A few friends of mine have been telling me about Wreck This Journal, and how much fun it is. So I decided to get one for myself.
I chose the Wreck This Journal Everywhere edition, which is smaller than the other versions, thinner and fits better into pockets. This journal was designed to be taken on trips and to live in backpockets.
But what is a Wreck This Journal?
These journals, created by Keri Smith, encourage creativity and destruction at the same time. Each page holds instructions like “Rub here with dirt”, “Drag the journal along for a walk” and “Place sticky things here”.
The more creative you get in your page design and interpretation of the instructions, the better. It encourages users to have fun, to think outside the box.
Other instructions include things like “Tear out this page” or “Cut it up” or even “Poke holes through this page with a pencil”. Because there’s also beauty in destruction. Why not colour a page before you take the whole journal in the shower with you? That way the water will smudge the colours and create new stains.
My friends told me that Wreck this Journal is perfect for stress relief. Feel like throwing something? Throw the journal or drop it from the balcony. A friend’s journal was dropped from the 31st floor of her apartment building (she didn’t do this herself, an acquaintance grabbed it and just threw it out the window – do NOT try this, as it picks up velocity at such a height and can hurt people! (On the plus side, the journal WILL end up well and truly wrecked.)).
For creative types, this journal can provide inspiration and focus. Most people doodle even while studying. Why not decorate the journal with little drawings? It can actually help you to create something artistic and clear your mind when you focus on an instruction. This enhanced creativity and productivity has even found its way into classrooms at all levels, and Keri Smith is actively encouraging teachers to have their students use the journals.
There are whole websites set up to collect ideas on how to best wreck the journals like this tumblr. I am constantly amazed by the amount of talent people have and the obvious time and care some of the pages required. Some of my favourites are here, here and here!
Well, I am a student. I need breaks and creativity. And oh look! I can cover a page in coffee stains! Perfect. Now I just have to get over this first step, the anxiety to destroy something still pristine and in book form. Wish me luck!
Study. Read. Write. 
I need to get into your mindset! I got a Wreck This Journal for Christmas, and I have to admit that cracking the spine and the mere thought of putting coffee stains on a book have stressed me out a little.
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It’s hard to take that first step towards destruction, isn’t it? I haven’t started my Wreck This Journal yet, it still freaks me out a bit. I’m trying to see it as a scrapbook, designed to be written, drawn, collected in. I made do those tasks first before I punch a hole in it, tie a string to it and take it for a walk….
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Wreck this journal, now that’s a catchy title. I still write long hand for dreams and stuff. I will admit that I tends to focus on a little stain, such as a sneeze stain, coffee and tea stain, not to mention the cracked spine or wrinkled page. Long ago I forced myself not to chuck the ruined note book due to cost of a single note book. But sometimes semi ruinning a still pristine makes me grit my teeth.
btw I decided update my gravatar name, same old blog, and drinking tea or coffee depending which time of day
Back to topic, yeah I’ll pass the sentiment along, best of luck. Stay sweet.
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Figured it’s you 😉
Happy New Year and may there be lots of coffee!
I’m the same way, I hate destroying notebooks. But this is not so much a journal that you write in, each page has a different instruction on what to do with/to/on it. I think I’d treat it differently if it were my actual notebook with study notes or half-written first drafts.
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