Ready to enroll in our September journaling challenge? We put together 30 journal prompts themed around school-life anime and manga! Whether you are heading back to school, or want to dip into nostalgia, anyone can participate! Explore journal prompts around friendships, crushes, clubs, and everyday adventures inspired by our favorite school-life series.
Back to School Vibes: Week 1
- If your life were a school anime, what would the opening scene of the first episode look like?
- Describe your “classroom self.” Are you the main character, the sidekick, the quiet one, or the troublemaker?
- What would your anime school uniform look like? Design or describe it in detail.
- Write about your homeroom teacher. Would they be strict, quirky, or secretly magical?
- In anime, clubs can define school life. Which club from an anime would you join, and why?
- Who would sit next to you in class: the rival, the love interest, or the best friend character?
- Write your “first day of school” monologue as if it were narrated in an anime.
Friendships & Rivalries: Week 2
- In a school-life anime, who/what would your best friend character be like?
- What kind of anime rival would push you to grow (in studies, sports, or life)?
- Describe your ideal after-school hangout spot straight out of a school-life manga.
- Write about the ultimate lunch break. Who are you sitting with, what’s in your lunchbox, and what kind of scenes are playing out?
- Who would be your “childhood friend” character, and what history would you share?
- Write about a school festival event you’d love to experience anime-style.
- Every school-life anime friend group has a “signature scene.” i.e. hanging out on the rooftop, walking home together, or cramming before exams. What would your group’s signature scene be?
Crushes, Drama & Romance: Week 3
- Write your “shoujo anime moment,” when the love interest notices you for the first time.
- What would your love confession scene look like? (School rooftop? Sports field? Library?)
- Who would be your “unexpected crush character,” the one you didn’t see coming?
- Write about your ideal cultural festival date.
- Imagine the classic anime accidental fall (you trip, they catch you). Who’s catching you?
- If your school-life anime had a love triangle, who are the two characters fighting for your attention?
- Write about a bittersweet moment when you realize you like someone but can’t tell them yet.
Exams, Growth & Graduation: Week 4
- How would your anime self study for exams? Late night cramming, or genius with no effort?
- Write about your “anime sports day” highlight moment.
- Imagine a filler episode about you and your classmates. What silly plot would it have?
- What lesson (about life, not academics) would your school-life anime teach?
- Write about a bittersweet farewell scene between classmates.
- If your anime had a time-skip episode, where would you and your friends be 5 years later?
- Imagine your “graduation day” scene. What’s the vibe, and what do you say in your speech?
- Every school-life anime needs an ending theme. Describe the tone of yours. i.e. nostalgic, upbeat, romantic?
- Looking back on your month of journaling, what kind of “school-life anime character” have you become?
And that’s your September school-life anime journaling challenge! Whether you’re imagining festival dates, your perfect anime rival, or reflecting on your own school memories, these journal prompts are here to help you get creative around a genre we all enjoy!
