You should be writing

I’ve been the editor of the opinion pages for almost two years, and I’ve written plenty of articles. I don’t like to brag, but I’ve also won a few awards. Some of my articles were well-written and thought-provoking, and some were flat-out garbage. That’s fine, however, because even the best major-league hitter has struck out at least once in his career.

I feel like I know how to write, but I’m learning quickly this semester that it was a poor choice to wait until my Senior year to enroll in a composition course. That’s my mistake, certainly, and I feel completely lost; like I’ve somehow scammed my way through three years of college before finally being caught.

But I want to tell you a little secret: I hate writing. I hate writing just about as much as any college student, if not more. I hold no illusions about writing as “a creative outlet,” most people I’ve met will hide behind that statement as a pretense for why they’re wasting time. I certainly don’t write for the money; most writers make peanuts, and I doubt I’ll ever have the discipline or skill to make a living from it.  I’m not even that good at writing, and I’m too lazy to improve.

There is a mentality that you should “find your passion and pursue it mercilessly,” and I think that serves a lot of people well, and it helps them live satisfying and productive lives. I also think it’s horse-apples.  There are plenty of things that negate that logic.

My mentality is to find things that I’m terrible at; things that I hate doing. I stick to the task until I’ve conquered it, or at least until I have a functional mastery. It just so happens that writing was the first thing that came along. Friends and family told me “I have a knack for.” I disagree, but I’m stuck doing it for now.

So what difference does this make for you; what am I trying to get at? I believe with everything that I am: You should be writing, especially if you are as terrible at it as I am.

Writing is a way to let things go. When I have an issue with my life, I write my way through it. I read back through page after page of what I think is garbage, and I feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually. I can sort through the thoughts I have captured in print and  then rationalize how and why I’m feeling that way.  It’s cheaper than therapy and it has a secondary effect; it is useful practice to get me through the rest of college.

Employers look for people who know how to write cleanly and concisely; two things that I’m horrible at, but you don’t have to be.

You should start a blog or keep a journal. Write to your grandparents or distant relatives who don’t have Facebook. Write love letters to your significant other or to random fictional characters.

And most importantly: write a letter to the editor when you read something that you agree or disagree with. Even if it’s awful, it’s probably better than this. —Letters can be sent to [email protected]