“When I was little, my mother told me not to get carried away by romanticizing my life through aesthetic vision boards or eclectic, materialistic things; she would say that real life was never as pretty, and dreams were never as attainable as they seemed. My teachers also told me not to doodle and colour during class. I knew in my heart how wrong they both were. As someone who lives with OCD and ADHD, (with EXTRA emphasis on executive dysfunction), one of the BEST methods that I’ve ever found to stay organized and turn my dreams into achievable goals has been to romanticize my life.

Make it pretty. Make it FUN. Make it mean something.

This practice is how I survive my days as a creative writer, artist, entrepreneur, and student. By combining creativity, organization, and drive, finding ways to feel motivated and inspired every day has gotten just that little bit easier.

I created this Semester Planner & Colouring Book combo on ProCreate, Canva, and KDP Publishing so that I could stay on top of my courses and have fun doing it. My vision for this book is to encourage a little bit of creativity and fun every week, keeping students excited to stay on track. I worked closely alongside Sandra Starmans, MEd, Learning Skills Specialist, to ensure that this planner can serve as a useful addition to any student’s backpack, regardless of year or program.

I created and selected line art that called out to me the most as someone who loves all-things cutesy and has found self-empowerment in embracing girlhood.