The Power of Writing
By Irene Koch
A few months ago, I plopped down on the couch in my apartment because it had been one of those weeks. Three papers, two projects, and barely one brain cell left. Itching for a way to destress, I swiped through a few shows in my Netflix queue and scrolled through TikTok for a few minutes, but to the astonishment of my roommates, I realized the only thing I wanted to do was pull out my computer and write for an hour or two.
For many Villanova students, the last time they had to write something more than a page was for their Ancients class, but as a liberal arts kid, I turn in several papers a month. I understand why some of you are scratching your heads, wondering why I would do something for fun that I already do all the time for a grade. I’m also sure it must sound rich coming from me: a person who likes writing so much they study it in college telling you to write. However, whether it’s keeping a journal consistently or just writing whenever you need a mental health break, here are a few takeaways from personal writing that may help anyone unsure if they should take up the habit.
Writing doesn’t have to be perfect (but your writing will probably improve over time). There’s no professor to dock points if you use passive voice, go off on tangents, or fail to prove your thesis. Unless you feel compelled to share it with others, no one will see your writing but you. Allow yourself to use your journal or a Word document to shrug off the expectations placed upon you and just be yourself. However, as someone who has been writing on the side for almost fifteen years, I can confidently say I would not be as strong of an academic writer as I am without all my experience writing on the side.
Writing allows you to escape from the real world for a little bit. I mostly write creatively through short stories and novels, and it’s liberating to step into the shoes of a fictional character and immerse myself in their lives when my own becomes too much. You might consider finding creative writing prompts online or in a prompt book, but you don’t have to write a novel to escape the world. Flesh out that weird shower thought you had, convince your imaginary audience why your favorite ship is endgame, divulge your wildest theories about Taylor Swift’s new album (I have some thoughts on “tolerate it”). Whatever lets you take a break from the real world, write about it to your heart’s content.
Writing helps ground your thinking. There’s a reason they always say write your New Year’s resolutions down, as writing has a certain finality to it that thoughts don’t. This could apply to weekly goals or to-do lists, but it could also help when you’re struggling with something: a fight with a friend, a depressive spiral, a tough decision. Because of its air of conclusiveness, writing forces you to take a step back, think about the words you commit to paper, and approach the situation with a bit more empathy and levelheadedness you don’t always get when you just think about the problem.
Writing improves your emotional well-being. While I can name several instances where this has not been the case—ahem, finals week—the practice of spilling all your emotions onto paper is cathartic and allows you to release all the tension the emotions have caused you. The practice of expressing how you feel on paper will also help you recognize thoughts and patterns you may not have known you had. The practice of finding your “voice” on paper will also help you find your voice off the page and in your day-to-day lives.
I can’t promise writing will turn you into Jane Austen, but I truly believe I wouldn’t have made it through some of the lowest points of my life without having writing as a means of grounding my thoughts and relieving my stress. If you start small, take it easy on yourself, and be honest in your writing, I think you’ll find it a wonderful emotional outlet and a fun way to express yourself—without the looming fear of using passive voice.
