Writing reflections before graduation is a great way to preserve your favorite Memories from high School before you get caught up in your exciting summer and college plans. Journaling lets you celebrate your current accomplishments and plan your future goals while remembering the all those life lessons you’ve discovered along the way. Try a few of our reflection suggestions below to get started with your pre-graduation journaling.

Remember when…

Think about your favorite experiences from high school. Remember when your first spray tan turned you tangerine orange? Or that time you tripped at the school pep rally in front of everyone? What about when you met your best friend? Use this journal entry to commemorate your most meaningful, funny, and embarrassing high school memories.  

Somebody once told me…

We have all received advice during our high school years—don’t wear that much eyeliner, don’t stay up until 3 a.m. watching funny YouTube videos on a school night, etc. Write down the best advice you’ve received from a teacher, a coach, parent, or even a friend. Whether it is serious or fun, your favorite advice and the person who gave it, will likely come in handy years down the road.

I was so proud when…

Celebrate your accomplishments! Whether your swim team took state or you made the Honor Roll, you should admire and remember your accomplishments. Journal about your best and greatest achievements—nothing is too small (talking to your crush without making a fool of yourself totally makes this list). You’ll love being able to look back on your accomplishments from a personal angle; it is much different and a lot more meaningful than looking at an old, dusty trophy.

In this photo…

Choose a few photos and journal about their significance to you. Make sure to write down the date and location of each photograph as well as who is in it; 10 years down the road or even less you’ll forget those specifics and appreciate your current self for taking the time to write them down. Explain your feelings in the photographs—happy, grateful, confident, etc. Having a photo to match your memory makes it more real, and allows you to relieve all those wonderful feelings later on in your life. Instead of just stapling or gluing the picture to the page try transferring the photo so it becomes a part of your journal page.

Someday I will…

Take time to think about your future plans. What do you want to do? Who do you want to be? Where do you want to live? Ask yourself the big questions; the ones you usually dread your uncle asking you at every family event. Everyone has to start somewhere, and making plans now helps you develop plans later. And don’t forget to dream big—your journal is just for you, and nothing is out of reach.

I lived and I learned…

Detail an embarrassing moment or one where you learned a big life lesson. Maybe you learned the hard way that your car wasn’t joking when the gas light came on before your curfew, or you discovered six inch heels and sweaty gym floors don’t mix well. Whatever you learned is important, and these lessons will help you handle future problems or help a friend who’s going through a similar situation in college and beyond (they will also make really funny stories when you’re older).

This summer I will…

Make a list of activities you want to do this summer. These could include activities like hiking that trail that you’ve always wanted to conquer or planning a big get-together with friends one last time before you all leave for college. Take your summer bucket list and expand on it. Pick your must-do activities and the people you want to accomplish them with.

The good and bad…

Perhaps our favorite journal prompt is this one. Take time to detail the good and bad things that have happened to you up until now. You can limit yourself to just high school memories or include middle school and younger. The purpose of this one is to write down both the good times and the bad times you’ve experienced and why they’ve stuck with you. Writing down your thoughts and feelings about these experiences will help you understand how they’ve impacted your life. This prompt is a little heavy, but it also produces great memories and learning experiences that you’ll never want to forget.

Journaling is a great way to relive your best experiences and make sure your high school thoughts and adventures are preserved for years to come. If you’re looking for a place to store these memories, buy a Rustico Journal and download our Writing Prompts for even more journaling inspiration.

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