The Value of Writing

To wrap up the semester, I usually ask my students to write in response to a handful of self-reflective questions and then share aloud. Today, I asked my Composition I students to respond instead in essay form to this question:

What is the value of writing and how do you feel better prepared as a writer because of this course?

Their responses are invigorating, insightful, and literally bring tears to my eyes and give me hope for the future:

• In today's high tech and modern society, it seems that the written word is a lost art. Something that used to be highly valued a little more than a century ago is now something that is taken for granted.
• Writing is very important not only in education, but also in many other fields. According to me, the main purpose in writing is that we learn, explore new ideas, and think very critically.
• Anyone can learn to write well if they practice enough. All it requires is knowing the basics and applying yourself. Sometimes it can be disheartening seeing all of your mistakes pointed out in editing, but this is what helped me overall. It's not an overnight process, but now I have confidence when I write as opposed to just throwing words on a paper.
• I can now begin to really understand writing papers and expressing myself through writing. Writing is thinking.
• I believe teachers are doing their jobs in molding our minds to think about things we've never thought about before and broaden our horizons to be more educated adults... This class has opened my eyes to a new world of writing. It's made me think there's way more to it than just scribbling on paper.
• I believe that the purpose of writing is to convey your thoughts, ideas, and perspectives on the world and specific subjects. With the written word, you can express any emotion whether positive, negative, or neutral. You can provide a view, no matter how farfetched or logical. With text, you can do whatever you want; it's the ultimate freedom... The true beauty of writing though is that is can be shared, and with that sharing comes new ideas, new perspectives, more knowledge, and a greater understanding of people and the world.
• One thing I've learned in this class is that I've been given the chance to write about things that maybe I didn't have the courage to  say before. I have learned to make what I write meaningful. Writing is not just a boring obligation for me anymore. Now it is a way I can express myself like I never have before.
• There is no escaping writing; it is everywhere, but instead, you can find the value and purpose of it. Writing is an art. It is giving yourself a voice. Writing is fearless. It is a way of communicating. Writing is so much bigger than people believe. It is so much bigger than I used to believe.