I realize that a lot of you already keep a diary or a personal journal, which is awesome! This article is not only meant for those who only see writing as a burden, but also to reinforce those who already regard writing as a "get away."

Sadly, a lot of people lose their intrinsic motivation to write somewhere between when they are taught how to write and when they are required to write about something specific. I do not hold this completely against them because of two reasons. First, because I am no one to judge. Second, because I understand that writing a 10-page-paper about the French Revolution is not always fun. The reason why I do not completely justify them, though, is because writing can also happen outside of school. I know... Shocking!

From personal experience, I understand how hard it can be to find joy in writing while we are young. This becomes even harder when writing is competing against going to the movie theater, eating your favorite food and hanging out with your friends. I understand because I used to regard writing as task and not as a pastime.

By definition, a task is a "duty" or "a matter of considerable labor or difficulty." On the other hand, a pastime is "a pleasant means of amusement." It is, therefore, natural for us to do tasks unwillingly and avoid them as much as possible.

It wasn't until I was in tenth grade that I discovered the power of writing. I went from taking an hour to write a paragraph for homework to taking hours to write short-stories for fun. I write during the day, before going to sleep and whenever a new idea strikes my mind. On my journal, I glue movie tickets, describe the flavor of pupusas and recount the funniest moments with my best friend, Ivette. I found that writing for pleasure comes with no rules. For some people, the pages in my journal look like a mess. I am a perfectionist and somehow that "mess" makes me proud. I can color and glue a peacock one day and write a poem the next. I appreciate the randomness of those pages because they reflect how spontaneous and creative my thoughts can be.

Writing gives me a sense of control when everything seems to be spinning around me. Writing consoles me when I feel like no one else could understand me. I absolutely love writing because it empowers me.

Writing enables you to depict your life in ways never imagined. I hope you already have a pen in your hand!