Imagine being able to express one’s thoughts on a piece of paper. It might take some work to figure out the right formation of words and phrases, but in the end it’s something that people tend to like doing. This is called writing. Whether it be on paper or on a computer, people enjoy tying sentences and phrases together to create something purposeful.

However, sometimes, especially during the school year, people have to handwrite things. We all know, that when writing for one’s own pleasure, you have a choice. In school, it’s preferred to handwrite all the short stories, essays, and notes. This is where a problem presents itself.

On a computer there’s no problem at all–but on paper, the writing community splits itself into two categories. Those with neat handwriting, and those with messy handwriting.

The writing community has, from the very little knowledge we gathered, been split for ages. And this is all because of the way people write their words. We as a society often see people with neat handwriting being praised, as people with messy handwriting being hassled for all the wrong reasons.

Yes, it may be funny to see the different combinations  of scribbles in replace of words on the piece of paper, but there is so little known about the deep hidden struggles that these people go through because of their handwriting.

People with illegible writing are often insecure about it, and it’s clear (unlike their handwriting) to see why.

Jalexie Urena, a freshman, states, “I usually never get chosen to draw or write titles on papers in group projects because they want it to look nice… I would do that too.”

People with messy handwriting are often the butts of jokes, like Dustin Brito, a sophomore at the iSchool. He flashed back to the Vietnam War when he “posted a picture on snapchat of this essay I was working on, and my friends made fun of me because of my handwriting…” It was all in good fun, but sometimes that isn’t the case for a lot of people.

However, it doesn’t even have to be the huge ordeals that bother them, even minor things can hurt one’s confidence. Christian Zogopoulos, a junior at the NYC iSchool, discusses his struggles, saying, “I feel very insecure at times when I’m asked to write and then give it to others, especially when they give it back to me and tell me they can’t even read it.”

While many are teased, this is sadly not the worst thing that occurs.

Our schooling system is still very keen on having students handwrite. It makes sense for schools to do this, but in the end it still leaves those with messy handwriting at the end of the stick. This is self evident in tests, where many have huge portions requiring handwritten work. An anonymous source states, “I was scared when I had to do the ELA state test… I tried so hard to make my handwriting clear that I ended up running out of time, then I started screeching for my life, as it was over then.”

Many students even have to slow down in order to even understand their own handwriting. Dylan Kilgore, a freshman at the iSchool states, “My handwriting is atrocious like barely even legible…When we have to write worksheets and take notes I have to take my time and try to make it neater…”

So how do people with messy handwriting save themselves?

Ms. Klimowicz, a teacher at the NYC iSchool says, “The handwriting of students tends to vary depending on the person themselves.”

The only true solution can be found within those with neat handwriting and teachers. So, when asked, Romello Hemphill a freshman at the iSchool, states, “When I was a kid I always wrote on paper and always practiced on my free time and I got better at it each time.” His advice to those less fortunate than him: “Should practice more on their free time and not play video games or whatever they do.”

Ms. Coleridge, a teacher at the NYC iSchool, agrees when she states, “Slow down take your time and practice.”

We all know that’s not happening. Jalexie Urena, says it herself, “I feel like some people are just born good writers. But to be a bad one and learn to become good seems like it would take a lot of work. Sometimes I feel like putting in effort to write nice, and other times it just seems like a waste of time.”

To those with messy handwriting: It’s inevitable. You just need to deal with it. It’s a sad and unfortunate truth, but that’s the way life is at times. But hey–at least we have computers.