet reflection, as minimal as it might seem.

Even after the final pages are filled, the small dotted journal holds significant meaning. Completing the project we have been working on throughout the entire year gives us an outstanding sense of satisfaction. We see a story unfold throughout the bullet journal and looking back at it, we can see your progress throughout the year, the valuable memories and the challenges we went through.

Bullet journaling isn’t for everyone. To some, it may be too tedious, but to those seeking extra organization, it provides serenity and confidence.

Photos by: Anna Velazquez

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