When January comes to mind, we think of a fresh start—cleaning out our dorms, throwing out old papers and leaving last semester behind. But what if keeping junk is actually the new, cool hobby?
The Basics
Junk journaling has been living on my Instagram and TikTok feed, turning ordinary items into memory keepers. It may look chaotic at first, but it’s a really creative and surprisingly calming way to document your big and small moments at Syracuse.
Receipts from coffee runs, flyers from campus events, notes from class and random packaging all count as art in this case. Instead of tossing them, you tape them down, write around them and let the page come together however you want it to. It’s part journaling, part collage and part scrapbook, with zero pressure to make it look perfect!
Now that you finally have something to do with all those stickers you’ve been collecting from the Involvement Fair, here’s some Syracuse-themed items and FYP inspiration to get you started.
Orange Inspired:
- Football tickets from The Dome.
- Random doodles from when you were bored in class.
- Flyers from campus events.
- Your Salt City Coffee order label.
- Flowers from the Einhorn Family Walk.
- Daily Orange clippings.
General:
- Menus.
- Polaroid pictures.
- Birthday cards.
- Packaging you like too much to throw out.
- Food wrappers.
- Fabric.
Your Turn!
Starting a junk journal is super easy. You don’t need fancy supplies or any artistic skills, just these four essentials:
- A notebook (even an old textbook!).
- Glue.
- Some junk.
- Imagination!
If you’re really committed, a few extras that can make it more fun. A tape runner is quick and less messy than glue, and scissors and markers are great if you want to trim things or add details. These extra tools are totally optional but nice to have, and are just a quick pick-up from the Syracuse University Campus Store.
It’s time to start! Don’t overthink it—pick a page and start taping things down. That’s it! Pages can have a theme, document your day-to-day like a diary or just be a mix of random things you liked. You can write stuff down, write a little or skip writing altogether. There are no rules here! If it feels good for you, you’re doing it right.
Why You Should Try
This is a fun activity to decompress after a long day of classes, or for a chill Friday night with friends. And it’s cheap, which is always a win on a college budget!
Those receipts, flyers, doodles and notes stuffed in your bag might seem pointless right now, but together they’ll tell the story of your life in Syracuse. Junk journaling gives those little moments a place to live instead of getting lost.
So, as you reset for the semester, maybe save a few things instead of tossing them. Feed Check is all about taking trends off your screen and into real life, and junk journaling is your place to start!
Written By Julia Seitz G’26, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications