I first started writing in first grade, or whenever writing

workshop became a thing that you had to do in school. And I loved it. I

loved writing about my day, or about my dog, or about the new Aaron

Carted CD I got for my birthday. I loved it all. Writing workshop was my

favorite part of the day at school.

And then I started writing in journals in 3rd grade. Not like a "Dear

Diary" type of journal writing, though, like most of the kids my age

did. I was writing what I guess I called "novels", but I would never

call them that today (because, looking back, the quality sucks so bad). I

wrote chapters on chapters of love stories, and stories of girls who I

wished I could be. I would write, pencil to paper, for hours on end. I

would write for as long as I could, and I would fill journal after

journal.

I never decided one day that I wanted to write. I just, over time,

started writing so much that it was part of my identity. I wrote for

fun, instead of watching tv or playing outside (because let's be real, I

was not into sports). I would read my stories to my friends, and read

them out loud to myself in the comfort of my own room, and I loved every

part of it.

As I became a little bit older, into middle school and high school, I

continued writing, but in a different way. I wrote about my thoughts,

about my opinions, about my feelings on certain topics. I just wrote

because I felt like it was part of me; like it was something I had to

do. Writing was what I did in my free time (and it still is).

Going into college, I didn't know what I was going to major in.

Everything I liked (music, writing, and art) were things that I thought I

couldn't make a career out of. But then I decided to write, because

that's what made me most happy.

Being someone with anxiety, writing is my outlet for all of my out of

control emotions. I never knew that anxiety was the reason that I

started writing, but looking back, I realize that anxiety or not,

writing has always been the thing that has kept me sane. No matter what

emotion I am feeling, if I write about it, I feel better.

Not everyone is a writer. I mean, some people hate writing; some people

think they are the worst writers on the planet. But if you're ever

feeling stressed, or sad, or angry: try writing. It has helped me

through so many times in my life, and it always makes me feel the most

like myself.