"What I read, I may forget, but what I write, I remember."
I was crying.
Being a student had turned out to be more than I had expected—if not completely different.
You know that feeling that comes with "what I ordered versus what I got"?
I was overwhelmed and tired at the same time.
"This isn't what I signed up for!" I let myself say out loud—with a squeak at the last word.
The workload of assignments, studies, social life, family and spiritual life. Let's not even mention the fact that I no longer have a 'Me' time.
I fell into another round of wailing when I remembered my financial life.
It felt like I was in a maze of emotions and activities that are undone….
Have you ever had so much to do that you felt so overwhelmed and just sank into a morose like in the illustration above?
Sadly, you're not alone😢
This is what many students pass through that creates a cycle of feeling overwhelmed and leaving so much work undone, then feeling overwhelmed again…. So, on and on the cycle goes and we see students perform below potential.
One way to break this ever moving cycle is to develop the habit of writing things down—You read well🌝.
By writing, I don't just mean typing.
I mean the traditional way of writing things down on paper with pen.
You see, writing is one invaluable skill, that may have been looked down upon in present time owing to the advancement in technology.
However, whether or not we know it, writing has immeasurable benefits on our lives and academics as students.
What then is so special about writing?
Let's take a quick survey into its intricacies….
🖋️ First off, writing helps retain information more.
Remember the popular saying that "the faintest ink is better than the sharpest brain?"
Research has shown that the physical act of writing engages different parts of the brain compared to typing, leading to better retention of information.
So, whether it's taking notes during a lecture, making to-do lists, or summarizing key points, the act of writing enhances memory and consequently, learning.
🖋️Moreso, writing helps us break down complex thoughts and improves our comprehension. Hence, when we have complex ideas, patterns or tie-ups, writing becomes a roadmap for our minds, giving structure to our thoughts and making them more tenable.
🖋️Let's not forget that as students we are often faced with the challenge of presenting our thoughts before the examiner 'in writing' while in the examination hall. Hence, writing helps us communicate effectively.
🖋️Writing also gives us the opportunity for introspection and personal growth. With our lives journaled we are able to track our growth rate and have more guided and concentrated decisions.
🖋️Most importantly, writing serves as a therapeutic outlet.
Giving us a safe spot to express our emotions, process our thoughts and cope with stress is so much therapy (if you ask me)
Know that this has been my story for a while now. Currently, whenever I begin to feel overwhelmed, I just pick my pen and paper from across the table and write those overwhelming thoughts down.
The mere act of putting pen to paper can be transforming.
You should give it a try.😊
