1. During this class, I’ve written multiple different things I wouldn’t normally write. I don’t really like narrative pieces, but we’ve done quite a few this semester. Like our six word memoirs, or the narratives inspired by Harris Burdick. I find that writing about myself is super hard to do, so this was a welcome challenge to help better my writing. I’ve also never kept a journal that I’ve written things in, which is a new experience for me. Normally I just write down whatever I want to write, then later lose the paper. Now I’ve got most of them written down in a single notebook, so if I want to remember one of them or expand a story I can just pick it up and there they are.
2. I’ve read a few things in this class, an article or two, a few pieces of classmates’ work. There was a reconnection with my childhood when we read childhood stories and wrote reflections about them; before that, I hadn’t even looked at a book from my childhood. I’ve looked at my classmate’s works, reading 101 facts about them or some scary-ier stories inspired by Halloween, which I found fun if only because writing lets a person’s inner ‘freak’ (if you could call it that) come out.
3. Having a blog has actually been fun. At first I thought it was going to be lame, but it actually helps me keep my writing separated and easy to find, and other’s get to read it if they stumble across it which they wouldn’t have been able to if my writing was just kept in a notebook. My blog’s name is not creative at all, if only because I am absolutely horrible at naming things. I’m not actually sure if I’ll keep posting to this blog, or if I want to make another and just put in whatever I happen to write, or if I want to abandon it all. I’m really not too sure.
4. Journaling is hard work, I think. I like having my pieces kept in one place where they’ll be easy to find, but I have a hard time keeping them in this one place. I write whenever the feeling hits me and if I don’t have my journal on me I can’t write them down and it will bug me if they’re not all together. So I’m not really too sure if I want to upkeep my journal or just have a blog. Decisions, decisions.
5.
What’s your story: I brought in a package of Scrabble Slam, because there are tons of nights when my family and I would sit down and play for hours. Plus, I’m totally beast at this game. Even if I can’t spell. In fourth grade, we learned how to write our names in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Mine serves as a few different reasons; I am so proud of it, even if I made it when I was ten, and I love ancient history. I only own one picture of my family before my parents got divorced. Even though I can’t stand most of the people in the picture, it’s still important. Also, it helps me realize how much I’ve changed. My headphones are always with me. Music is a huge part of my life and I listen to it just about 24/7. Bring in my headphones was a given for me.
6. “I’m a princess.”
A little girl, dancing joyously through the grass. Brown eyes sparkling, hair flying during twirls.
“I can do it!”
Eleven years old, trying her best to find her way.
“School is hard.”
A middle school-er matched with a sparkly pink backpack, finding the first cruelties of the world.
“No one likes me.”
An eighth grader sobbing, begging her mom for help.
“I don’t have any friends.”
An almost-sophomore told to join a group with someone she gets along with.
“Maybe they’ll like me if I’m pretty.”
A senior in high school glaring at herself in the mirror wishing to change it all.
“No dinner, not hungry.”
A young adult, worrying her parents.
“I don’t need to eat.”
A twenty-year-old completely deaerating.
“I don’t care if I die. I need to be pretty.”
A doctor advising her to change, to be healthy again.
“I’m beautiful.”
A hole in the ground, a mother and father crying, and a weakened, peaceful face.
“I'll do anything to reach perfection.”
7. In the future I think I’ll stick to fiction. It’s my best writing-category, and I like writing on my own much more than I do for school. In school though I have to turn it in by a certain point, and I am horrible at finishing the work I do on my own, so there’s that. Writing creatively works for me, it lets me express my creativity and imagination without being judged for it. Writing what I want, when I want, has always been a thing to help me calm down.
8. For those reading this, do what you want. Don’t let others tell you how to write, what to or not to write, or who to write about it. Your writing is just that, yours. Don’t let other people make you regret or hate the things you’ve created.
9. This is an older couple holding hand. This is two childhood friends, who found love together, lived life together, and will one day die together
I love the wisdom and confidence in your answer to #8, Bethany, and I hope you continue to use writing as an outlet. You went above and beyond on pretty much everything we did throughout the semester and I really appreciate your spirit and willingness to put yourself out there. Thanks so much and best wishes to you...
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