Write about what you'd like to write about. But write!

Wow! A chance to write about anything? This is exciting, yet terrifying. In just one semester of graduate school, I’ve become used to writing to some sort of prompt. Writing has become a part of my daily routine; in actuality, I’m writing when I’m eating breakfast and when I’m driving. I write when I’m watching television and when I’m walking in my neighborhood. What I mean is that I am constantly composing thoughts that may take the form of written words but more often than not remain strings of thoughts.

Many of my friends write blogs where they discuss with friends and strangers every nuance of their life. Dinner plans, reviews on the latest movie, and rants about their jobs are just a few subjects discussed. Gone are the days where we pick up the phone and ask one another about our lives. There’s no need with blogs and other social media platforms. This is problematic to me because it takes the element of surprise and genuine interest out of our interactions. I like to think that I’m still old-fashioned because I refuse to chronicle my every move on the internet, but, I think I’m really just behind the times. It still baffles me when my grandmother calls me to inquire about an event I attended or about an outfit I wore because she saw it on Facebook. No, she doesn’t have a Facebook account; rather, she has family members that like to blab to her about my whereabouts. She means no harm with these inquiries because she sees Facebook as an extension of our face-to-face family interactions.

I mention all of this to say that multi-modal forms of communication have become a way of life for most Americans. Having the ability to see someone while talking to them in a different time zone is amazing. But, with all of these forms of communication, are we actually becoming closer to each other? Or is the technology pushing us away from one another? Are the conversations we have about unimportant occurrences? Or are they about meaningful experiences?

To combat this feeling of being in technology limbo, I’ve started to write physical notes and letters to friends and family. It’s exciting to me to draft my thoughts on paper, copy them over to my “nice” letter-writing stock, and mail it off. It’s also pretty expensive to do this since stamps are almost 50 cents each. I feel satisfied when my recipient opens my letter and is able to physically see and feel my thoughts. Maybe I feel like my words are permanent when written on paper? Do they have more meaning when transmitted this way?

This was truly a random post! I’ve thought about this subject for some time but hadn’t been able to put my thoughts into sentences. 

Thank you Dr. Rice for your wisdom and guidance this semester! I’ve really enjoyed this class and learned much more than I could have ever expected to. If I do teach in the future, I’ll have the guidance you provided as a road map to success.