In middle school, my science teacher required us to skip the first page in our science notebooks that we regularly had to hand in. She said it keeps the notebooks looking neater, and some notebooks the first page is oddly stuck to the cover anyways. I kind of stuck to that habit and I think it’s helpful for moving past the ‘first blank page’ anxiety. Also have to constantly remind myself that notebooks aren’t meant to be so precious and pristine, that for me it adds more value when I can fill its pages. This mindset helps me to put pen to paper. Enjoying all your videos so far!
Thanks for watching along! Your teacher had the right idea :) Yes, notebooks become so much more valuable when you fill them in, even if it is just scratchings - they're fulfilling their purpose!
It was really odd for me watching this video because you literally described my whole problematic relationship with notebooks. I ADORE notebooks and buying a new one always makes me feel happy and excited, but then the anxiety of ruining it kicks in and it's awful. I ripped off so many pages so many times because I didn't liked my handwriting or the content of the page itself, it's so frustrating. I will keep watching your videos, thank you so much for your help!
The 'first page' thing is real - it's just neater to leave the first page blank. And now, at the tender age of 63, I have come full-circle and recently re-discovered the joy of writing in pencil rather than pen.
Interesting. My life makes sense now hahaha! I've been leaving the first page blank since elementary(US) school exactly for all the reasons you mentioned. Thank you for validating my notebook obsession.
Thanks for watching @Kim Cruz So nice to hear from another blank first pager! Sounds like you figured it out nice and early, I struggled so long with that first page!
Ha. I've never heard anybody voice the 'first page' dilemma before. My hack is to write something particularly insightful on it....literally, something like "THE FIRST PAGE IS PARTICULARLY INSIGHTFUL" then moving froward.
We have much in common: poor handwriting, a fetish for (unattainable) neatness, a fear of messing up or false-starting, and in my case, I lust after the visual artistry that some can add to their notebooks. I too generally leave the first 4 or 5 pages blank - just in case they are needed for some special purpose or theme that emerges in the future. 🙂 The exception is if the notebook has page numbers (or I decide to add them) in which case I fold the first pages in half lengthwise to create columns (4 per sheet) that I use to index entries or themes that emerge over time. This is something I saw done on TH-cam. Another interesting video - thanks again.
Thanks so much for watching! I had never thought of the folding a page in half idea - that's a great idea and I'm going to add it to my notebooks. Will be great for the many lists I write.
I thought I was the only one that liked leaving the first page blank! It either stays blank or will eventually hold a set of dates (use of the notebook), summary of the notebook, or some kind of index if needed. At least that's my theory.
@@BlankFirstPage I more mean an index of sorts after the fact... Like when the notebook is full then kind of summarizing what's in there with possible page number notations. I don't know if I could do it but maybe. More likely to stay blank. Stressful to think about!
Oh my goodness I can identify with this! Last year a bought a beautiful, expensive notebook. I couldn’t decided how to start it and eventually got so frustrated that I just scribbled on the first page. I hated it and then started tearing out pages. I ruined the whole thing and actually threw it away. I’m absolutely going to adopt this idea!!!
This was a fantastic watch! I love the idea of a neat, mind-cleansing first page. I'll often get distracted by whatever is written on the page I open to, so I've stopped worrying about "wasting" (using) paper and started writing ideas on their own page as well. This way, if I start a new topic or need to tear something out, I don't have to worry about anything else written on the page, front or back. I'm using a $1 thrifted notebook for reference, but looking to get my first Field Notes soon!
Terrific video. Thank you for posting. I am a bit of a neat-nick as well and have adopted your first page blank format. I have managed to keep the first page completely clean and content free by printing the location name and date at the top of the first used page.
"necessity is the mother of all invention". I like how you made your own notebook. I started making my own notebooks using thick second sheet paper that my work was getting rid of.
Thanks for watching! Self-made notebooks are the ultimate notebooks. Especially if it's using upcycled/recycled paper. I just made another couple out of old flour bags.
OMG! This is so me! I've tried doing a variety of things with the first page and it always sucks. I've also tried writing on the last page first but that poses logistical issues LOL! Now I'm at the point where I choose a random page and add a sticky label "tab" to the edge so that I can find the section. And still, I have a drawer full of unused Field Notes books that I'm afraid to use. 🤣
Love your hack! Mine is to put a sticky note there for a shopping list. Also I like to print out images I find on the Internet on sticker paper and put them on the outside cover to “theme” the book. Then inside at the top I write a title for the image and the dates covered in the book (my current book has a photo of aspen trees on the cover and is predictably titled “Aspens on the inside with my starting date.)
Thank you for watching! I love the idea of the sticky note there - you get the use out of the first page but not the commitment and if you don't like it, easy to remove.
Also a nice hanle for the first page! My first page in my notebooks (I used A5 (so around 5.83x8.27") notebooks before, now I learned how to bind my own) is always my name, the date of the first entry and a bit of space in the lower right corner. The empty space is for the date of the last entry. I use a lettering stencil for my name, so it's always nice and neat.
I use to have that issue too and then I did the same, move a few pages inward and start. I didn’t have to commit or I could add something later that felt like it went with the theme of the book. I purchased a lined, slim notebook two days ago and to get past the first page, I watched a video of this particular person’s list of top starter fountains pens and made a list of them (most of them I have, which made me feel good because I had made good choices in writing instruments). I like your videos and ideas! I especially like the duck tap and going ‘nuclear’ to cover up the quote 😄
Great tip - I learned the same, eventually! I would LOVE to see a video about your archival process! Using smaller notebooks is nice to have fresh notebooks, lighter to carry, etc. but how and when do you migrate what you need, and where to? Are most of your notes disposable? Do you like to journal like the traditional diary approach? Subscribing!
Thanks for watching! 95% of my notes are disposable, so I don't do any archiving other than book recommendations, for which I have a separate notebook (also made a video about this!). Sometimes there are notes or to do lists that I need to migrate from one notebook to the next, but it's not very much.
And you can add pages whenever and whereever you need additional notes. I just love the system. I am not sentimental with my notes though. When a day's tasks are completed, I "rip" the page out and throw it away. So I have no longterm keepsakes of all my old projects and I am fine with this. However, I like the cathartic feeling of crumpling up the page and throwing it into the paper bin. Also, I have several laminated to-do-lists in my discbound that I write on with a non-permanent marker. At the end of the day I wash all my tasks off (under the running faucet, the colour just washes into the sink) and hereby reset my planner to zero. Very cathartic too. The only pity is: I still love the touch and idea of beautiful notebooks like Leuchtturm and Moleskine. I just don't have much use for them besides one I use for book quotes and notes from lectures etc., notes which I want to reflect on in the future. I believe it is called a commonplace book?
That's interesting - having OCD is no joke. But, I'm glad you came up with a solution ! In the past, I've seen someone else skipping the first page. I thought it was to prevent the pen ink, or the pencil mark from smearing the inside cover page. And I've come across some old books that have a sheer, lightweight first page; which I think makes it so elegant and special 🤗
Wow! ✨I could be hearing you tell my story, crazy, realization about this first page idea and will use that moving forward … I too feel/felt so much of this frustration with that opening page✨🤔I came across your videos a few days back and you’ve weirdly helped me have some serious self-actualization epiphanies… and (*super excited) begin my journey into the practice of chronological fieldnotes 🙌Cheers & thanks!
I have been struggling with Notebook OCD for years. It's crippling at times. My condition has now morphed into notbook vs. tablet. I now have two tablets and have started using my Android tablet, moved to my Apple tablet, moved to paper notebook- only to never begin my studying. I want to begin my next certification so I can schedule my exam and my only consuming thought is paper notebook (one of my 20+ that I have), 12.9" Apple tablet because I can use the Apple pencil and I can use the infinate screen? Android tablet? because it is more compact. I am literally afaid to begin because I do not want to begin taking notes only to switch again. But I can not stop taking notes. Whenever I go to the store, i actually walk past the stationary isle. I cold only imagine if they still sold good, metal pens in stores- I would by them every time. I understand what you are going through.
Hi and thank you for putting words onto something that I feel too! Could you elaborate on how you overcome the change in « vocation » of a notebook, once you’re done with its first specific purpose but want to continue using up the pages?Do you use any type of marking, leave a few more blank pages?
I am pleased this video resonated with you! If I've got blank pages left in a notebook, I might just skip a page and start the new purpose of the notebook at the next available page. I have come to prioritise using notebooks completely rather than keeping them specific to one topic or project so I don't mind anymore having multiple topics in the one notebook. The joy of a full notebook is greater than the neatness of a single topic! Thanks for watching!
Notebook OCD, I finally have a word for it 😂 I've been struggling to make the page look nicer until I found out that it's actually all about composition. I'll draw some squares on the page, make sure that their positions look nice enough and I will write in those squares in double lines. My handwriting isn't amazing, but from a certain distance everything suddenly looks so much better.
Interesting 🧐 trick. I may have to try it. I don't really have the issue or anxiety but I do find that if I write something on the first page I find myself tending to try and replicate the type of writing like if I copy something for work then that notebook I only want to use at work or if I copy a poem or quote then I can't use that notebook for anything else but that because when I first open the notebook there of course is the opening page like the first page of a book almost. Weird I guess 😂. Nice story thanks for sharing.
Have issue writing, drawing, anything on the first page, often the next 2 pages. Now I flip notebook over & start from the back. Never have problem with that. Humans are strange creatures
lol I've always left the first page blank. I still struggle to start notebooks. I think seeing other peoples fantastic books has ruined me. I often end up just using copy paper to draw on, or other scraps of paper.
I love this method. Gibberish is by default going to be senseless, so there's nothing to be upset about if it doesn't turn out well! Thanks for watching!
I love that and such a simple thing too. Why not start a notebook from the back! Especially for just notes, usually no need to have any order! Thanks for sharing I really like that idea
I gather up all my courage use and finish a notebook I get filled by joy and then somebody comes and touches the pages 😢 like... İtsnot something I can wipe its thrash now 😔
Very normal issue! Sounds silly but the easiest thing is to write literally what you’re thinking. I sometimes just end up writing about wanting to write :)
But your “terrible” handwriting could become beautiful handwriting in a matter of weeks with just a little practice. Since you’re very much into writing and notebooks, my question is why haven’t you dedicated yourself to improving your handwriting skills yet as of this video??
In middle school, my science teacher required us to skip the first page in our science notebooks that we regularly had to hand in. She said it keeps the notebooks looking neater, and some notebooks the first page is oddly stuck to the cover anyways. I kind of stuck to that habit and I think it’s helpful for moving past the ‘first blank page’ anxiety. Also have to constantly remind myself that notebooks aren’t meant to be so precious and pristine, that for me it adds more value when I can fill its pages. This mindset helps me to put pen to paper. Enjoying all your videos so far!
Thanks for watching along! Your teacher had the right idea :) Yes, notebooks become so much more valuable when you fill them in, even if it is just scratchings - they're fulfilling their purpose!
It was really odd for me watching this video because you literally described my whole problematic relationship with notebooks. I ADORE notebooks and buying a new one always makes me feel happy and excited, but then the anxiety of ruining it kicks in and it's awful. I ripped off so many pages so many times because I didn't liked my handwriting or the content of the page itself, it's so frustrating. I will keep watching your videos, thank you so much for your help!
Thanks for watching!
The 'first page' thing is real - it's just neater to leave the first page blank. And now, at the tender age of 63, I have come full-circle and recently re-discovered the joy of writing in pencil rather than pen.
Interesting. My life makes sense now hahaha! I've been leaving the first page blank since elementary(US) school exactly for all the reasons you mentioned. Thank you for validating my notebook obsession.
Thanks for watching @Kim Cruz
So nice to hear from another blank first pager! Sounds like you figured it out nice and early, I struggled so long with that first page!
Ha. I've never heard anybody voice the 'first page' dilemma before. My hack is to write something particularly insightful on it....literally, something like "THE FIRST PAGE IS PARTICULARLY INSIGHTFUL" then moving froward.
I like that!
We have much in common: poor handwriting, a fetish for (unattainable) neatness, a fear of messing up or false-starting, and in my case, I lust after the visual artistry that some can add to their notebooks. I too generally leave the first 4 or 5 pages blank - just in case they are needed for some special purpose or theme that emerges in the future. 🙂 The exception is if the notebook has page numbers (or I decide to add them) in which case I fold the first pages in half lengthwise to create columns (4 per sheet) that I use to index entries or themes that emerge over time. This is something I saw done on TH-cam. Another interesting video - thanks again.
Thanks so much for watching! I had never thought of the folding a page in half idea - that's a great idea and I'm going to add it to my notebooks. Will be great for the many lists I write.
That is a great idea of folding the first page in half 🙏
Yes! The struggle is real! Really enjoying your down-to-earth storytelling, I'm subscribing :)
Thank you so much for your subscription and for watching!
I thought I was the only one that liked leaving the first page blank! It either stays blank or will eventually hold a set of dates (use of the notebook), summary of the notebook, or some kind of index if needed. At least that's my theory.
Yes indeed. I’ve always admired people who can organise an index for their notebook!
@@BlankFirstPage I more mean an index of sorts after the fact... Like when the notebook is full then kind of summarizing what's in there with possible page number notations. I don't know if I could do it but maybe. More likely to stay blank. Stressful to think about!
Love hearing how you came up with the blank first page. I was wondering if that was the reason. Makes sense!
Oh my goodness I can identify with this! Last year a bought a beautiful, expensive notebook. I couldn’t decided how to start it and eventually got so frustrated that I just scribbled on the first page. I hated it and then started tearing out pages. I ruined the whole thing and actually threw it away. I’m absolutely going to adopt this idea!!!
I have done the same thing so many times! This is the cure :) Thanks for watching!
This was a fantastic watch! I love the idea of a neat, mind-cleansing first page. I'll often get distracted by whatever is written on the page I open to, so I've stopped worrying about "wasting" (using) paper and started writing ideas on their own page as well. This way, if I start a new topic or need to tear something out, I don't have to worry about anything else written on the page, front or back. I'm using a $1 thrifted notebook for reference, but looking to get my first Field Notes soon!
Thanks for watching!
Terrific video. Thank you for posting. I am a bit of a neat-nick as well and have adopted your first page blank format. I have managed to keep the first page completely clean and content free by printing the location name and date at the top of the first used page.
Thanks for watching!
This is brilliant, I think you just changed my life with this idea!
Great! I hope it works for you, thanks for watching!
Besides leaving the first page blank, I walso write "permitted to make mistake" on the second page😊
Great idea!
"necessity is the mother of all invention". I like how you made your own notebook. I started making my own notebooks using thick second sheet paper that my work was getting rid of.
Thanks for watching! Self-made notebooks are the ultimate notebooks. Especially if it's using upcycled/recycled paper. I just made another couple out of old flour bags.
omg this video solved all of my life's problems, thank u so much, i thought i'm the only one who have 'notebook ocd'
You are not alone! Thanks for watching!
OMG! This is so me! I've tried doing a variety of things with the first page and it always sucks. I've also tried writing on the last page first but that poses logistical issues LOL! Now I'm at the point where I choose a random page and add a sticky label "tab" to the edge so that I can find the section. And still, I have a drawer full of unused Field Notes books that I'm afraid to use. 🤣
I love the idea of writing in the last page first!
Love your hack! Mine is to put a sticky note there for a shopping list. Also I like to print out images I find on the Internet on sticker paper and put them on the outside cover to “theme” the book. Then inside at the top I write a title for the image and the dates covered in the book (my current book has a photo of aspen trees on the cover and is predictably titled “Aspens on the inside with my starting date.)
Thank you for watching! I love the idea of the sticky note there - you get the use out of the first page but not the commitment and if you don't like it, easy to remove.
Also a nice hanle for the first page!
My first page in my notebooks (I used A5 (so around 5.83x8.27") notebooks before, now I learned how to bind my own) is always my name, the date of the first entry and a bit of space in the lower right corner. The empty space is for the date of the last entry. I use a lettering stencil for my name, so it's always nice and neat.
Thanks for watching! Using lettering stencils is a great idea. Do you bind A5 size notebooks? What kind of binding do you use?
I use to have that issue too and then I did the same, move a few pages inward and start. I didn’t have to commit or I could add something later that felt like it went with the theme of the book. I purchased a lined, slim notebook two days ago and to get past the first page, I watched a video of this particular person’s list of top starter fountains pens and made a list of them (most of them I have, which made me feel good because I had made good choices in writing instruments). I like your videos and ideas! I especially like the duck tap and going ‘nuclear’ to cover up the quote 😄
Thank you for watching and for your comment!
Great tip - I learned the same, eventually!
I would LOVE to see a video about your archival process! Using smaller notebooks is nice to have fresh notebooks, lighter to carry, etc. but how and when do you migrate what you need, and where to? Are most of your notes disposable? Do you like to journal like the traditional diary approach? Subscribing!
Thanks for watching! 95% of my notes are disposable, so I don't do any archiving other than book recommendations, for which I have a separate notebook (also made a video about this!). Sometimes there are notes or to do lists that I need to migrate from one notebook to the next, but it's not very much.
I had exactly the same problem but since I’ve discovered discbound notebooks it’s been a game changer!
Discbound notebooks look very cool. I love that you can rip out pages without actually ripping anything!
And you can add pages whenever and whereever you need additional notes. I just love the system. I am not sentimental with my notes though. When a day's tasks are completed, I "rip" the page out and throw it away. So I have no longterm keepsakes of all my old projects and I am fine with this. However, I like the cathartic feeling of crumpling up the page and throwing it into the paper bin. Also, I have several laminated to-do-lists in my discbound that I write on with a non-permanent marker. At the end of the day I wash all my tasks off (under the running faucet, the colour just washes into the sink) and hereby reset my planner to zero. Very cathartic too.
The only pity is: I still love the touch and idea of beautiful notebooks like Leuchtturm and Moleskine. I just don't have much use for them besides one I use for book quotes and notes from lectures etc., notes which I want to reflect on in the future. I believe it is called a commonplace book?
That's interesting - having OCD is no joke. But, I'm glad you came up with a solution !
In the past, I've seen someone else skipping the first page. I thought it was to prevent
the pen ink, or the pencil mark from smearing the inside cover page.
And I've come across some old books that have a sheer, lightweight first page; which I think
makes it so elegant and special 🤗
I love that sheer lightweight paper feel. Lots of Japanese brands have that type
of paper. Beautiful to look at and also write on!
Genius. Thank you! You have gained a new fan. No pressure, lol!
Thank you for watching!
Wow! ✨I could be hearing you tell my story, crazy, realization about this first page idea and will use that moving forward … I too feel/felt so much of this frustration with that opening page✨🤔I came across your videos a few days back and you’ve weirdly helped me have some serious self-actualization epiphanies… and (*super excited) begin my journey into the practice of chronological fieldnotes 🙌Cheers & thanks!
Glad my videos have helped you! Thank you very much for watching!
I have been struggling with Notebook OCD for years. It's crippling at times. My condition has now morphed into notbook vs. tablet. I now have two tablets and have started using my Android tablet,
moved to my Apple tablet, moved to paper notebook- only to never begin my studying. I want to begin my next certification so I can schedule my exam and my only consuming thought is paper notebook (one of my 20+ that I have), 12.9" Apple tablet because I can use the Apple pencil and I can use the infinate screen? Android tablet? because it is more compact. I am literally afaid to begin because I do not want to begin taking notes only to switch again. But I can not stop taking notes.
Whenever I go to the store, i actually walk past the stationary isle. I cold only imagine if they still sold good, metal pens in stores- I would by them every time.
I understand what you are going through.
Thank you for the suggestion.
I also leave the first page(s) blank 😅 and I often don't feel content with the contents and them get discouraged 😮
Just keep going! Notebooks are happier when they’re scribbled in :)
Great Videos, really hooked. Also, I thought I recognised your accent somewhere, and turns out I was correct.
Thanks for watching! Yes - I am a fellow Malteser!
4:45 I do the same thing! Skip the first page.
Hi and thank you for putting words onto something that I feel too! Could you elaborate on how you overcome the change in « vocation » of a notebook, once you’re done with its first specific purpose but want to continue using up the pages?Do you use any type of marking, leave a few more blank pages?
I am pleased this video resonated with you! If I've got blank pages left in a notebook, I might just skip a page and start the new purpose of the notebook at the next available page. I have come to prioritise using notebooks completely rather than keeping them specific to one topic or project so I don't mind anymore having multiple topics in the one notebook. The joy of a full notebook is greater than the neatness of a single topic!
Thanks for watching!
Notebook OCD, I finally have a word for it 😂
I've been struggling to make the page look nicer until I found out that it's actually all about composition. I'll draw some squares on the page, make sure that their positions look nice enough and I will write in those squares in double lines. My handwriting isn't amazing, but from a certain distance everything suddenly looks so much better.
I like the idea of portioning out the page with square. Anything with a frame around it looks instantly better. Thanks for watching!
Interesting 🧐 trick. I may have to try it. I don't really have the issue or anxiety but I do find that if I write something on the first page I find myself tending to try and replicate the type of writing like if I copy something for work then that notebook I only want to use at work or if I copy a poem or quote then I can't use that notebook for anything else but that because when I first open the notebook there of course is the opening page like the first page of a book almost. Weird I guess 😂. Nice story thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Have issue writing, drawing, anything on the first page, often the next 2 pages. Now I flip notebook over & start from the back. Never have problem with that. Humans are strange creatures
Another great solution !
lol I've always left the first page blank. I still struggle to start notebooks. I think seeing other peoples fantastic books has ruined me. I often end up just using copy paper to draw on, or other scraps of paper.
I always leave the first page blank, mainly because I like it to be perfect. So I end up not writing anything!
And so it remains perfectly blank!
Wow, I had the same problem - I was writing so fast, that I couldn't read my own writing, so I had to transition to capital letters to slow down.
For using these notebooks for our collective randomness (like a commonplace book or zuihitsu) do you use pens or pencils!?
Either! I go through cycles, and switch it up relatively randomly. Thanks for watching!
I write gibberish on the first page to break in a book. After pen hits paper you can't go back.
I love this method. Gibberish is by default going to be senseless, so there's nothing to be upset about if it doesn't turn out well! Thanks for watching!
Are you me!? Every single second, bad habit and terrible practice has been my life with notebooks for over 30 years.
I've the same problem and the solution I invented is to open notebook from the end and its really works for me
I love that and such a simple thing too. Why not start a notebook from the back! Especially for just notes, usually no need to have any order! Thanks for sharing I really like that idea
@@BlankFirstPage thanks for that idea, I will start one of new notebooks from the end
Actually, I do the same thing, leaving the first page, or making it perfect by practicing my ideas on a piece of paper that I would throu out later 😁
Thanks for watching! That's a good solution.
Do you write on the back of the first page (on the left side when the notebook is open) or do you just start on the right side (second page)?
Right side of the second page!
I gather up all my courage use and finish a notebook I get filled by joy and then somebody comes and touches the pages 😢 like... İtsnot something I can wipe its thrash now 😔
I keep a blank first page so I can put a table of contents later but it never happens so it stays blank 😂
Table of contents would be a great idea. Although my notes are never organised enough to be table-of-contents-able!
I figure ALL books have a blank first page, so why not my notebooks!
An extremely good point.
lol, I didn't know leaving the first page blank was a thing, i have been doing this for years xD
You are a natural blank first pager !
I do this too!
I just don't know what to write, and I really want to journal, but then idk and I just leave it there
Very normal issue! Sounds silly but the easiest thing is to write literally what you’re thinking. I sometimes just end up writing about wanting to write :)
But your “terrible” handwriting could become beautiful handwriting in a matter of weeks with just a little practice. Since you’re very much into writing and notebooks, my question is why haven’t you dedicated yourself to improving your handwriting skills yet as of this video??
I’ve tried, it works when I go slow, but for quick notes I end back up at my scribbles!
hahah we are alike
weird.
10:25 ❤❤❤