Unveiling a reflective diary methodology for exploring the lived experiences of stress and coping

This article unveils a diary methodology exploring accounts of ongoing experiences during the final furlong of university life and examines the role of diary keeping for gaining insights into stress and coping with performance-related and general life stressors. The focus is on thirty young people who, following a year working in industry, were in the midst of their final year of university study—undergoing coursework assessments, preparing for final examinations, making key career choices, and taking part in the whole process of job applications, assessment centres, and interviews. All were attending a course exploring theoretical and practical approaches to self-awareness and interpersonal skills development. The article shares insights regarding the use of diaries for the exploration of stress and coping from the perspective of both the researcher and the diarist.