Always Carrying a Pen & Paper
Written By : Jacqueline Rappa
High screen time is the norm now, so jotting something down on a physical notepad can feel almost nostalgic. But once you start, you realize you’re creating an analog record of your days. Small fragments of life captured in ink, including to-do lists, random ideas, song lyrics, and observations.
A few months ago, I started carrying a pocket notebook with me everywhere. It’s become a universal space. I’ve written down poems I read that stuck with me, notes from book tours I attended, and lists of restaurants I want to try. Sometimes it’s a thought I have on the train. Other times, it’s something a stranger says that I don’t want to forget.
It’s a space that feels completely mine.
I’m a Notes app girl through and through, but there’s something about a physical record that reinforces what I’m writing down. It makes ideas and concepts feel more tangible, like they exist outside of my phone and inside the real world. And unlike my Notes app, these thoughts don’t disappear into the void.
When I type something into my phone, I rarely revisit it. But with a notebook, my thoughts live in a visible timeline. I can flip through pages and stumble upon ideas I forgot I had, like a list from months ago or a moment I wanted to remember.
Between the paper itself, random scribbles, and imperfections, the act of flipping through pages unlocks a sensory experience that makes me want to keep writing.
Some trend forecasters are predicting that 2026 will be the “Year of the Analog.” As someone who already keeps multiple journals to scrapbook, reflect, and collage, I can completely see why. When our day-to-day lives are so digitally saturated, it’s natural to crave tactile experiences.
If you want to begin your own analog habit, start with a pocket notebook. It doesn’t require structure or a system. Just you, your mind, and a pen.
Write whatever comes to mind throughout the day. When a friend recommends a coffee shop, jot it down. When you hear a line in a song that sticks with you, write that down too. For example, I wrote down the lyric “you’ve haunted me so stunningly” from Guilty as Sin by Taylor Swift, one of my favorite songs ever. It replays in my head since the first time I heard it.
Over time, the notebook fills with fragments of your life. And one day, years from now, you’ll flip through the pages and realize you’ve created a record of your own lived experiences and memories.