There is something about the start of a new school year that feels like a fresh start. New timetable. New notebooks. New pens. New ideas. Perhaps even a little bit of optimism that this will be the year when everything feels completely organised from day one. Whether you're heading back to the classroom as a teacher or starting a new year as a student, September is a lovely opportunity to pause, reflect and think about what you want from the year ahead. And you don't need a complicated system to get started. Sometimes, all you need is a blank page.
Here are 15 ways you could use a journal to prepare for the new school year.
1. Start with a brain dump
Before you start organising anything, get everything out of your head.
What do you need to buy? What needs organising? What have you been putting off? Are there emails to send, things to prepare or appointments to arrange? Write it all down. Once everything is on the page, it becomes much easier to see what actually needs doing.
2. Look back before you look forward
Before jumping into a new academic year, take a few minutes to think about the last one. What worked well? What didn't? What did you learn? What would you do differently? For students, this might be about study habits, managing time or preparing for exams. For teachers, it could be about lessons, workload, routines or simply finding a better balance. You don't need to dwell on what didn't work. Just take the useful lessons with you.
3. Decide how you want the year to feel
Instead of starting with a long list of goals, think about how you want your year to feel. Calm? Organised? Creative? Focused? Balanced? Curious? Choose a few words that represent the kind of year you'd like to have. It's a simple idea, but it can be surprisingly useful when the term gets busy.
4. Set a few intentions
Now think about what you'd like to achieve. Students might want to become more confident in a particular subject, improve their revision habits or make more time for something they enjoy. Teachers might want to try a new approach in the classroom, make time for professional development or protect more time outside work. You don't need twenty goals. A few meaningful ones are much easier to remember.
5. Create a "things I want to remember" page
This is a lovely one for both students and teachers. Write down the things you've learned from previous years that you don't want to forget. A study technique that worked brilliantly. A classroom routine that made life easier. A reminder that asking for help is a good thing. A piece of advice you wish you'd known last September. Keep adding to the page throughout the year.
6. Make a first-week list
The first week back can feel like a whirlwind. Rather than trying to plan every minute, create a simple list of the things you'd like to achieve. For a teacher, that might include getting classroom routines established, meeting new students or simply finding your feet again. For a student, it could be getting familiar with a new timetable, organising notes or working out what needs your attention first. Keep it realistic. The first week doesn't have to be perfect.
7. Create a page for ideas
Give yourself somewhere to put ideas as they appear. For teachers, this could become a collection of lesson ideas, experiments, activities, resources or things you'd like to try. For students, it might be project ideas, interesting topics, revision techniques or things you'd like to explore further. The important thing is having somewhere to capture the idea before it disappears.
8. Think about your wellbeing
A new school year can quickly become busy. So, before it does, think about what helps you feel good. Perhaps it's getting outside, exercising, reading, cooking, seeing friends or simply having an evening where you don't do anything productive at all. Write down the things that help you recharge. Then remember that they are part of your year too.
9. Create a "when things get busy" page
This is one you may be very glad you created later in the year. Write down a few things that help when you're feeling overwhelmed. Who can you ask for help? What can you let go of? What makes you feel calmer? What helps you get back on track? You could even write yourself a little note to read when the term gets hectic. Sometimes we know exactly what we need when we're calm, but forget when we're busy.
10. Start a wins page
Don't wait until the end of the year to recognise what you've achieved. Keep a running list of your wins. A great lesson. A difficult topic finally making sense. A good piece of feedback. A student making progress. An exam result you're proud of. A moment when you realised you were doing better than you thought. They don't have to be big achievements. Keep the little ones too. You'll be glad to have them when you look back.
11. Make a list of things you want to learn
School isn't only about getting through the syllabus. What would you genuinely like to learn this year? It could be something connected to your subject, a new skill, a hobby, a language or something you've always been curious about. Give yourself permission to be interested in things simply because they interest you.
12. Keep a record of the little moments
Especially for teachers, the little moments can become some of the best memories. A funny comment from a student. A surprisingly good lesson. Something that happened that made everyone laugh. A moment when a student suddenly understood something they'd been struggling with. Students can do this too. Keep a note of the moments that made the year memorable. You may not think they're important now, but you'll enjoy looking back on them later.
13. Create a termly reflection
At the end of each term, give yourself a little time to pause. Ask yourself: What worked? What didn't? What am I proud of? What have I learned? What would I like to change next term? It doesn't need to be a long reflection. A few honest notes can be enough. Then start the next term with a clearer idea of where you are and where you'd like to go.
14. Leave space for the unexpected
This might be the most important one. Don't fill every page before the year has even begun. Leave some blank space. Because you don't know yet what you'll need it for. Perhaps you'll discover a new interest. Perhaps you'll start a project. Perhaps you'll want somewhere to collect memories or ideas. A blank page isn't wasted space. It's space waiting to become something.
15. Make the journal your own
There are no rules about what a school-year journal has to look like. Write in it. Make lists. Draw. Stick things in. Add photographs. Collect ideas. Record memories. Use different sections for different parts of your life. And don't worry if it isn't perfect. The best journals are often the ones that look like they've actually been lived in.
A new school year, a fresh page
The start of a new academic year doesn't have to mean creating a complicated organisation system. Sometimes it's simply about giving yourself somewhere to think. Somewhere to make plans, capture ideas, reflect on what's happening and keep track of the things that matter to you. That's one of the reasons I love a refillable journal. You don't have to decide exactly what it will become before you start. You can begin with a few blank pages and add what you need as the year unfolds. One journal might start with your plans for September, then become a place for ideas, reflections and memories as the months go by. And when you need something different, you can simply change the insert.
A new school year. A fresh page. And plenty of possibilities.
Explore the Little Big Journal Company refillable journals and create a journal that works for you, your way.