Quarantine made me feel a bit lonely. As the first few weeks went by, I felt the desire to make new friends. I had followed a lot of journaling accounts on Instagram and really loved their decorative spreads. I started journaling again after a while but I still wanted to somehow create bonds with other people. Soon enough, I started following penpal, also known as snail mail, accounts, and eventually started penpalling myself!

Here are 7 Reasons why you should start penpalling!

1. Support the United States Postal Service (USPS).

One way to support the USPS is to buy stamps! Sending out letters or postcards to friends or family is a great way to keep the USPS going! By penpalling, you can learn about the USPS and help out your friends if they ever need help to send something!

2. Form deeper relationships with your friends!

Do you have a friend that's not very good at texting? Maybe you talk to them every few weeks or so. Or maybe they live on the other side of the world and you can never find time to chat with them. Penpalling can be a way to further deepen your relationships with people you already know! Penpalling is also called snail mail for a reason. You won't feel pressure to respond to the other person quickly. This is a great way to get started if you don't want to talk to strangers right away!

3. Make new friends!

A lot of New York City kids are still stuck at home since several colleges are holding classes online. Even if you're in school taking in-person classes, social events may be restricted to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Of course, this depends on where you live but a lot of people have been feeling isolated due to COVID-19.

"Penpalling is a great way to have fun when being isolated!" - Lauren, @journalaur on Insta

4. Learn about people living in other states/countries.

Penpalling is a great way to know about people living in other states or countries! In fact, penpalling with people in the same state as you can work as well! People have different lifestyles and experiences even if they live in the same state as you.

It's a "way of 'traveling' from the comfort of home" - Arelene, @arrrlene_ on Insta!

5. Learn about different cultures.

Penpalling is a great way to learn about different cultures! Different states and countries can affect how people celebrate or feel about their cultures. It's always amazing to learn about different cultures and see how they are recognized in different places!

6. Experiment and express your creativity!

Penpalling can allow you to be creative! Whether it's decorating the envelope, the letter, or making a creative gift for your penpal! Making a penpal letter often feels like wrapping up a small present. From putting on a wax seal to tying all of the components in the letter, the process of penpalling truly allows you to be creative.

It "allowed me to be more adventurous with my crafting" - Cici, @cicismailbox on Insta

7. Connect with others who have the same interests as you!

Penpalling has given me the opportunity to befriend people who like anime, listen to the same kpop groups as I do but in different states! It's an awesome way to find people with similar interests!

I asked people who penpal themselves: "What has penpalling taught you?"

"I learned how many stamps to use! I learned more about USPS" - Brianna, @unlimitedoveforchanyeol on Insta

"I became more understanding of people's problems and how I want to step in and help when they [penpals] need someone to talk to, cry to, rant to, etc" -Erika, @playgrovnd.diary on Insta

"Patience and vulnerability" - Georgina, @snailgeorgina on Insta

"It's helped me get organized!" - Raleigh @froggyjournal on Insta

Photo by Liam Truong on Unsplash

How to find penpals!

There are many ways to find penpals.

Some websites include:

1. InterPals.
2. Global Penfriends.
3. PenpalsNow
4. Penpal Oarty

You can also try searching up the hashtags # penpalswanted # penpalsneeded on Instagram as they are very helpful! Make sure to check their Instagram bios to see whether they're accepting any more penpals. To ask to be penpals, make sure to briefly introduce yourself!

You can also try looking for penpals in the penpalling communities on the amino app!

Photo by Liam Truong on Unsplash

What to include in the letter:

-the letter!!

-questions for your penpal

-playlist of your favorite songs

-recipes of your favorite foods or desserts

-stationery (memo sheets, washi, stickers, etc.)

-handmade gifts (bracelets, little booklets, decorated polaroids, etc)

-games (tic tac toe, this or that? hangman, etc)

-tea bags, candy

-postcards

All of the things listed above are optional! Don't feel pressured to send things you don't have. A letter is just fine! The letter is the most important part.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Cons of Penpalling

There are only two cons I can think of when it comes to penpalling.

1.Time

Penpalling can be very time-consuming. However, you should communicate with your penpal whether you'd prefer short or long letters. This will make it easier if you only want to write short letters that will not take up too much time.

-Communicate with your penpal how often you'd like to send letters. Once a month? Twice a month? Once every two months?

-Having international penpals means that it would take a longer time for the letters to

Lastly, don't overwhelm yourself with several penpals. Don't try to be penpals with 50 people unless you can manage it!

2. Price of Stamps

-As someone who doesn't have a job, buying stamps made my wallet cry. I knew that I wanted to have several penpals so I decided to stick with penpals in the United States. Sending letters within the U.S is much cheaper to do with 55 cents forever stamps since international stamps are a bit pricier. Hopefully, I'll be able to have international penpals one day but as of right now I'm very happy with the friends I've made over time.

Lastly, be safe with who you decide to give your information to! You can always talk to people before deciding to become penpals with them to see if you guys would be compatible. Remember that you can always take it slow and start off with one penpal!