Reflecting through Writing: Tips for Students
Hear from Lipika, your RO Ambassador, about reflection and the tips that she would like to share!
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the multitude of decisions ahead of you, especially with exams and university application deadlines approaching? I remember feeling overwhelmed trying to perfect my personal statement, revise as efficiently as possible to remember everything while also thinking about what I’d like to study at university and where.
In this article, I’d like to tell you about the power of reflection through journalling in clarifying your goals, reducing stress, and ensuring a smooth UCAS application process. Reflection can be incredibly helpful for understanding yourself, specifically your goals and aspirations. If you’re reading this and wondering if it would be beneficial for you, my advice would be to not think too deeply into it and just try your first reflection.
I first attempted to journal when I started sixth form. I had moved to a new sixth form and was trying to adapt to a new atmosphere as well as decide on what I wanted to study at university. As someone who felt interested in a million different things, the latter felt impossible for a while. I picked up an empty notebook and I started to dump my thoughts on the page, whether they made sense or not – I tried to write whatever came to mind instead of worrying about perfection. When I started reflecting on my feelings and experiences, I felt that it helped me understand my thoughts, aspirations and fears with more clarity. Taking some intentional, focused time to reflect helped me to alleviate stress as well as learn more about myself. However, I didn’t journal very frequently during this time as I struggled to be consistent with it. In fact, I’ve only succeeded in being more consistent with journalling in the past few months.
But why am I telling you this? Well, through the journalling I did here and there during sixth form, I was able to organise my thoughts and calm my mind during stressful periods, such as preparing for exams, balancing my EPQ with my A-levels, and deciding on different courses and universities. To me, journalling was like having a conversation with myself and helped me gain perspective during this crucial transitionary period. Here are some steps that can help you make written reflections a part of your life:
- Choose between a notebook or digital app. I personally prefer writing in a notebook so I can feel satisfaction at visually seeing how many pages my handwriting fills up, but you might find typing or writing on a device more convenient. Do what feels right for you.
- Set aside a few minutes to write whenever you can. You can use prompts to help you, or you can try a free flow approach where you write any thoughts and feelings in that moment and not worry too much about answering certain questions. Don’t worry about structure or grammar – just focus on expressing your thoughts and feelings. [Some prompts that may work well for you include: ‘What are some things I did well in the last year? , ‘What excites me about the future?’, ‘What scares me about the future?’]
- Keep trying again!
As I mentioned, staying consistent with journalling was something I struggled with. I would write here and there but my gaps of not reflecting ranged from days to months. Something that’s helped me with this lately is reminding myself that I don’t have to write a certain amount and there’s no ‘wrong’ reflections. I try to set aside a regular time each day (e.g. in the morning or evening) to jot down a few thoughts, however insignificant they may seem. If you find yourself stuck, try changing your environment or using a prompt to spark a flow of thoughts.
Personally, I’ve found it interesting to look through these old reflections from 1-2 years ago. It can be incredibly fulfilling to see how far you’ve come and see yourself develop in real-time through written reflections.
So, to anyone who’s feeling overwhelmed by your studies, UCAS application or uncertainty about your future, I encourage you to give journalling a try. Even if you initially think it may not be for you, consistently reflecting may just be the tool you need to gain clarity and confidence in your decisions.
To conclude, reflecting through writing has been a transformative practice for reducing stress, enhancing self-awareness and most of all, offering perspective. I hope that it can be a valuable tool for you as you navigate your studies and UCAS applications. Remember that journalling is a personal journey – there’s no right or wrong way to do it. The important thing is to find a method that feels right for you and allows you to express and work through your thoughts and feelings. I hope that you feel motivated to give it a try!
