27/100: Writing quickly

[melluransa]

I love to take notes. It's just what I do. I take notes for all my classes while other people print out the powerpoint slides. For me, taking notes gets me actively involved. Instead of passively sitting there and looking, I'm actively writing, summarizing ideas, writing key points, and writing it down in a way that appeals to me visually.



I write extremely fast. My handwriting is not neat, but it is legible (to me, at least). Like I said for 18/100 (I think), I love ballpoint pens because of the speed they help me achieve. I write in a hybrid of print and cursive, and the pen pretty much never goes right-to-left. All my efforts are focused on making it go left-to-right. My hand never stops moving across the page.

I have other ways to enhance my high rate. I don't form the letters all the way, I don't add embellishments, I abbreviate a lot of words... and one I just realized today! Some of my symbols stand for more than one letter. I have a symbol that looks like a pointy bump (kind of like ^) that stands for r, m, and n. I have another that looks like a u and can stand for v, u, and w. Another is a weird l that stands for l and h. And I have one that looks like a cursive j that stands for y, z, g, and g. So I only ever have to write 18 of the 26 letters of the alphabet. That saves so much time.

I've realized that if someone were to design a personalized version of hell for me, they would make me write slowly. Writing slowly is T O R T U R E. I have to concentrate on the letters one by one, which makes me think in a way I don't think. It makes me think in almost stuttered segments and fragments, when I naturally think holistically about the "big picture".

Writing fast allows me to get the information down a zillion times faster, which I realize when the teacher says a bunch of information that's not on the slideshow, or directions to some assignment. Taking notes as s/he's talking, I'm done and ready. Other classmates ask s/he to repeat what they just said, so I sit there and wait for my classmates to catch up! XD Other classmates do bring laptops, which helps them get more active with the lecture. But with a computer comes distractions, as we know. And I don't think I could type for my notes, because typing doesn't have the personal touch like my writing does.

I also am intrigued at what a person's handwriting says about them. I once looked up a bunch of general ideas about handwriting (writing at a right slant=optimism, writing straight up=realism, writing with a left slant=emotional disconnect, all caps=managerial type, big loops=dreamer, small letters=intense, etc etc etc!!!) and looked at the handwriting of Tokio Hotel when they filled out worksheets about each other. I wonder what my writing says about me?

It may hurt my hand after a while, but writing is so important to me and it makes me happy! I love my handwriting. It's self-expression, and it's personal. It's mine! It's physical and tangible, because I can feel the indentations on the paper from writing, and it's on a physical piece of paper and not a computer file or computer keyboard. It's also neat that I'm so good at writing fast and taking notes, and I'm proud of that ability.

Here's what it looks like! After all I went on about it, it's not much to look at, huh.

Comments

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

Well, as long as one understands one own handwriting and enjoys it, I say it is win-win. :-)

I write quickest on a computer. Gets my thoughts down the easiest there. *grin*

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

It is win-win! Whatever works for you!

[zeph317toho.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool! You are the most adorable writing marshmallow ever! <3<3<3

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

Squee! I like your all caps lock writing. :D

[elizabeth21r.livejournal.com]

I love writing too! I once read an article about how beneficial it is, especially in our times when using a computer is the common thing to do. Helps writer's block too. The article mentioned that a common way of beating writer's block - or a step closer to it, at least - is by starting to handwrite at least three-four pages/day. I know I can no longer write fics unless it's on paper, and I know their value is non-existent, but I also follow the same tactic with notes or letters. I love writing letters - even if my handwriting is a bit difficult to follow... - and I just love writing in general. So I can totally see what you're talking about! I have to admit, I only managed to understand scattered words here and there on that paper. I haven't read actual handwritten stuff in soooo long.

[melluransa.livejournal.com]

Yes! It's the physical act of holding the pen and writing that is so beneficial! Along with helping writers block like you said, writing by hand also helps memory. You're more likely to remember what you wrote by hand than what you typed.

I love writing letters too! And it's really cute and unique that you write fics on paper! *hugs*