Diary Entry

A diary is a kind of personal document. It records an individual’s feelings, thought, or activities during the course of a particular day.

A diary entry however is reflective in nature. Rather than simply dealing an event or activity, it presents the thoughts and reflection of the individual to such events or activities.

A diary entry usually has personal feel to it.It is conversation with herself. It can be used :

1. To express one’s thoughts , views and philosophy
2. To express dreams and hopes.
3. To help one to cope with certain situations or emotions.

A diary is usually private sometimes though it may be shown to close friends.

A diary is written in informal language but it still follows a certain format.

• Let us look at the format of the diary entry:
• A diary is frequently written in simple past, present perfect and future.
• A diary is written in first person.
• A diary entry usually begins with date ( day and time) which appear in the top left corner.
• An introductory entry is a general sentence describing the day or momentary feeling. It expresses comment on the day or one’s state of mind.
• The main body is an elaboration of the introduction. It discuss events of the day, the writer’s feelings towards it and how it is likely to affect the writer’s future plans.

Important Points

• First, cut the strips of the day you want to keep.
• Put them in chronological order
• Stick together and add linking words at the joins.
• Write in a well thought out paragraph(s).
• Be brief and vivid.

Now that we have looked at ‘How to Write Diary Entry’, let us read some sample diary entries:

SAMPLE DIARY ENTRIES FOR STUDENTS

1. You are Shabir. Write a diary entry in your own words about your experience of donating blood.

Saturday
19 January 20…
9.0 pm

Dear Diary
Wow! How satisfied and super excited I feel! Today, I performed a noble deed. I mean I donated blood. My school organized a voluntary blood donation drive. When I told my mother about the drive, she was worried. She was concerned that blood donation would weaken me. So, I talked to my biology teacher about her concern and she assured me that donating blood was completely fine. So, I was stepped forward and donated blood. I was even able to persuade some of my colleagues to do the same. After donating blood, I felt no weakness. What I thought was a feeling of purpose and happiness. I understand the blood I’ve given can even save a life. The tiny quantity of blood I gave up did not make me any weaker but it could save a valuable life fighting a severe injury or life-threatening disease. This experience also made me conscious that such noble campaigns need to be promoted. After a few months, I’m going to donate blood again. I’m asking everyone to do the same.
Shabir

1. You rescued a girl from drowning in the river. Write a diary entry in your own words about your experience.

Friday
10 June 20….
9.0 pm

Dear Diary
What an eventful day was today! I rescued a little girl from drowning in the river. I still can’t believe that I did it. How could I do this? Where did it I get the courage from? I don’t know. I was going to the mosque to offer salat I heard a child cry from the riverbank for assistance. I hurried to see the child crying out for assistance. His sister had fallen into the river and was unable to swim. He couldn’t swim. I saw her arms flapping. I also cried out for help in the hope that somebody would come, but when I saw no one near the river I got the courage and jumped into the water. The girl was starting to sink by then. I swam with all my strength and got her hair stuck. While it’s true that I can swim but it was quite a challenge for me to hold her head above water while swimming back to the bank. Fortunately, people had gathered by the moment we reached the bank and somebody gave her emergency medical assistance and rushed her to the hospital. Everyone commended me for saving a child’s life that endangers my own life. Mom and father were nine in the cloud. I felt pleased as well as proud.
Tasleem

Date: 7th June, 20…
Day: Wednesday
Time: 10:00 PM

Dear Diary,
I woke up at 6 o’clock in the morning. We had breakfast and dressed up. Today we all went to Fantasize Amusement park nearby at my home town. We started from home at 7 o’clock. As soon as we reached there, we bought our tickets and went inside. I was so excited about seeing the rides. My parents and brother liked the “Thunderfall ride”. My favorite rides were Water Splash, Caterpillar Ride, Wave Pool, and Pirate Ship. After a couple of hours, we had our lunch. In the afternoon we had the scariest ride that is the Space Gun. We got back to our home in the evening. It was a great day and I enjoyed a lot.
Saika

Friday
30 November 20…
9.0 PM

Dear Diary,
I had the best day ever today. I woke up this morning, the sun was shining through the curtains and I could smell breakfast cooking downstairs. I jumped out of my bed, threw on my school clothes and skipped down to the kitchen. A delicious breakfast of pancakes with syrup was waiting for me on the table and I gobbled it down as quick as a flash. I grabbed my school bag, shouted goodbye to my mum and dashed out of the door to school.
When I arrived at school, my teacher handed my homework back to me and a huge grin spread across her face. Guess what? I got 20 out of 20! I couldn’t believe it! We had my best lessons in the morning (Literacy and Geography).
Before I knew it, it was lunchtime. The menu today was my favourite: Paneer Tikka followed by Chocolate pudding – yum! The afternoon flew by, and we ended the school day with a really fun game of Dodgeball.
After school, I came home and was met with the most amazing surprise; my mum told me that we were going out to the cinema and to Pizza Hut for dinner. We had a fantastic time!
I’m sitting on my bed writing this, remembering all the fun things that happened today. I hope tomorrow is just as good!
Ahmed

Friday
May 25, 20….
9.0PM

Dear Diary,
I’m so upset! I wanted to meet Jennifer today after school and she didn’t turn up. This is the third time this month she’s done this – I hate it! And it really makes me mad that she doesn’t even feel guilty about it.
Then Tom walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to go to the cinema with him. That’s just what I needed! He is the most stupid boy I know and going out with him would give me nightmares. Ugh! Horrible idea!
I hope life will be better tomorrow …
Ali

Friday
May 25, 20….
9.0 PM

Dear Diary,
We went on our class trip today – it was fun. I felt stupid at the beginning; everybody on the coach was tired and nobody talked to me, but then people started to wake up and we had a great time fooling around. It was great, telling jokes, making fun of teachers and so on. The theme park was fantastic – we all loved it! The “Haunted House” was really scary, but I went in together with Kevin, the tall handsome boy who plays in the school basketball team, and he was holding my hand all the time … I’m feeling on top of the world! I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s lessons – strange, isn’t it?
Ali

Friday
May 25, 20….
9.0 PM

Dear Diary,
I feel great! I think I completely failed my maths test –that’s cool! I’m sure I failed yesterday’s French test, Too Great, isn’t it? And tomorrow Dad wants to talk to me about school grades – that’s wonderful!
But – believe it or not – I passed my driving test. I’m so upset!!! Mom gave me a little chocolate car as a present. I hate it. What a horrible idea!
I’ve got to do my maths homework now. Super!
Liala

Friday
10 January 20…
9.30 pm

Dear Diary
Today was the most exciting and fulfilling day of my life. I had been waiting for this day for so many years. I always thought I will never be able to paint a prize-winning entry. But to my astonishment when the Art Club incharge announced the results, I couldn’t believe my ears. I had finally made it to the top. I won the first prize and my painting was about Make My City Green, my friends came rushing to me and hugged me as soon as they heard my name. My class teacher felt proud of me and gave me a warm hug. I ran to my art teacher and touched her feet. After all, it was her training and encouragement that had made the difference. She took me in her arms and gave me apart on my back.
As soon as I reached home, my parents gave me a pleasant surprise. They had ordered my favorite cake and my mother had cooked a delicious meal for me. When asked how they knew about the first prize, they said that they knew their daughter very well. *They were sure of me winning the prize. I was amazed at their trust in me. In the evening they took me to the amusement park where I enjoyed myself greatly.
Finally, we all came back home and had a lovely meal cooked by my grandmother.
Simran

Saturday
11 January 20…
8.00 pm

Dear Diary
The trip to Kulu Manali with school friends was indeed an amazing one. Initially, thought my parents wouldn’t allow me. But I was very happy when they consented to the trip. We were forty in number including five teachers, who accompanied us. The bus started at 6 am from the school premises on 7th January and we returned in the morning today. The trip was a memorable one as we enjoyed each and every moment of it. We saw the snowfall which was a heavenly sight. Luckily the roads were not blocked and we reached safely today. Everything lay under a blanket of snow. We all felt lucky as there were many people who had come to see the snowfall but could not manage to reach as the roads were blocked on the Himachal border. They were not allowing people to enter the state as they were expecting more snowfall in the next two few days. Since this was my first outstation trip without my parents, I had saved a good amount of money in my piggy bank. I took out all the money and decided to buy something for my parents and my younger sister. I had collected about 5,000 rupees. Our teachers took us to Himachal state emporium from where I bought a warm shawl and a cosy coat for my parents a nice jacket for myself and my sister. They were stunned to see that I had shopped for everyone. They enquired how I managed to buy so much with just 500 rupees which they gave me. Then I told them the whole story about my savings. They hugged me and thanked me for the gifts.
It was a memorable and a joy-filled experience indeed!
Saika

Saturday
11 January 20…
8.30pm

Dear Diary
Being a class teacher is both an exciting and difficult task. I realized the amount of hard work put in by teachers in daily teaching roles. I entered the class and was very happy to see the children waiting for me eagerly and curiously. Today was my first day in class IV-A and I was wondering how the day would go. But to my surprise, I saw that the children’s eyes were full of love and warmth. In no time, they made me feel comfortable and I didn’t feel that I was new to them. I thought it was a very difficult task to make the children adjust to a new teacher but I felt it was a myth. Winning their love and affection was quite easy. Their eyes showed expectations which were both easy and difficult to meet. Class control was not tough for me but grabbing their full attention was challenging.
Initially, I felt I was talking to the walls around and felt frustrated. But gradually when I started to involve them in the talk, there was a lot of interaction taking place. They took some time to judge me and then they finally broke out with a few questions and opinions. What a satisfying experience it was. It was a busy day with so many happenings in one single day. I taught the lesson, The Rainbow which the students enjoyed a lot and participated actively in the discussion. I attended the assembly conducted by the House on duty. Break time was time with students coming to me and offering their food to me. A memorable and an exciting day indeed!
Rohi

Friday
10 January 2019
9.30 pm

Dear Diary
It was a memorable day today because of the magic show that I presented for school children at the Community Hall of the school premises at Saint Valley School, Pattan. I felt proud to see the innocent crowd waiting for my different mesmerizing acts. I could not believe my eyes when they clapped and the sound echoed throughout the hall. They all came forward and surrounded me like bees. All the children were waiting impatiently for the show to begin. The children’s shouts and cries “Magic Man, Magic Man! Show us your magic,” are still echoing in my ears. As soon as I started taking out my things to stan the show, the entire place became peaceful and there was pin drop silence. Everyone sat still as if someone had cast a spell on them. I saw their eager faces and wondered how much they would be thrilled by my magical feats soon. One and the other, they enjoyed each and every trick that I showed. Finally, it was time for me to say goodbye to them. I felt I had fully won their love and affection. They followed me until the gate to bid me goodbye. For some time, I felt so close to them and they had given me unconditional love. I shall always remember them.
Junaid

Friday
10 December, 20…
10:30 PM

Dead Diary
Today I was really shocked to know that our maid’s three daughters don’t go to school but her only son is a student of class 4. The daughters also work as maids in households in our colony. Today one of them came to my house in place of her mother as her mother was sick. When I asked her if she goes to school, she very innocently replied, “I don’t go, but my brother goes to school”. She had no complaint about the outfit as it was her destiny to work as a ma aid and her brother is destined to go to school and be educated. This is the way our society lives and work. It is a patriarchal setup.

Nobody wants to promote girls, allow them to move freely. Even at this age, we nurture this view. It is not at all a good sign for society. We must change it and promote female education to make a perfect society. Females can do wonders if given the opportunity.
Sanjana

Sunday,
20th December, 20…
10:00 PM

Dear Diary
I am a winner today. It is a very successful day for me and I feel great. I could convince my parents who had been against the wish of my younger brother who wanted to join hockey. My parents were not ready to allow him because they thought, it is a risky game.
My brother was very much inclined to join it as he thought it very exciting. Whereas our parents thought it outdated and dangerous. But I told my father that one should always be given the opportunity to choose one’s career according to one’s interest and motivation. My father wanted my brother should take a government job or run his own business. We argued everything and finally, my parents were convinced. They allowed me younger brother to go for what he likes. Hurrah!
Baseer

Wednesday
26th November, 20…
10:00 p.m.

Dear Diary
Today I had been to market at about 11 a.m. It was the busiest hour. People were rushing for office. Shopkeepers were in a hurry to open their shops. Traffic was heavy on the road. Suddenly I was alarmed at a loud screeching sound. I saw a speeding car stopped just a few meters away from me. It had hit an old man who was crossing the road? The driver was a teenager of about 18. He lost balance and got nervous. As it was a us, he couldn’t escape. The old man was badly injured and his head was profusely bleeding. I came nearer and asked the mob to take the old man to the nearby hospital. Two young gentlemen helped me and we took him to the nearest clinic. In the meantime, the police patrol van reached there and took the car and the driver in its control. The boy who was driving the car had no driving license. The police called his father obviously an influential personality. The father seemed to be not repentant for this. I was shocked to see how people have lost their conscience and promote such crimes.
Mayank

Saturday
25th December, 20…
9:30 p.m.

Dear Diary
Today I am very happy that I have got a new friend. He is one of the best and talented students of the school. He is very humble and everyone appreciates his behaviour and submissive nature. He is cooperative. He is always ready to support weak students. Not only in study but also in extracurricular activities, he takes part actively.

He is champion in speech, debate, drama and in games and sports. All the teachers praise him. Today, he helped me in preparing a project. I was puzzled as it was not of my interest. But he made me feel very easy in understanding it. He is helpful to all. The great thing about him is his submissive and open nature. I feel proud to be his friend.
Swati