I have been at college for three weeks now, which makes this the perfect time to pause and reflect about what I’ve learned and experienced so far. It’s a topic large enough to fill an encyclopedia, but since this is a writing and science fiction blog, I’ll try to stick to those themes. I hope this post is helpful to other high school students wondering what writing in college will be like – if not, it will at least serve to distract me from my homework for a while.
The main difference between college and high school with regards to writing (or anything else, really) is that the possibilities in college are endless and undefined. You can do anything you want (within the law), and often there will be people eager to help and support you. In my second week at Stanford, for example, I became involved with helping to produce a musical that was written by a student and might tour at colleges across the country later this year. On the other hand, it’s up to you to think up your own fantastic and potentially world-changing (or at least amusing) projects. If your vision is limited, your opportunities will be, too.
When you arrive at college, chances are there won’t be a writing club that perfectly matches your specific area of interest and comfort level. Of course, you can always start one – see the paragraph above – but you should also be open to trying new things. This week, I tried out for a spoken word group (or performance poetry, as I know it). I don’t typically write poetry, and the thought of reading my newly-crafted work in front of strangers made me feel slightly ill, but I thought it would be a fun experience. Anything that allows you to continue to develop your writing, especially if it involves other people interested in doing the same, is a good thing.
One of my main concerns before I arrived at college was that I would have so much homework that there would be no time left to write. It’s still early, but that hasn’t been the case so far. I might even – dare I say it? – have less homework than I did in high school. I am more tired overall – probably because I have to bike everywhere – but I feel fairly confident that I will have plenty of room for writing as long as I manage my time properly.
I’m still at the beginning of this journey, and I know I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the possibilities (and pitfalls) that exist around me. I’ll try to keep you updated as my perspective grows and changes. (That’s why this is just part 1!)
I have been at college for three weeks now, which makes this the perfect time to pause and reflect about what I’ve learned and experienced so far. It’s a topic large enough to fill an encyclopedia, but since this is a writing and science fiction blog, I’ll try to stick to those themes. I hope this post is helpful to other high school students wondering what writing in college will be like – if not, it will at least serve to distract me from my homework for a while.
The main difference between college and high school with regards to writing (or anything else, really) is that the possibilities in college are endless and undefined. You can do anything you want (within the law), and often there will be people eager to help and support you. In my second week at Stanford, for example, I became involved with helping to produce a musical that was written by a student and might tour at colleges across the country later this year. On the other hand, it’s up to you to think up your own fantastic and potentially world-changing (or at least amusing) projects. If your vision is limited, your opportunities will be, too.
When you arrive at college, chances are there won’t be a writing club that perfectly matches your specific area of interest and comfort level. Of course, you can always start one – see the paragraph above – but you should also be open to trying new things. This week, I tried out for a spoken word group (or performance poetry, as I know it). I don’t typically write poetry, and the thought of reading my newly-crafted work in front of strangers made me feel slightly ill, but I thought it would be a fun experience. Anything that allows you to continue to develop your writing, especially if it involves other people interested in doing the same, is a good thing.
One of my main concerns before I arrived at college was that I would have so much homework that there would be no time left to write. It’s still early, but that hasn’t been the case so far. I might even – dare I say it? – have less homework than I did in high school. I am more tired overall – probably because I have to bike everywhere – but I feel fairly confident that I will have plenty of room for writing as long as I manage my time properly.
I’m still at the beginning of this journey, and I know I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the possibilities (and pitfalls) that exist around me. I’ll try to keep you updated as my perspective grows and changes.
