LeStallion
LeStallion
Journal For College Students - How Journals Transform College Student Life
https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-college-students
Feeling overwhelmed by college chaos? You're not alone. That constant low-level anxiety about forgetting something important plagues students everywhere, creating what we call "college brain chaos"—like having a dozen different apps open with none of them syncing properly.
Today we explore how the humble journal notebook, specifically designs like Lestallium's, can transform this overwhelming experience. Beyond just having somewhere to write, we unpack how specific design elements tackle real student challenges. The 120 GSM wood-free paper prevents frustrating bleed-through when using pens or highlighters. Numbered pages paired with a table of contents create an organized system where information can actually be found again (imagine that!). Even seemingly minor features like a back pocket for loose handouts and a portable 7.5-inch soft cover size address genuine pain points in student life.
We share compelling student stories that make these benefits tangible—from the history major who wasted hours frantically searching for crucial exam notes, to "Ben" who repeatedly missed assignments buried in digital notifications, to the transformative experience of a student who discovered that just 10 minutes of post-lecture handwritten summaries dramatically improved her comprehension and retention. The research backs this up: writing by hand engages different neural pathways than typing, boosting both understanding and memory of complex material.
The journal becomes more than a container for information; it's a command center that shifts students from reactive chaos to proactive organization. If you're constantly feeling like you're playing catch-up in your academic life, maybe it's time to consider adding some intentional, structured journaling to your routine. Could this analog tool be the secret weapon your digital arsenal is missing?
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LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.
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Ever feel like your college brain is just juggling way too much, like you've got a dozen different apps open and none are syncing up.
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely that feeling of chaos.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So today we're diving deep into that exact challenge how students can actually stay organized, you know, with all the assignments, deadlines popping up everywhere and just mountains of information.
Speaker 2:It's that constant hum. Isn't it that low level anxiety about forgetting something important? Super common.
Speaker 1:Totally and for this deep dive. We're actually looking at a familiar name when it comes to student tools Lestallium and their journal notebooks.
Speaker 2:Right. A lot of students know them.
Speaker 1:Exactly. We know they're out there, people use them, but today we want to focus specifically on why. Their features, the way their design seem to really tackle this college chaos effectively.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's not just about, you know, having a notebook. It's how those specific design choices can actually help a student's workflow, their learning process.
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's get into it. What are those big hurdles, the organizational nightmares that really trip up college students?
Speaker 2:Well, information overload is huge, Just the sheer volume. From lectures reading Everywhere yeah, it's a flood. And then managing time, tracking deadlines across what? Four, five, six different courses.
Speaker 1:Right Remembering what's due when.
Speaker 2:That's a massive challenge. It's not like high school anymore.
Speaker 1:Not at all. So how does something like a you know, a physical journal notebook actually step in and help with that?
Speaker 2:Well, it gives you a central physical place, a command center sort of, Instead of notes scattered on your laptop, random scraps of paper, mental reminders that just vanish.
Speaker 1:It all comes together in one spot.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and there's quite a bit of research suggesting that writing things down by hand actually boosts retention.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I've heard that, like it sticks better.
Speaker 2:It seems to it, engages a different part of the brain than typing. So that's a real academic plus, especially for complex stuff.
Speaker 1:Makes sense. You're physically forming the words. It anchors it somehow. So the journal becomes a system, taking scattered thoughts and giving them structure.
Speaker 2:Precisely Turning that chaos into a clear framework and that can really help with focus, reduce that feeling of being overwhelmed, cut down on the stress.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's talk specifics then. Lestallian journals they're known for certain features, like the paper right. They use 120 GSM wood-free ivory pages. Why does that matter for a student?
Speaker 2:The thickness that 120 GSM. That's key means the paper's sturdy, less chance of ink bleeding through or ghosting.
Speaker 1:Ghosting right, Seeing the shadow on the other side.
Speaker 2:Exactly If you're using pens highlighters, which most students do. Thicker paper keeps your notes clean on both sides. You maximize the space.
Speaker 1:Nothing worse than messy bleed-through.
Speaker 2:Right, and the wood-free ivory probably means it feels nicer to write on too Smoother Might even encourage you to use it more consistently.
Speaker 1:Okay, so good paper. What else? They have numbered pages and a built-in table of contents. Seems simple, but how's that useful for college?
Speaker 2:Oh, those are organizational game changers, honestly, the numbered pages. Let you create a structure, maybe dedicate sections to different classes.
Speaker 1:Like pages 1 to 50 for psych, 51 to 100 for bio.
Speaker 2:Something like that. Yeah, and then the table of contents at the front. That's your index.
Speaker 1:Ah, okay.
Speaker 2:So imagine you're studying for finals. You need your notes on, say, that specific lecture from week three instead of flipping through everything frantically.
Speaker 1:You check the table of contents, find the lecture title. See the page number bam Exactly.
Speaker 2:It saves huge amounts of time and frustration. It directly fights that feeling of drowning in notes.
Speaker 1:Got it. That makes a huge difference. They also mention a soft cover option, specifically a 7.5 inch size for portability. Why focus on that?
Speaker 2:well, students haul their stuff everywhere, right dorm, library, class, coffee shop true, backpacks get heavy yeah, a soft cover is usually lighter, more flexible than a hardcover, easier to shove in a full bag without adding much weight or taking up too much space, and 7.5 inches sounds like a decent size big enough to write comfortably, small enough to carry easily.
Speaker 1:Right that balance. And one more little thing the back pocket. What's the deal with that?
Speaker 2:It seems small, but it's surprisingly useful. Think about handouts, index cards, maybe a syllabus snippet important receipts.
Speaker 1:Loose bits you don't want to lose.
Speaker 2:Exactly that pocket keeps those essential little things with your main notes all in one place, less chance of them getting lost in the shuffle.
Speaker 1:Okay, so these features, they really do seem designed around the actual life of a student. It's practical stuff.
Speaker 2:Very much so.
Speaker 1:Now, you know, features are one thing, but stories make it real, as they say. Features tell, stories sell, and I definitely have memories of college organization or lack thereof.
Speaker 2:Oh, I bet Go on.
Speaker 1:Okay, so picture this First year five big courses. My notes were well everywhere Spiral notebooks, loose leaf crammed in folders, some typed notes I could never find again.
Speaker 2:Sounds familiar.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so history final is coming up. I knew the prof emphasized this one specific point about the French Revolution, knew it was crucial.
Speaker 2:The pressure's on Totally.
Speaker 1:And I spent I'm not kidding hours digging through this mess of notes, panic rising couldn't find it anywhere. It was awful.
Speaker 2:Oh no, the worst feeling.
Speaker 1:Right, and I just kept thinking. If I'd had something like you know, a journal with numbered pages in that table of contents you mentioned, I could have found it in minutes, Probably save myself hours of stress and gotten more sleep.
Speaker 2:That is such a classic student experience knowing the info is there, but you just can't retrieve it efficiently.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and it wasn't just finding notes, it was deadlines too. I had this friend let's call him Ben Nice guy, smart, but always, always missing small assignments.
Speaker 2:The little quizzes, the homework checks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he'd put due dates in his phone, but they'd just get lost in all the other notifications. You know digital clutter.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:He actually missed a big online quiz once worth like 10% of his grade, just because the reminder got buried. Oh, that hurts, yeah. And you think if he just had a physical journal written down the assignments maybe broken down, bigger projects, track them visually.
Speaker 2:Away from the digital noise.
Speaker 1:Right, maybe seeing it written down, physically, checking it off, would have made it stick, made it feel more real than just another phone alert.
Speaker 2:It's a different kind of engagement, isn't it? Yeah, the digital stuff is great, but sometimes it works against that kind of focus tracking totally.
Speaker 1:And one more this is for my sister. She's in college now. She was saying how just typing notes and lectures wasn't working for her. She wasn't really learning it just transcribing, basically, yeah so she started using a journal and after each lecture she'd spend like 10 minutes summarizing the main points in her own words ah active recall Synthesizing. Exactly and she said it made a massive difference. She actually understood it better, remembered it better. That act of processing it, writing it by hand in her journal, that's what locked it in.
Speaker 2:That's a perfect example. It's using the journal not just for capture, but for actual learning and understanding. That's powerful.
Speaker 1:So these stories really highlight how the practice of using a journal supported by useful features makes a difference. What kind of practical tips do sources like Lestallion often give students for using their journals effectively?
Speaker 2:Well, they often suggest structuring the journal like maybe use different sections for each class, have a dedicated space for assignments and deadlines, maybe even a section for brainstorming or personal thoughts.
Speaker 1:Creating order within the notebook itself.
Speaker 2:Right, and they really emphasize that summarizing technique. Your sister used writing lecture summaries in your own words soon after. Great for retention.
Speaker 1:What about task management?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they often mention incorporating bullet journaling methods. What about task management? Yeah, they often mention incorporating bullet journaling methods, Using symbols for tasks, events notes, creating trackers for study habits or progress on big projects, setting weekly goals.
Speaker 1:So using it like a planner too, in a way.
Speaker 2:Exactly and using visual cues highlighting key points, maybe color coding by subject, it makes reviewing faster and easier.
Speaker 1:Basically using the journal actively, not just passively dumping notes into it Right it's a tool to engage with, not just fill up. So, stepping back a bit, the journal is clearly more than just a place for notes.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely. It becomes, like we said, a central hub. It helps with retention because you're processing actively. It can spark creativity, a place to jot down ideas. It sharpens critical thinking because you're summarizing, questioning, reflecting.
Speaker 1:And that handwriting aspect forces you to be a bit more selective. Right, you can't write as fast as you type.
Speaker 2:Precisely. You tend to synthesize more, pick out the key ideas, rather than just trying to get every single word down verbatim and again features like those numbered pages and the index make it easy to go back, connect ideas, build on previous thoughts.
Speaker 1:So when you pull it all together a well-designed journal, maybe like one from Lestallion, with that good paper, the numbered pages, the table of contents, the portability it really does seem like a powerful asset for a student.
Speaker 2:It really can be. It helps shift you from just reacting to everything coming at you to being more proactive, more organized in how you approach your studies.
Speaker 1:It's about building a system, a reliable process.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the right journal can be a fantastic catalyst for building that process and that organized mindset.
Speaker 1:It really makes you think, doesn't it, how consciously using a tool like this integrating journaling into your study habits could genuinely change your whole college experience Not just grades, but maybe feeling less stressed, more in control.
Speaker 2:Definitely it's worth considering, especially if you feel like you're constantly playing catch up.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's time for everyone listening to take a look at their own system, or lack thereof, and think about whether bringing some intentional, structured journaling into the mix could make a difference. Something to ponder, for sure.