Writing has always been something that I was pretty good at. My teachers always gave me high marks on assignments and papers, but academic writing is a completely different field than creative writing. I know I am not the best writer out there, but you know what, that does not mean that I'm not going to try my absolute hardest to do something meaningful. So here is why I love writing and you should, too.
For me, writing has always been an escape, especially creative writing. When you have your pen to a paper or your fingers to a keyboard, you are in control. You pick out your characters and what they say and do. You have the power to decide anything that happens within the bounds of your page and imagination. Essentially, you are the god to your characters and the world you choose to create.
In a world where you have very little control over so much, it is nice to know that there is something that you have complete and utter freedom to manipulate. Your characters that you create can reflect whatever you are feeling, which brings me to my next point.
Writing is therapeutic. I am not necessarily talking about writing a paper about how the War of 1812 did something for Americans (unless you are really into stuff like that). What I am talking about is journaling or writing in a diary. A diary is not something that has to be contained to an angsty teenage girl demographic. For passive aggressive people, like myself, writing everything down is a good way to get out any aggression and ill feelings toward something (or someone) without actually hurting anyone physically. Once you are able to get out your emotions, you no longer have them bottled up on the inside waiting for a day that they all get released over something as small as a cancelled ice cream date or missing your favorite show.
Pretty much everyone would agree that you should not bottle up your emotions because that can just lead to unnecessary stress and harm on your own body. So why not choose a healthy method of channelling your feelings into a journal. Who knows, maybe your anger and feelings can lead you to writing the "Great American Novel."
My last point is that you always need to know how to write. Most careers make you have to write something. I might be a little biased as a future English teacher, but I think writing is a skill that everyone should have. Writing is like a sport where you need to practice to become almost perfect. It is a skill that takes time and effort to hone in. Let's be serious, if you read a paper you wrote in middle school, it would most likely be cringe worthy. You have taken the steps to make yourself a better writer all throughout school, but it is still something that needs attention outside of academia. Take a fifteen minute break from life and practice the skill, you never know when you will need it.
Writing is so much more than just for a grade. If you take the time to sit and take a breath just to write a little, there can be so many benefits. So now go out friends and write to your little hearts' content.
