We live in an age where pen and paper seem obsolete. We can take notes on our laptops, sign legal documents with a digital signature, and text our friends when we need to tell them something. Instant communication is something we are all accustomed to, but what if we had to actually wait for responses?
My interest in good old-fashioned letters came about when I received something in the mail a few weeks ago. It wasn’t a Domino’s Pizza coupon or a circular ad, but an actual card my friend had written to me. There’s nothing like the feeling of opening your mailbox and finding something addressed to you. The card she sent me was for nothing extraordinary like a birthday or a holiday,it was just a sweet gesture to show me she was thinking about me. Wanting to keep the good vibes going, I decided that I would write my friends letters and put some snail-mail to use.
One of the best parts of this whole experience was picking out the cards. I know I am not the only one who is a self-identifying stationery addict. I get a rush of adrenaline whenever I walk through the stationary sections at stores. Target is an amazing place to get cards whether you want to get a pack of eight from the beloved dollar section or spring for the nicer cards near the craft section. Marshalls and TJ Maxx are also great places to buy some cards. Once I had my cards in hand, I was ready to write.
As collegiate women, we go through a lot. Not only are we trying to make the grades we want, but we are networking for future careers, participating in extracurriculars to beef up our resumes, and trying to make meaningful relationships that will last a lifetime. The day I got my letter from my friend, I was having a rough time in one of my classes. Her letter instantly lifted my mood. I wanted to do that for my friends, so I wrote eight letters to all my closest friends.
I love to write and I love my friends, so this was a great time for me. I gave myself a chance to sit down and reflect on why my friends mean so much to me. Telling the people most important to you how awesome they are is easier over text messaging for sure, but I believe it means a little bit more when you take the time to write it out yourself. Anyone with a phone can type out the same letters into the same sentences, but when you write something down, it cannot be exactly replicated again, and that’s pretty cool.
I encourage everyone to skip a night of Netflix-binging and write to the people you care about. It’s is such a simple way to make someone feel appreciated and loved. Write, draw a picture, or even make up a haiku! Let’s make the world a little bit better and bring back snail-mail.