10 College Tips To Protect Your Mental Health with Kelsey Ryan [Back to School]

Kelsey Ryan balances motherhood, a full-time job, and a criminal justice degree — and uses bullet journaling to protect her mental health. Here are her back-to-school lessons for students.

Meet Kelsey

Kelsey discovered bullet journaling in 2016 while listening to true-crime podcasts. She returned to school in 2019 to pursue criminal justice and hopes to support women leaving domestic abuse situations. She is open about PTSD recovery, EMDR therapy, and advocating for mental health in demanding fields.

10 college mental health tips from Kelsey

1. Be open-minded about your path — interests evolve; follow what genuinely draws you in.
2. Experiment with learning styles — online study suited Kelsey better than in-person lectures. Find what works for you.
3. Know tough times can improve — recovery is possible even from your lowest point.
4. Use journaling as creative therapy — writing helps her manage memory challenges from PTSD and log how she has grown.
5. Remember why you started — reconnect with purpose when deadlines pile up.
6. Track sleep and basics — rest underpins focus. See bullet journal ideas for students.
7. Schedule joy, not only study blocks — balance is not optional when you are juggling multiple roles.
8. Talk about hard course material — criminal justice and similar fields expose you to heavy content; debrief with someone safe.
9. Keep therapy and support routines — consistency with professional help matters alongside study goals.
10. Celebrate small wins — passing a module, showing up on a hard day, finishing a spread — it all counts.

More prompts: journal prompts for mental health and self-care journaling ideas.