Adopting qualitative approaches, this study highlights the value of integrating cognitive understanding with students' daily experiences through a time diary (TD) project. Using an innovative three-phase design, the TD effectively heightened self-awareness, promoted self-reflection, inspired the desire to change, and facilitated knowledge application. The TD shows potential as a cost-effective, rigorous, scalable, and transferable approach for encouraging reflection and fostering student engagement, including theory-to-practice connections with practical implications for student affairs and outreach programs.