Swamped with Schoolwork? Seize Every Moment with Bullet Journaling or Notion
BY GRACE CHAI '23
Hello? Can you hear me? Oh dear, I think your textbook has taken a liking to your forehead...What happened? And your poor backpack...when was the last time you cleaned it out? Two years ago?! Why—oh, I see, it’s exam season again, isn’t it. *Nods sagely* That explains why you were trying to absorb all 880 pages of American History: Connecting with the Past overnight. Oh, don’t look so despondent—make yourself comfortable. Here, have a cup of steaming tea; it’ll soothe your frayed nerves. While there’s sadly no magical substitute for studying, let me, a totally-certified master of all things planner-y, steer you towards more efficient, long-term solutions to your planning woes.
#1: Bullet Journaling
If you’re looking for a compact, multifunctional paper planner to store your to-do lists, calendars, diary, habits, and goals, then look no further than the bullet journal! Invented by Ryder Carroll in the early 2000s, the bullet journal (bujo) is essentially an empty notebook waiting to be filled with your life events. What makes the bujo unique from an ordinary notebook, however, is its flexibility as a planner and a diary. Want to jot down study plans? Go for it! Longing to start a journal in another section? Sure! Looking to write down your goals? There’s plenty of room for that, too. Depending on your taste, bullet journaling’s creative freedom can be either game-changing or restrictive; if you’re into scrapbooking or doodling, blank pages are a total plus, but if you’re crunched for time, perhaps a digital platform *spoiler alert: Notion* might be a better option.
Something I love about the bujo is how, as my lifestyle and workload have evolved, it’s changed with me. Journaling isn’t static, and it’s always so cool to look back on my old journals and reflect on my middle school cringiness. Gotta love the moments when you used to panic over getting a 98 on a test! *Awkward thumbs up* Anyways, for those who are just here for the summary, here it is (you’re welcome):
#2: Notion
On the other hand, if you’re that person (you know, the person who can’t even read their own handwriting), then Notion may be the platform for you! This nifty “all-in-one workspace” works wonderfully for students, businesses, and anyone who prefers the clean, quick approach of digital planning. And hold up—I can already hear the “So what’s so special about Notion?” coming—so relax. Have another sip of tea. Notion boasts an impressive plethora of templates for everyday, academic, and entrepreneurial use, ranging from class notes and the basic to-do list to calendars and resumes. For the minimalist, getting started is as easy as making a free account and typing tasks on a fresh page. If you’re like me and want to play with all the cool backgrounds and fonts instead of making studying plans (oops…), you’ve got all the resources at your fingertips to do that as well.
With all its features, Notion can be intimidating to navigate at first, but the tools are all pretty intuitive, so it’s easy to pick it up within a day. Here’s what you should keep in mind if you want to try it out:
Whew, that was a lot of explaining! If you’re still awake, thanks for sticking around, *smiles appreciatively* it really boosts my self-esteem. Here’s a final conclusion:
Finally, I’ll end with storytime! Since this September, my bujo has shifted from being my entire system to a journal (mostly so I can reminisce on my teenage experiences as an old lady living with a roomful of cats). Notion’s become my go-to for weeklies, to-do lists, and calendars now, and I’m pretty satisfied with how it’s working. Will my preferences change again? Probably. Am I okay with that? Sure! If there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s that plans (and humans) aren’t infallible, and sometimes we have to adapt to that. So, what are you waiting for? Go dig out that old notebook in your closet or fool around with some templates in Notion—new habits don’t make themselves!
#1: Bullet Journaling
If you’re looking for a compact, multifunctional paper planner to store your to-do lists, calendars, diary, habits, and goals, then look no further than the bullet journal! Invented by Ryder Carroll in the early 2000s, the bullet journal (bujo) is essentially an empty notebook waiting to be filled with your life events. What makes the bujo unique from an ordinary notebook, however, is its flexibility as a planner and a diary. Want to jot down study plans? Go for it! Longing to start a journal in another section? Sure! Looking to write down your goals? There’s plenty of room for that, too. Depending on your taste, bullet journaling’s creative freedom can be either game-changing or restrictive; if you’re into scrapbooking or doodling, blank pages are a total plus, but if you’re crunched for time, perhaps a digital platform *spoiler alert: Notion* might be a better option.
Something I love about the bujo is how, as my lifestyle and workload have evolved, it’s changed with me. Journaling isn’t static, and it’s always so cool to look back on my old journals and reflect on my middle school cringiness. Gotta love the moments when you used to panic over getting a 98 on a test! *Awkward thumbs up* Anyways, for those who are just here for the summary, here it is (you’re welcome):
- Cost: Anywhere from $1-$25 ish, depending on the notebook’s quality. For beginners, I strongly recommend you watch some crash course videos on journaling before purchasing anything (such as this one by the bujo queen herself, AmandaRachLee). For the seasoned pro (or eager beaver newbie), invest in a journal that’ll last, like those from Leuchtturm, Moleskine, Dingbats, and Scribbles that Matter (these are on the pricey end, though).
- Functionality: Bullet journals are fantastic if you crave a personalized, efficient planning experience without the fixed structure of a traditional planner.
- A note on page type: A bujo’s empty pages (usually dotted, lined, blank, or graph—personally, I prefer dotted, since it’s easier to draw lines in—) offer total freedom over organizing to-dos, tracking habits, making lists, doodling, and journaling.
- Aesthetics: Visually, bujos can be as chill or as artistic as you want; just keep in mind that more complexity = more time. If you’re a beginner, don’t panic when you see Instagram’s pages of museum-worthy bullet journal art: just stick to the basics. You can go all-out once you’ve figured out the gist of it.
- Consensus: Bullet journaling is a great paper planning option that offers plenty of flexibility and personal flair. Drawbacks include priciness (both for the journal and the supplies, if you purchase them), a higher time investment (since you have to set up your own planning system every month/week), and difficulty staying consistent.
- Tip: If you’ve tried and failed to keep up with your bujo, try dedicating a specific day or time to fill out your spreads. Make life easier for your future self and keep spreads simple so you don’t give in to laziness.
#2: Notion
On the other hand, if you’re that person (you know, the person who can’t even read their own handwriting), then Notion may be the platform for you! This nifty “all-in-one workspace” works wonderfully for students, businesses, and anyone who prefers the clean, quick approach of digital planning. And hold up—I can already hear the “So what’s so special about Notion?” coming—so relax. Have another sip of tea. Notion boasts an impressive plethora of templates for everyday, academic, and entrepreneurial use, ranging from class notes and the basic to-do list to calendars and resumes. For the minimalist, getting started is as easy as making a free account and typing tasks on a fresh page. If you’re like me and want to play with all the cool backgrounds and fonts instead of making studying plans (oops…), you’ve got all the resources at your fingertips to do that as well.
With all its features, Notion can be intimidating to navigate at first, but the tools are all pretty intuitive, so it’s easy to pick it up within a day. Here’s what you should keep in mind if you want to try it out:
- Cost: Notion has a free version, which has worked fine for my student needs. If you want to upgrade to Personal Pro, it’ll cost $4 per month.
- Functionality: Since Notion is a digital planning platform, it’s paperless and easily accessible anywhere with an Internet connection. It’s compact like a bujo without the added weight to your backpack, and you can adjust features like page width, backgrounds, and media smoothly. Pages can be shared with up to five people with the free version, so collaboration is streamlined. Con-wise, it’s cumbersome staring at a screen for so long (add on Zoom fatigue and bleh…); there are only three font options available, and its offline mode is still being developed. I’d suggest watching some YouTube videos and reading some more articles before you take the plunge—as a plus, some YouTubers have even made free copies of their workspaces that you can duplicate and use yourself!
- Aesthetics: Don’t be fooled by its straightforward design: your personal Notion can be customized to be uber-aesthetic or simply practical. Here are some Pinterest-worthy ideas.
- Consensus: Notion’s got many of the perks of bullet journaling with the added benefit of effortless file browsing, little to no cost, and less time commitment. One of my favorite Notion features is its movable blocks [of text/media/tables/etc], which you can easily move and delete—again, something you can’t really do with pen-and-paper bujos.
Whew, that was a lot of explaining! If you’re still awake, thanks for sticking around, *smiles appreciatively* it really boosts my self-esteem. Here’s a final conclusion:
- Bullet journaling: Great for pen-and-paper enthusiasts, especially those who appreciate the creative freedom of an empty journal. Cons include a higher time and monetary commitment.
- Notion: Ideal for those already accustomed to digital organization. Cons include increased screen time and the initial hurdle of learning to use it.
Finally, I’ll end with storytime! Since this September, my bujo has shifted from being my entire system to a journal (mostly so I can reminisce on my teenage experiences as an old lady living with a roomful of cats). Notion’s become my go-to for weeklies, to-do lists, and calendars now, and I’m pretty satisfied with how it’s working. Will my preferences change again? Probably. Am I okay with that? Sure! If there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s that plans (and humans) aren’t infallible, and sometimes we have to adapt to that. So, what are you waiting for? Go dig out that old notebook in your closet or fool around with some templates in Notion—new habits don’t make themselves!