Documenting your DCP can be a great way to retain the memories well after your program has ended.

Many people choose to document their DCP experience as I'm sure you can tell by the countless blogs and vlogs out there. A lot of material on these mediums are meant as both a personal reflection and a way to share information with those looking to learn more about the DCP. However, others choose to just live in the moment and go through their program taking everything in. It's up to you which path you choose, but if you want to document your DCP, here are my top five mediums you should consider utilizing and the benefits of using each.

Before we jump in, let me give you a little background on myself. I think documenting your travels and experiences are one of the most important gifts you could give your future self.

Yes, you'll still remember the general experiences or the major moments, but all those little funny stories you had will slip through the cracks.

The very first time I went on a trip without my family was my freshman year of high school with our high school marching band to perform in the Rose Parade. Before leaving, my mom got me a journal and told me to write down what I did each day because she knew this trip would be one I wouldn't want to forget. I went a little overboard and wrote pages upon pages of every little detail of what happened to me each day (I literally wrote down I had a piece of toast for breakfast the day we left on the trip smh), but I cherish those memories I have documented. I love reading back through that journal and feeling that sense of anticipation and excitement leap off the pages and transport me back to my 14 year old self travelling to California for the first time.

Fast forward five years and I shifted mediums to blogging. I was studying abroad in Vienna and spent the majority of my time travelling around Europe. My friends and I thought it would be really cool to document our experiences, so we created a blog between us, although I was the one who wound up posting on it. The reason for the blog was so our friends and family back home could see first hand what we were experiencing on our study abroad trip. Essentially, we used the blog as a public journal. Again I find it so much fun looking back on the experiences I had and the broader stories and morals I pulled away from it.

That's just a bit about my perspective on the benefits of documenting your experiences. Without further ado, here are the top 5 ways you should consider documenting your DCP.

Top 5 Ways to Document Your DCP

1. Blogging

This is my current personal favorite as you can probably tell since you're on my blog! Blogging is great because it's something that you can shape to fit your needs. Many people use blogs to keep family and friends informed about life updates. Others use blogs to inform those interested in pursuing the same experiences. And some do a little of both.

There are several things to keep in mind when making a blog. The first is what you plan to use your blog for. If you just plan on using it like an online journal to keep family and friends posted on what you're doing great! You have a lot more freedom with how you structure your posts because you can assume your friends and family want to read what you have to say. If you want to use your blog to be informative I would recommend incorporating lists and making it easy to skim for key ideas. People are less likely to read through all the information you're posting and instead only look for the information they need. Lists make this easier for the visitor.

As for how to start a blog, there are several websites you can use to get started. The three big ones are Wordpress, Wix, and Squarespace. All have their advantages and disadvantages. I've personally only ever used Wix and I love it and find it very easy to use.

2. Vlogging

Vlogging is very popular among DCPers. Let me repeat that again vlogging is VERY popular among DCPers. Vlogging is a great medium because you can literally show people what you're doing and what you're talking about. Vlogging is also great because it comes across as very conversational and friendly.

If you're interested in vlogging on your DCP it's really easy to get started. First you'll need to make a YouTube account if you don't have one already. The easiest way to make a YouTube account is to link it to your Gmail. After that all you need is something to record yourself with and something to say. It's as easy as pie!

The benefits of vlogging over blogging is that it can be a lot less time intensive depending how you plan to utilize the medium. If most of your vlogs don't require editing then they can be very easy to produce. If you want to create higher quality vlogs though, the editing process can be tedious, but well worth it.

One of the things I found most challenging about the little vlogging that I did was finding things to say and reminding myself not to get too self-conscious about speaking to my phone in public. I was always nervous about getting weird looks from strangers!

3. Journaling

Ah journaling, the medium as old as time. This should also be the medium people are most familiar with. Journaling doesn't have to be extensive or anything super emotional. The great thing about journaling is that it is what you make it and it's tailored to you. Journaling is also a super personal experience.

I have grown in journaling styles over the years. As I stated earlier when I first started traveling I would write down every detail of my day down to what I ate, which is great for reminiscing, but realistically took hours to document. As I started travelling more I started just writing down key details from each trip I took in bullet point fashion. The beauty of the medium is you can do whatever works for you and your schedule.

4. Photo Journal

This is a medium I actually don't have any direct experience with, but I think it would be really cool to do. This would be the one our generation would be most comfortable dealing with and would require the least amount of time. To create a photo journal all you have to do is take photos of important parts of your program. Or anything you want to remember about your program. The most important thing to remember about this is to not be too posed. Candids are king!

This is a really easy medium because all you need is your phone. Make a folder on your phone and put all the photos you take during your program into that folder. At the end you'll have a photo timeline of your entire program. They say a photo's worth a thousand words and you'll have a plethora of photos that will tell a story of your time on the DCP and spark memories.

Disclaimer: I know a lot of times it's all about taking photos for the Insta and you want to look perfect, but those candids are worth it because the photo journal is just for you.

5. Time Capsule

In today's world letter writing has become a very archaic form of communication, however, I think it would be a unique way to document your time on the DCP. Essentially, what you would do is write yourself a letter whenever something significant happens during your DCP, then seal it in an envelope. You wouldn't have to mail them anywhere, just store them in a shoe box. At the end of your program you would seal up the shoe box full of letters and write an open on date on it. This date could be 5, 10, 20 years from now, whatever you choose. When the date comes you would be able to walk down memory lane. Your time capsule could also contain anything that was of importance to you during your program.

I did time capsule letters growing up in school, and we were given our letters our senior year of high school and I loved it. It was great holding a picture of myself at 8 reading a letter about my life, then 10 reading a letter I had written about what my life was like and what I thought it would be like, then getting a letter from my 13 year old self. It's a real trip down memory lane and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

These are just suggestions and you can take them or leave them. I will say however, if you choose to document your DCP, trust me, 20 years from now you'll be grateful you have something concrete to look back on from your time on the program.