The Smell of Pencil Shavings

One of my favorite scents is the smell of pencil shavings. Another scent that I love is the smell of old books in used bookstores. It’s a shame many of these scents are disappearing because we opt for electronic devices over traditional pen and paper.

If I could change one thing about modern society, I think I would make handwritten letters popular again.

Yes, I do realize that there is lots of waste that comes from paper and pen or pencils, but I feel like there are so many more ways to reduce waste.

Using traditional paper to read and write is so meaningful. When I’m at work, I see many students used to studying or reading on a tablet rather than a real book. When they’re doing an writing activity on paper, their hands get tired quickly, and over the years it seems like their handwriting is getting worse and worse.

I mean there are tons of studies explaining the advantages of reading an actual book rather than an e-book. It improves brain power, increases focus, and it’s even much better for eyesight. There are so many benefits of using handwriting as opposed to typing as well. But still, many children are exposed to keyboards far too early.

Educational and developmental benefits aside, I just miss the sincerity and dedication people put in manual writing. I especially miss this in letters. I feel like everyone has a box filled with letters from their life, but as time goes by it gets harder and harder to fill.

When I was dating in my teens, it was so common to write letters to each other. Picking the perfect stationery paper and choosing the perfect pen color to go with it was part of the whole process. You would get all giddy and excited on the way to the store, and so emotional and sentimental while writing the actual letter.

Receiving a letter was an even more precious experience. Because you know how much thought goes into a letter, when you get one for yourself you feel so loved.

I know that people still write each other thoughtful letters. But I wish it was much more common. I miss the days when emojis weren’t such a common way to convey feelings. I miss the days when you wanted to make a sincere apology, you would write an I’m sorry note instead of a lengthy text message.

Maybe that’s why I started writing here. Because I needed an outlet to get my thoughts out and a platform to keep me consistent. I also started a journal with my friends, where each person keeps it and writes in it for an amount of time, before giving it to the next person. It’s nice to read the handwriting of close friends.

A thought that passes my mind as I finish the last paragraph is, that perhaps what I need to change is myself. It’s easier to change my ways than the way of the world. Maybe I need to find what I want to change in my habits, rather than waiting for the world to change.