Traveling, Journaling, and How It Brought Me Here

Explaining why I created Scatterbrain Stories, and some of the key components that led me here.

Hi, my name is Sophia, but you can call me Soph. This is my first ever blog post! Isn’t that exciting?! I have no idea what I’m doing or where this will go. I’ve never shared my writing with anyone, so this is definitely going to be a “learn as you go” thing, and I hope you’ll stick with me.

I should mention that I’m currently studying abroad in Greece—yes, the country, and no, I don’t speak Greek (yet, but I’m learning, and I’ll keep you posted). While studying abroad and writing a blog might seem like a natural fit, there’s a side of leaving everything and everyone you know behind that doesn’t get talked about enough. Everyone says, “Oh my gosh! You’re going to have such a great time and learn so much about yourself!” Sure, you have fun, but the self-discovery part? That’s the real kicker—and not in the way people think.

The truth about studying abroad is that you’re forced to focus on yourself. You can’t hide behind your usual stressors, jobs, or responsibilities like you would at home. Do you know how many times I’ve tried to crawl back into my depression hole since I got here? Do you know how hard it is to be depressed in Greece? Extremely.

There have been countless moments where I’ve thought, “Wow, I really feel like I should be sad right now, but I can’t because this cat won’t leave me alone and the water is so damn beautiful.” It’s like, I could be shot execution-style and still die happy. (Apologies for the morbid imagery—I don’t actually want to be shot. But if I ever am, I politely request it be on a beach in Rhodes.)

Anyway, back to the topic at hand (if there even is one).

Around June or July of 2024, I started journaling. My mom gave me this adorable mushroom-embroidered fabric journal and made me swear I’d use it. You might be wondering, “What does that have to do with anything?” Well, if you know me or have read the title of my blog, it’s safe to assume that my thoughts are like a jumbled up ball of yarn. I have found that the only way to untangle them is by grabbing one end and following it, wherever it may lead. That’s where journaling—and this blog—comes in.

If you’re anything like me, you might think journaling is stupid, a waste of time, or something you’ve tried but could never keep up with. Or maybe you want to try but don’t know where to start. I’m here to tell you: forget everything you thought about journaling and just trust that it’s worth a shot.

By now, you’re probably thinking, “Wow, Soph, you weren’t kidding about being scatterbrained. I have no idea what the point of this post is anymore.” I promise, I’m getting there.

Remember when I said studying abroad forces you to step out from behind everything you thought was comfortable? That includes all the stressors and responsibilities you’ve been using to avoid looking deeper. You have to make the conscious decision to explore where your mind goes—whether that’s talking to someone, writing your thoughts down, or just seeing where the wind takes you, mentally and physically.

Personally, I’ve been here a little over a month and have cried on the phone more times than I can count. Unfortunately, I’m seven hours ahead of all my friends, family, and my therapist (thanks a lot, Justin, for not offering virtual sessions while I’m abroad). This has pushed me to find new outlets to “untangle” all the thoughts and emotions stirred up on this so-called journey of “self-discovery.” That’s why journaling has become such an important part of my study abroad experience. Full disclosure, I had no idea that writing down all my thoughts and experiences would lead me here, but like I said, I’m just going where my mind takes me.

Now, I don’t journal every day, and I’ve definitely gone weeks—sometimes months—without writing. But here’s the thing: your journal is yours. There’s no rule saying you have to write every day or stick to any specific topic. It’s a safe space, free of judgment, pressures, or expectations—including your own preconceived notions about journaling.

If you’ve ever traveled, even just a short distance from home, you know it can stir up all kinds of emotions—maybe ones you’ve never felt before. But have you ever stopped to explore why? Have you ever gone down the rabbit hole of your own mind? If the answer is no, why not? Are you scared of what you’ll find? Comfortable where you are mentally? Or maybe you’ve just never even thought about it.

That being said, you don’t need to travel to start exploring your thoughts. But I will say, when you’re not distracted by the usual stuff—friend drama, work frustrations, relationship issues—it’s a lot easier, and sometimes a smack in the face, to go where your mind leads you.

I want to make it abundantly clear that I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to journal and figure out everything that’s wrong with me. Well… kind of. But it only happened after I realized I couldn’t mentally handle keeping all my thoughts and feelings bottled up anymore. I’m not sure if you can relate to the feeling of your mind racing at 300 mph or lying awake at night because your brain just won’t shut the fuck up. But if by any chance you can, then you’re in the right place.

With the help of studying abroad, a few psychedelic trips, many journal entries, and a lot of therapy, I’ve realized that I want to invite others into the safe space I’ve created and help them build their own. Growing up and figuring out life for the first time is fucking terrifying, but that doesn’t mean we have to do it alone or let our minds be just as scary.

If you’ve made it this far, I hope you’ll stick around, find some comfort, and know that whatever you’re feeling or going through, I or someone else has probably felt or been through it too. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even be inspired to start your own journal or blog.

Your friend,
Soph