Why do we need writers?

Because: Writing can help yourself, others around you and the world at large.

That was the opening line of my first ever blog post on Youth Are Awesome – Why do we need writers?  Published on March 26, 2014, over two years ago, it marked the start of a long journey of being a writer for Youth Are Awesome. The idea that writing is a way of helping myself, those around me and the world at large has certainly come true in many ways. Now as I approach my final month of summer before I head off to university, I would like to take the time to reflect on my experiences with this blog. In other words, before I open a new and exciting chapter in my life, I want to appreciate and put a nice conclusion on this chapter of my life.

Life is a continuous journey of finding one’s self, the more you know about who you are, the more confident you are to proclaim: This is who I am and I’m proud of it. Only then will the insults and doubts fade away; from that shell emerges an individual of boundless potential.

– From Who Are You? How Can I Help You Find Out?

Helping Myself

I started writing for this blog when I was in Grade 10 and a lot has happened since then. Writing has been a way for me to document my journey as a young adult. But more so than just documenting my life, writing has actively helped me to develop my identity. Like all high school students, I was (and to a certain extent, still am) plagued with uncertainty about who I am and what I want in life. When faced with these feelings, I would put pen to paper and express how I was feeling at that time. It’s a cathartic experience, but it also allows me to organize my thoughts and make sense of it all. At the end of any article, I feel like I am one step closer to understanding myself.

Beyond the aspect of writing, Youth Are Awesome has allowed me to meet so many awesome youth (what an aptly named blogging platform). Seriously though, throughout my time on YAA, I have had the chance to connect with so many different people. In this process, I feel like I have broadened my worldview and network. I know some who have just finished their first year of university and others who are still trekking through high school. With diverse personalities and talents, I feel proud to be part of such a group. Writing can be a very isolated activity – just a person sitting alone, clacking away on their keyboard – but YAA provides a community aspect that I have enjoyed and grown from a lot.

Helping Others

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’m sure we’ve all heard this question before. How does it make you feel? It makes me feel uncomfortable and pressured to make a decision. It’s something that we may ask young children just for fun. You’re amused by their cute answers of: “I want to be a firefighter” or “I want to be an astronaut.” Yet, this question will continue to be posed as you grow up, until it reaches a point where people expect serious answers in return.

I have written about the often asked question of what do you want to be when they grow up, the desire to return to the simplicity of childhood, and what is the purpose of life? These are big topics. However, other youth have pondered these same topics that I have – whether they have expressed it publicly is a different matter. While I write these articles to help myself wrap my head around these issues, I also write with other youth in mind. I know that they have also worried about these things and I hope that they are able to relate to my writing:

“There are the moments when a particular sentence or passage touches you because it’s said in a way that you see yourself in those words. As a writer, that’s powerful to understand that our writing had an impact on someone else. After all, it’s magical how these lines and scribbles called writing can evoke feelings when combined properly.”

-From How Do Writers Feel When People Read Their Writing?

I feel like my writing has been able to help others. The example that always comes to mind is my article about depression. The process of writing A Message About Depression was different from all of my articles up to that point. As someone who has never had clinical depression, but had friends who had, I really wanted to tackle this topic and gain a better understanding of it.

I spent many hours doing research, but a key moment was when I decided to have a long talk with my friends about their experience with depression. Their insights made their way into my article, but it also allowed me to understand them on a deeper level. By the end of the article, I probably spent upwards of 20 hours researching, writing and compiling resources. It was difficult because I invested myself so much time and emotion into it, but to date, it is the one of the articles I’m most proud of.

Depression is a topic that is often stigmatized and I was glad to play a small part in breaking the misconceptions around this condition. After the post was published, I vividly remember my friends telling me about how much it meant to them that they got to take part in the creation of the article. Their personal experiences were now able to help others and I acted as a catalyst for that. Writing has been able to impact those close to me, but I’ve found that has also left a mark on the greater community.

Helping the World at Large

Homelessness.

My perspective on this social issue continues to change and broaden as time goes on. I feel like for a long time, I’ve been close-minded about it and to some extent, this still holds true today. That’s why I’m writing this post, to better educate myself and to inform readers about the complexities that surround this topic. The hope is that the more we know, the more understanding and empathetic we can be.

From What Is Homelessness? Part 1 – The Drop-In Center

While I am a writer for YAA, I am also an active volunteer around the city. These two passions overlapped and led to me writing an article about The Drop-In Center (DI), a homeless shelter in Calgary. When I went to volunteer that day, I helped to prepare bagged lunches that the residents would take with them during their day. Afterwards, we were given a tour by a DI staff of the whole building, top to bottom. Even though I have passed the building countless times, I never truly appreciated all the work that is being done there each and every day. Each floor of the building provided a different service and I highlighted my entire journey in my article.

What surprised me the most about this article was the response that it got. At the time of writing, I didn’t think it was anything special – I just wanted to share my experience volunteering there and my newfound perspective on the topic of homelessness. However, shortly after the article was published, multiple staff from the DI contacted me and we chatted about my article. Feedback was positive and they were glad that someone talked about all of the work that they did. It was the first time that I really felt like my writing impacted the greater community. It’s a great feeling that I hope to experience again someday.

Endings Are New Beginnings

Time passes. Things change. Life goes on.

My time with Youth Are Awesome has been a big part of my life for the past while. I appreciate all of the experiences I have had and I am not too sad to be leaving the program. After all, endings are just new beginnings. University will be the next big chapter in my life, filled with its own challenges and opportunities for me to grow as a person. One day, this will just be a distant memory, because life goes on. Nothing is permanent. I started in 2014, but this blog has been running since June 2009. Many bloggers have come and gone and now it’s my turn. I hope that new writers continue to find their voice on this platform and discover what writing means to them. Why do we need writers? Because writing can help yourself, others around you and the world at large.