If you’re reading this, you are most likely affected by the pandemic in some way, shape, or form. My heart goes out to everyone during this time. My roommates and I have almost reached our one month mark of self-quarantine and I can confidently say that it has not been easy. Throughout the past weeks, I have been searching for some sort of self-care that would feel purposeful and help me combat feeling unproductive and lost in what feels like a never-ending time of uncertainty. My amazing friends in Her Campus Millersville have inspired me to begin writing physical letters to send out. There is something magical about sending out a letter and waiting for one to come back to you. This delayed gratification, mixed with a love for gorgeous greeting cards, has helped me keep my head level and feel less alone during this time. I highly encourage you to send out a letter to a friend! Sending letters can be such a personal and thoughtful act, especially when including a few extra things in your letter to make your friend smile. Below are five easy D.I.Y. things to include in your pen pal letters to your friends!
- A Playlist
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Whether it’s to introduce your friend some of your favorite songs or give your friend a playlist based off a mood or memory of your adventures pre-pandemic, a playlist is a great way to show your friend that they mean something to you. You can either write your playlist right in the card/letter you are sending, or write it on a different piece of paper and slip it into the envelope. Here are some playlist ideas: Songs to Sing in the Shower, Dance Party, Good Morning Sunshine, Indie Favs, Rainy Day, and Girl Boss Songs.
- A Bookmark
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If you know your friend loves to read, create a bookmark on cardstock, watercolor paper, or a notecard for your friend to use! The bookmark can have an inspiring quote on it or cute doodles to make your pen pal smile. I personally like to use watercolor paints to create a colorful background and then use a black marker to write out a quote.
- Stickers/Washi Tape
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Do you have a few really cute stickers or washi tapes that you know your pen pal would love to use in their journals or planners? Send them in your letter! If your stickers are on a sticker sheet, you can cut around the sticker with scissors. For washi tape, you have a few options. You can wrap washi tape around a small popsicle stick or old gift card to create a sampler of tapes.
- A Drawing/Painting
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Doodle something cute that fits in your envelope on a different piece of paper from your letter. Giving your pen pal something small to hang up in their room or tape into their journal is the perfect way to add a special touch to your letter. People can feel alone easily when social distancing and this is a good way to remind your friends that you care.
- A Mood Board
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Creating mood boards is SO fun! Open up a Word document or Google Docs and copy and paste images from Pinterest into the document. Resize the images and move them around until they’re in the perfect spots. Print it out and there you have it- a personalized mood board for your pen pal! Some ideas for mood board themes can be specific colors, a girl boss board, an inspirational board, a nature lover board, and more.
If you want more ideas, check out YouTube for several videos about different things you can put into your pen pal letters for that extra touch of “I’m thinking of you.” Take the time to reach out to your friends and send some love their way. It’s a difficult time for everyone and every effort to spread some sunshine is one step towards a better mental health for both you and your pals. So get writing!
HCXO, Hannah N.