DIARY ENTRY

INTRODUCTION:

A diary is usually maintained by a person as his or her personal memory. A diary entry is a brief summary of what occurs in a person’s life. A diary gives a glimpse of the past incidents in a person’s life. Diary writing is similar to an informal letter in terms of language. It is usually written in paragraphs. Emotional record of past events with reference to personal expression wrapped in creative thoughts is the ultimate illustration of diary writing.

           Dairy writing is considered to be a very personal form of writing though the people all over the world use blogs and other digital formats of writing a diary. However the conventional style, writing in a paper diary is still a popular form of expression of one’s thoughts and feelings. Both the young and the old love to write about their daily activities.

           Diary writing is a good activity both, for those who have literary skills and even for those who want to just go emotional while they are feeling alone or depressed. It is also a good activity to look at life and analyze yourself on the basis of your past.

            The quality of diary writing depends upon the creativity, imagination and expression of the individual. Diary writing skills can be enhanced by imagining a situation. Though there are no set of rules or regulations for writing a diary, there are some features which needs to be followed to make it organized, creative, comprehensive and interesting.

            Likewise, diary writing from academic point of view also require some essential elements to get good grades. This is purely a personal way of expanding one’s own feelings, reactions or reflections regarding a person, an object or an event.

             In an examination situation, the question of diary entry tests your creativity, imagination and expression. You will be given a situation on the basis of which you will be required to produce a diary entry.

Steps to write a Diary Entry:

Achieving an effort less skills for making an interesting diary entry can be made easy by the follows steps:

• Firstly, creativity against the events/incidents that are to be mentioned in the diary is required in the correct chronological order, as the diary is usually written at the end of the day.
• Secondly, you should mention the current day, date and time. Also remember to mention the date and time of the events in the text of the event, if it did not happen on the day of making the diary entry.
• Greet your diary warmly before writing the diary. You can write Dear/Hello diary (Dear diary is preferable).
• Make sure you write all the important details on the main content of the entry. Stress on feelings, emotions and reactions rather than on the event itself.
• A diary is written to express one’s deep feelings about people, places and events. So it should be written in an informal style, considering the diary as your best friend.
• Be polite when you end the entry assuming the diary to meet or with some conclusion related to something mentioned in the entry. It gives an interesting edge.

Points to be kept in mind:

A good and effective diary entry should include some of the following points in its format:

• Use past tense as it is a manner.
• Use short sentences and write the main contents in different paragraphs.
• Be creative while writing a fictions diary entry.
• Share exactly how you felt. Stress on emotions and feelings more than on the event.
• Stick to the limit of 150-200 words.
• Contents should be brief, without ambiguity.
• One should be natural and spontaneous.
• Description should look real and natural.
• One’s own reaction to the situation should be made clear.
• The entry should be written in an interesting manner.
• The time should be intimate and informal.
• A diary should be written in the “first person” and not in the second or third.
• A diary doesn’t need to be formal. It can be written in an informal way.
• Signature of the writer to give it much needs authenticity.
• Make your diary entry experimental i.e. write as if you have really been a part of the situation set in the question and write it in your own experience, your own point of view and your very own feelings.

EXAMPLE 1:

DIARY

20^th March, 2018                                                                                                   

Tuesday.
8:00 p.m.

Dear Diary,

 We are in our ancestral home right now. Oh, what a beautiful place it is! My grandmother has taken a lot of pain to maintain it. Life would have been unthinkable without her. She is a lady with firm determination and loving soul. She is very particular and concentrates on our hygiene and education.

She even checks our shoes to see if they are polished properly or not. Father tells us that she has sacrificed a lot for our small needs.

She is a bit different from other, a little conservative. She doesn’t allow us to wear modern clothes or keep our hair open. But again, she is so lovely that we don’t mind it all and do as she wishes.

Love you Dadi!

Madhuri

EXAMPLE 2:

DIARY

20^thMarch,2018.

Tuesday
10.30p.m.

Dear Diary,

            What a wonderful day it was! Today I gave my first speech on a public platform. I have finally overcome my fear of facing people!

            The occasion was the Annual sports day of our school where the state Governor was the Chief Guest. I am the sports captain of our school and so I gave the welcome speech. I felt myself becoming more confident and assured as I welcomed the Governor, parents and other guests. I had prepared the speech myself with some guidance from our school’s sports coach. Later on, when the principal complimented me on my oratory, I was floating on cloud nine!

Good night!

Mani. 

EXAMPLE 3:

DIARY

20^THMarch, 2018.

Tuesday
10:30p.m.

Dear Diary,

 I am really happy today. It was the annual day function in my school and I was the anchor for the function. Fortunately everything went really well. I started off confidently and maintained it throughout. Everyone was pleased with the way I delivered the speech and vote of thanks. I was very excited to listen to the golden words of advice that our Chief Guest, our nation’s prime minister gave us. I felt really lucky to experience the presence of such an influential person.

It was a wonderful day in school. I am very tired now. See you tomorrow!

Jasprit.

EXAMPLE 4:

DIARY

20^th March, 2018.

Tuesday

10:30 p.m.

 DearDiary,
            I am very sad today. During the recess, I saw a group of students in the school premises. They littered the corridors with plastic bags, foils, wrappers etc. It was a very disappointing sight. Not just this, even the playing field was not spared by them. It looked no less than a garbage dump.

            I fail to understand how anyone can be so ignorant about their actions and its consequences. I feel disgusted that our environment has to suffer because of our bad habits. I wish I could do something about it. I plan and drop a letter in the suggestion box for a clean environment of prefects to keep a check and ensure a clean environment at school. I hope things get better. I will update you about it tomorrow.

Mahesh.

EXAMPLES TO SOLVE:

• You are a girl of the new generation and owing in the generation gap, your grandmother is different from other people in various aspects. Make a diary entry expressing your feelings and state how your grandmother is so different. (150-200 words)

• You have still not forgotten the day when you made your first public speech. Recall the change in your personality as you overcome the fear of feeling people and write a page in your diary in abut 150-200 words.

• You are Mahesh/Manasvi of class X. Today, you witnessed some students littering the corridors and field of your school. You were very disappointed at that sight. Make a diary entry about how you felt. (150-200 words)

• You are Arpit of class X. You were the anchor for the annual day function at your school today. Make a diary entry in about 150-200 words sharing your experience and feelings.

• Your mother usually cleans up your room when you are at school. While cleaning up, she keeps your things at places where it is difficult for you to locate them. This frequently results in an argument. Express your feelings in your diary in about 150-200 words.

• In this lesson “Attitude is Altitude”, you got to meet Nick Vujicic, an interesting and inspiring personality. Imagine that after the lesson completed, you met him in the dream and interviewed him. Write a diary about the dream. The   Diary Entry should have about ten sentences.

• In the lesson “The Dear departed”, you come across different characteristics including the youngest Victoria who did not understand what the adults were upto. Imagine you are Victoria   and make a Diary Entry when your grandfather supposedly died and your aunt and uncle too came for the funeral. You should make a mention of all the different happenings before and after arrival of your aunt and uncle. You should mention:
• How you come to know of the death.
• Your mom’s behavior.
• Your dad’s behavior.
• Things stolen.
• How you felt.
• Arrival of uncle and aunt.
• Your shock when you saw your grandpa getting up.

• In the lesson “The Never –Never Nest”’, you learned about how upset Aunt Jane was after seeing the life style of Jack and Jill. She went back home disappointed. She makes a Diary Entry on the same evening. Write this Diary Entry in at least 10 sentences. It should include:
• Your initial surprise.
• The conversation.
• Their income.
• Their expenses.
• How they buy luxuries.
• What will happen?
• Do you approve of it?

• In the lesson “Rendezvous with Ray”, you learned about the friendship between Ray and Fr.Roberge. It began only 9 years after Roberge reached Calcutta. It lasted for 22 years, till the death of Ray in 1992. Make a Diary Entry of Fr, Roberge on the day of Ray’s death expressing his brief and loss.

• In the lesson “The Storeyed House”, you came to know about Bayaji and his family. Nothing much is said about his wife. But we know that his death caused the greatest sorrow to his wife. Imagine yourself in her place on the day of his death. Write a Diary Entry for the day by his wife. It should have atleast 8 to 10 sentences. It should include:
• Her feelings.
• Her loss.
• What she thought of Bayaji.
• The future plan, etc.

• You are an eye- witness to the dumping of toxic wastes from Italy in Nigeria. You are aware of the dangers it contained in the drums. Make a Diary Entry on the day you noticed this crime being committed on the poor people by the developed country. It should include details like:
• What you saw.
• Why it was dumped there.
• How it was bought there. The role of the Leader.
• The bribe, etc.

• In the lesson “Unity of Diversity in India”, you learned the importance of togetherness. Write a Message on this theme to be read out during your school assembly on National Integration Day. Your message should have 8 to 10 sentences and details like:
• Importance of unity.
• Development.
• How to achieve?
• Help one another.
• Progressive society, etc.

• In the lesson “Jamaican fragment”, you studied about a little game played by two small boys. After the game on the second day the author realized what the boys where doing.

Consider yourself as an Author and make a Diary Entry after noticing the game on second day.