People say it all the time. Over an upcoming essay, debates over Math versus English, or just an overall declaration. “I hate writing.” That’s totally valid. Writing is hard. It’s complex, it’s annoying, and you have to sit down and just think. Writing is so broad, there are so many forms of expression that fit into one little label. Writing is so many things. But if you realize the potential of your writing, you’ll realize you already like it.

Writing is embarrassing. Putting your real thoughts down, being vulnerable is embarrassing. Having someone reread your words back to you is embarrassing. Especially if you feel like you’re doing it wrong. Writing isn’t really a casual pastime, and when your writing doesn’t match what’s in your head, it’s frustrating. It’s so much easier to push all of that aside and just say it’s not your thing. But here’s what changes everything.

You don’t have to share your writing with anyone. That’s the secret – it’s yours. No one has to see it, no one has to read it, no one has to know it exists. It frees you from every expectation. If no one knows your writing exists, “wrong” and “right” don’t matter, you literally can’t fail. You can misspell words, make up your own words, write gibberish sentences. You can write paragraphs that mean nothing, you can write three words and call it a masterpiece. Forget grammar mistakes, grammar doesn’t have to exist. It’s just you. Whether it’s in the margins of a notebook, on random scraps of paper or in your notes app, find somewhere to write that’s just for you. 

Writing is boring. No question about it. When you have to write about “the main theme throughout the chapter” or explain your answer to Part A using specific evidence, of course you dread it. No one wants to write mundane, tedious assignments. You read prompts like that and you’re automatically thinking of writing as work you have to do. When someone else is telling you what to write, when you’re writing for a grade, for a teacher’s approval, it’s not yours. But on your own, you write all the time. 

Think about the last time you ranted to a friend over text. Maybe you confessed something that’s been bothering you, or told a story about that weird thing that happened third period. Open your notes app. What have you written? Lists? Reminders? Maybe your own private thoughts? Chances are, you write on your own all the time. All of it counts. It’s your writing, and no matter the format, it was probably entertaining. Instagram captions, comments on someone’s post, scribbled writing in school textbooks and bathroom stalls. Waltham High kids have a lot to say, and more often than we think, we express it through writing. Thought experiments, random ideas, funny sayings, an idea you had that feels uniquely yours.