Since I was a kid, I have loved writing letters. Adults used to make it seem like letters were a much more common form of communication than they are today. When I got older, I realized that I had written to people less and less. Technology was making it easier and more convenient to message someone quickly. I got back into writing letters around senior year with one of my friends. She lived far enough away that we didn't see each other often. I can't remember which of us started the writing, but we haven't stopped since.
Writing letters is often a really rewarding thing. The excitement that comes with receiving mail from someone is something with which most people can relate. It makes you feel important and, with all of the technology today, it means that the sender really took the time to connect with you. Letters communicate deeper emotions that feel much more personal and significant than messaging online. It's also something that you can hold onto, rereading and remembering these feelings. Whether it's an update on their life or an entire letter of questions about yours, it's bound to leave you smiling.
Now that a lot of my friends go to different colleges, I like writing even more. It's a good time to relax from the stresses of school and focus on my friend, no matter how far away they are. There are lots of ways to add more to a letter than just words too. One of my friends sends me drawings and little motivational cards with her letter to make me smile (I actually keep a lot of them on my wall). They keep me updated on their lives and all the exciting things happening to them. I miss my friends when they're away, so getting a letter from them can make my entire day.
There are definitely times when I feel too busy to write and just use FaceTime or Skype to talk to my friends, but nothing compares to the connection that one feels when they are writing a letter.