I am a paper product enthusiast. Ever since I can remember, I have been collecting stationery and journals. I love the touch of high-quality paper and the sound of cracking open a new book.

Before I began my freshman year of college, I vowed that I would write letters to people while I was away at school. My forms of communication would not be limited to emails, text, and social media — I would write actual handwritten letters. I could now put all the stationery I had collected over the years to good use.

My grandma wrote my first letter to me at school. Although she and I are already very close, her first letter to me ignited our new relationship as pen pals. Throughout the year, I wrote almost weekly to my grandmother. Our letters were simple and normally about what we did that week. I would talk about what I was doing at school and she would tell me about her life at home. Sometimes, she would even surprise me by slipping a $10 bill into the envelope.

I would also write long letters to one of my best friends from my childhood. For the last two years she has been traveling around the world, and she had also vowed to write letters to her friends and family. Although she and I don’t talk frequently, writing letters was a way to bring us together.

After I would send my letters out, I eagerly awaited the arrival of my next letter or even the occasional care package. It was always exciting receiving something in my mailbox other than menus from the local Chinese takeout place.

Of course, as the year went on, school became busier; there were many times when I felt like I "didn’t have time” to write letters. Neglecting to respond to those letters, however, made me feel guilty. During these times, I had to force myself to carve out time to sit down and write a letter, but it felt good when I did so.

I highly doubt that handwritten communication will ever surpass how we communicate now. Sending a text or an email is far more efficient than sending a letter through the U.S. Postal Service. What is lovely about handwritten letters, however, is that they are tangible pieces of writing that can be preserved for years.

Most of the stationery I had before I began college has been sent off to different parts of the world. It has been exchanged for letters and cards from friends. The letters I received not only brought a sense of familiarity to me while I was adjusting to life at a new school, but also made the bond between me and my correspondents closer. Everyone likes getting things in the mail, but it means so much more when you’re away from home.

So next year at school, think about writing a letter, even if it’s just to your mom or a friend at another university. You’re guaranteed to be elated next time you open up your mailbox.