Dear Students,
How are you doing on your writing assignments? Currently, Ms. Frese’s class is working on poetry and narrative projects, Mr. Laningham’s class is working on the Hero’s Journey, Journalism Students are working on their news articles, Music Club is writing songs, and of course, the entire campus is working on The Gilbert Story! Right?? This article is designed to be a word of advice from a writer to all of you who are in the process of writing.
Writing is often seen as a work to be done by people. It is schoolwork, a deadline, or a task that one wants to be over with as soon as possible. The blinking cursor on the empty page might be intimidating, even stressful, as if it is asking for something that is not yet there. However, I’ve never felt writing as a chain. It is actually like being free.
Writing allows the expression of the internal difficulties that would otherwise have continued to be very confusing. The brain is hardly ever silent. Thoughts, worries, memories, and questions keep on rushing through it, like cars on a freeway not having a clear exit. When these thoughts remain locked inside the mind, they crash with each other and cause confusion and restlessness. By writing, they are given time and space. Writing makes each thought acknowledged and orderly so that, in the end, they make sense.
Everybody has a different method of attaining their peace. Some throw on their headphones and get lost in the music. Some clear their minds by walking, drawing in a notebook, lifting weights, or playing their favorite video games. Such activities provide a break, and for many, it is a necessary break. For me, writing is not running away from thoughts but confronting them without fear.
When I write, I don’t have to have everything figured out. I don’t need perfect grammar or polished sentences. Writing becomes a space where confusion is allowed. It is the one place where unfinished ideas are welcome, and uncertainty is not a weakness. The act of putting words on a page brings order to what once felt overwhelming.
Sometimes, my writing reflects really heavy issues. It can be about identity, loss, frustration, or any questions that we don’t have the answers to yet. But sometimes, writing is about something as simple as a moment in life or a casual observation. Writing does not have to be deep; however, it can be deep when there is a need for it. Whether it is a serious or a light piece, the core of the act remains.
Writing is not about the product, but about the power it has to change us through the process. It is a great teacher of virtues like patience and honesty. It does not allow thoughts to be hidden behind noise or distraction, but it demands clarity, even if the clear idea takes time to come. So, writing is a journey through which I discover my mind not only by my thoughts but also by the reasons behind them.
Sometimes, our feelings get so complicated that it may seem impossible to put them into words. Being listened to, a person can feel hurried or incomplete when speaking. Writing gets rid of the pressure. The page never interrupts. It never judges. It just waits. That silence can accommodate even an uncomfortable truth.
Writing grows into a habit with time. Later, writing becomes like a mirror. When we read what we have written in the past, we realize that we have grown, changed, and gained new insights. Thoughts that used to seem like the essence of life have vanished. Anxieties that used to be so big that they almost took our breath away are now just little black spots on our horizon. The writing is witnessing the progress in the areas where the memory fails.
In the case of students, writing is mostly considered a skill for achieving better grades through well-structured essays. Although these things have a certain weight in writing, it is a lot more than just fulfilling an academic requirement. It is through that which a person can reach self-awareness and gain a better understanding of the society around them. Writing enables people to reflect on their experiences, develop their thoughts, and transmit the message that goes beyond the meaning of the words spoken at the surface.
Writing does not have to be backed up by a genius if it is to touch someone’s heart or accomplish anything significant. What it takes is sincerity. Getting value out of writing does not depend on having an audience. There are many times when the most impactful pieces of writing remain sealed in a drawer. They serve only as a way for the writer to think things through. This is enough for them to be considered worthwhile.
Writing gives stillness in a world that rushes by and constantly demands our attention. It is one of the things that can slow down the time. It makes the restructuring of a seemingly chaotic situation possible. While others may regard writing as a headache and a chore, I think of it as a place where one can find balance. It is a place where there is order after disorder of thoughts, where runaway feelings are gently guided, and where quiet peace comes almost unnoticed.
Writing may not solve every problem, but it gives it shape. And once something has shape, it becomes easier to understand, face, and carry onward.
