As I was walking out of my midterm Monday night and headed toward the dining hall to catch dinner before it closed, I checked my phone and saw an incoming call from my aunt. Since my aunt and I periodically kept in touch via Facebook messenger, I was surprised to see her calling me.

“Hello?” I said hesitantly, after picking up the call.

“How come I haven’t seen any of your article things recently?” she asked, laughing on the phone. “I always look forward to those!”

I joined in the laughter and talked about my overcommitted schedule (classic college student) and how I was writing less often. As we continued the conversation, my aunt said she had called to ask about my writings as she was interested in beginning some of her own.

Many people have told me about how they like my articles because they can relate to them or they enjoy the personal stories. My friends take pride when they are feature in my articles, some dedicated to reading every one I publish.

While writing is a passion for some and a nuisance for others, everyone has a story to tell. Writing articles has made me more observant of my conversation with my friends and family, forcing me to view a situation from multiple perspectives.

This probably is somewhat Inception-esque, writing an article about writing, but what I’m trying to say is it doesn’t take publishing your thoughts and stories online to make you a writer. Everyone has unique experiences and personal opinions, and it’s important to document these ideas. The act of writing will make you a better listener, observer, and thinker. A simple side comment from a friend can become a thought provoking discussion, or you find greater meeting behind a causal remark.

Whether it be a journal entry, a blog, an article, or a journal publication, I encourage everyone to write. You never know what you will learn about others, or even yourself.