Do you remember when your sister wrote in her journal and how curious you were to find out what she wrote in it? If you didn't have a sister, do you remember keeping your own journal hoping that your mother wouldn't find it one day and read it? From a young age, we all learn to keep a journal or diary. In elementary school, we might have been asked to write in a journal in class in response to a question asked by the teacher like "How was your weekend?" » or “How was your break?” Simple questions were asked to help generate ideas in our young minds and help us write our own story. But now that we are older, do we still have the opportunity to write our own history in the same way as before? Are we still able to release our emotions and reflect on the events in our lives? Although many people consider journaling childish or a waste of time, the effects of recording your thoughts are beneficial. Most people wonder about the purpose of journal writing. People who write journals keep them to meet a basic human need: “self-expression and reflection” (Sagan 1). Writing is known as one of the easiest ways to express your personality and who you really are. You can write in a journal without anyone judging you – unless you choose to have someone else read it, of course. You can think about what you write as you write your journal entries. Then, once you've expressed your thoughts, you can even go back to your previous entries to reflect on what you said before. Reflecting on your writing can help you grow as a person. This helps you think through a situation and possibly resolve it. Reflections help generate ideas on how to improve as an individual. But really, it's fun to reread past memories and see how... middle of paper ...... better. " Scholastic Choices October 2010: 4+. Academic OneFile. Web. February 22. 2011. Jacobson, Joy. “Addressing PTSD and Intensive Care Patients: Studies Suggest Approaches to Avoiding PTSD." American Journal of Nursing 110.12 (December 2010): 18(1) UMass Dartmouth 2011Jones, Jill and Jill East. “Empowering Primary Writers Through Daily Journal Writing” Journal of Research in Childhood Education 24.2 (2010): 112+ General OneFile Web. . muscle; practice these journaling techniques and improve your skills " The Writer July 2002: 38+. GeneralOneFile. Web. February 10, 2011. Sesta, Jenny. “Improving Thinking and Questioning Through Reciprocal Journal Writing: Making Student Voices Visible.” Practically Primary 13.2 (2008): 32+. Completed Educator Web Reference.. 2011.