Countless people have kept journals over the centuries. These journals give us a hint of the thoughts and things sensed by the people who wrote them. It gives us a glimpse of lives long gone. We learn about what was seen, heard, touched, feared, etc.
But journals are not written for the sole purpose of enlightening the future generations. They are kept as a reminder to those who write them of the experiences they go through. In Wilderness education, we keep journals because by writing, we are forced to reflect on what is going on around us. They are used as a tool to help us "suck" all we can from the experiences we encounter on our brief wilderness journey. They allow us to capture a moment or idea before it escapes us and gives us a chance to take a second look. It is a tool to help train all of our senses, to make us better observers of the world around us.
Remember, the journal is for you. It is to help you train your senses to get all you can out of a wilderness experience. You can fill your journal with sketches, poems, funny statements said during the day, things you learned or discovered, things that happened that day, fears and joys you felt as you went through the day, etc. This journal is for you. You are not sharing it with anyone, so be yourself.
Suggestions on ways to begin your journal adventure:
--Start with the thing you really enjoy knowing a lot about and write about it--write anything that comes to your head, even if it doesn't make any sense.
--Find a place where something catches your eye. Sit and observe, use all of your five senses. Record your observations and ideas. What did you notice, how did you feel about this place?
--Become a naturalist. Find an object and describe the item in detail. Include color, texture, weight, shape, measurements, and enough detail that another person could identify the item you selected. After you've recorded your information, write down the purposes of the characteristics just listed. Why is it that color, texture, etc.
--Find five words that fully describe an object. Write a bad country song about something from the day, or a poem, etc.
--Layer approach. Look at the area immediately around where you are sitting. Describe the ecological and geological distinctness of the landscape. Now look 20-100 feet around you. Has it changed? How? Now look as far as you can see. Describe the ecological and geological distinctness of that area.
For Those In Environmental Science II:
Use a journal to describe your overnight trip with your tent mate. This journal will be graded, so make sure you describe in detail the events that take place. Be sure to include camp set up experiences, cooking, what is seen, what was talked about, your feelings about events that happened that night.
