Being a nursing major, it is a rare occurrence that a professor will assign a class full of future health professionals to sit down and write a paper. When it occurs it is often met by fidgeting, groans, and nervous looks. I, however, secretly try to contain my excitement, not wanting my nursing friends to know my deep dark secret: I actually enjoy writing, and always have.
From a young age I realized that I had a natural knack for writing. The signs for my future passion began to show themselves in elementary school when a teacher would give my class a timed assignment to simply "write". During these tests, while many of my future peers anxiously looked at the clock willing it to move faster to end this God forsaken punishment (that would no doubt lead to hand cramps), I took my 60 minute assignment as a gift. I would create a LONG story that, although often far-fetched, allowed me to create a whole new universe all my own.
I didn't fully understand what a big impact writing would have in my life until I entered my sophomore year in high school. When picking out my second semester courses, I picked an elective course entitled "creative writing" thinking that it would be an easy A, not knowing what an impact the course would have on my life.
On the first day of creative writing I was met with a room that was pitch black with the exception of a few candles, and strange genre of music I had honestly never really heard before. To be honest I was initially frightened of this strange room and the mastermind behind the course , and strongly considered bolting for the door and asking the school guidance counselor for a schedule change, but looking back something made me stay.
During my first creative writing class, I not only learned about poetry and prose, but also about myself. Through my favorite high school teachers motto of "a poem does not mean but be", I learned that writing allows the author a unique opportunity to say things that they may never have the guts or opportunity to say in the real world (and frankly maybe are left better unsaid). Sitting down and putting words on paper allows you to express your true feelings on a situation, and allows you to validate your feelings even if you never allow anyone else to read them. Writing can also provide closure to a situation that may never be fully closed in the real world, and in a sense can allow you to move on with your life.
After that first creative writing class I knew that no matter what my future held, I would always have writing as an outlet for me to express myself. I continued writing throughout high school and realized that through writing an extremely timid girl could be able to start to find her voice, and ultimately herself.
Although I love writing, when making a career decision, I realized that I still desired to accomplish the career path I had set out for myself at a young age: to become an RN. Writing however has had a huge impact on my life as it was the first place I allowed myself to become my "sassy self", and although it took going to college for me to get there, that person has started to appear not only in writing but also in the real world, as I am leaps and bounds away from the timid sophomore girl sitting in a dark room. I will forever have writing to thank for that.
