My first kiss was in sixth grade (Sorry mom, I know I told you it was two years later). It was behind Rollerama, a roller-skating rink, with a boy named Anthony. It occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. after my friend’s birthday party. I thought we were dating after that, but he sent his friends to break up with me on Monday.

In eighth grade, I was in love with former Iowa State basketball players Fred Hoiberg and Jacy Holloway. Jacy wore number 10, and is the reason I chose the same number all through high school. In our poetry unit in English class, I wrote poems about how I was going to be the next Mrs. Hoiberg. I will spare you the actual verses.

But why should you care about all this? Because each incident is carefully documented and safely tucked away in a journal, notebook or poetry book. I wrote about them. I wrote about everything. I wrote about anything, from things as simple as my brand new Gap leggings in fifth grade to more intense issues such as the internal changes and improvements I went through while studying abroad last summer.

Writing things down like how you are feeling, dreaming, performing, and acting seems simple and tedious when you actually do it, but you will never know the hidden benefits of doing so. Writing is like a time capsule, capturing exactly how you were at that exact moment on that exact day, and holding it forever. When you go back, look at it and examine it, you can see so clearly how much you have changed and grown.

This is exactly what I did over Thanksgiving break. I read all of my old journals, writings and stories. I realized I had revolutionized myself in terms of writing style, content and layout. But I also noticed that, without those pieces living history on paper, I wouldn’t have so much insight as to who I am today and where I have come from.

Writing has also offered me a type of therapy. My notebook used to act as a counselor, a place where I could let out all my problems so they wouldn’t seem so unbearable. Sometimes, when you are upset or angry, all you want to do is rant and rave. Some people yell and scream; I pick up a pen. I noticed some of my darkest moments produced my finest work. I didn’t need a therapist; I needed 20 minutes alone with a piece of paper and a Bic.

This is not a foreign concept. Although writing as a form of therapy has been around since ancient times, a model for research purposes was recently developed by James Pennebaker, professor of psychology at the University of Texas. According to an article on www.healthandage.com, Pennebaker’s research has found that engaging in certain writing exercises that emphasize expressing emotions can lead to improvements in physical and emotional health. The theory behind this is that the energy consumed in “holding in” traumatic experiences and emotional anguish can actually cause health problems such as asthma and decreased immune function, along with other emotional problems. If the energy isn’t spent “holding it in,” it can be used in more healthy ways.

Pennebaker also performed a study on people who were trying to cope with job loss during mid-life crises. He found people who journaled their feelings and experiences for 20 minutes five times a week during that time were more likely to be working again eight months later. He suggests these findings show that people who write down their feelings get rid of negative emotions faster and move on to more constructive actions more quickly.

Another study, which can be found at www.cancerdoc.com, was performed by a group of physicians on their asthma and arthritis patients. During a randomized trial, group members who wrote daily about their emotionally traumatic experiences while fighting the disease showed beyond expected improvement by the four-month mark, compared with those who did not write at all.

So what is the moral of this story? Get to writing! To get started, Professor Pennebaker suggests setting aside a certain time of day and place for writing every day, finding a comfortable place such as a favorite chair or pillow, putting on soothing music and relaxing.

He suggests letting the hand and pen guide you, and avoiding big words. Show, don’t tell, the story.

In conclusion, writing has been more than just word on paper to me. It has been my therapy for the last 21 years. The benefits of writing are boundless, and I encourage each and every one of you do find out what it is all about.