Kicking off!

Suppp!!

Wow... Here we are! First blog post on our website! Starting a project like this is intimidating, but what has given me excitement through this process is knowing that I have very little to lose, and everyone who joins us has everything to gain. Snail Mail is one of those mediums that can translate to every personality type, I think. As a total extroverted introvert, I feel I have a right to make that claim. For the extroverts, we have the excitement of making a new friend, and for the introverts, we have the independence to communicate on our own terms. For me personally, I'm a terrible texter, but am constantly journalling. This hobby combines the joy I get from journalling to the joy I get from making new friends.

I also think there's something to be said about having a friend who is separate from everything happening in your real life. That sort of relationship is one of the reasons why I think therapy is so important. And no- your pen pal should not be your therapist by any means. But that said, there's no consequences: it's someone to listen to you without bias toward any side of any of the situations you may find yourself in. They can become a true ally to the circumstances of your life, and vice versa. It is an incredibly unique experience.

I am so thrilled to be getting this project off the ground. It feels surreal! I think it's particularly startling for me because I spent so many years confining myself to my area of study. When I would have ideas about my other hobbies, I'd kind of force myself to put it on the back burner to prioritize things that would help me professionally down the road. While doing that is still important, I'm 20. As I get older, the opportunity to do things like this and start initiatives will waver even further. And that's a large part as to why I branded this project with my school: I want it to be something that is a part of our student community. For it to be a way we can reach out into the broader world while staying in our isolated city in central New York. We shouldn't have to leave campus to broaden our worldview at a top tier private university. Even so, this is why it is equally important to have non-SU students in the project! I'm just so excited to start pairing everyone up. Here we goooo!

-Tess <3