Time is such a curious thing.
So often it can feel at once like something happened just yesterday but also a lifetime ago.
When I realised it was 10 years since I posted my first blog I couldn’t believe it.
I’ve done a lot in the last decade and yet I am surprised that it was really that long ago that I was embarking on my student exchange.
Time may be a thief, but it does not lie.
A little over a decade ago, my then lecturer Tom Phillips asked me if I’d like to write a blog about my student exchange in England.
At the time I didn’t mind writing and I figured it would be a great way to commemorate such an exciting time in my life.
I had no idea that this seemingly insignificant decision would spark a love affair of writing.
I won’t lie, writing is something that has always come relatively easy to me. I was fortunate to get some excellent guidance as a 12 year old by my then primary school teacher, Mrs Bellingham (who I got to thank in person almost a year ago for the gift she gave me, 18 years after being her student). Her tutelage laid the foundation for success in my writing throughout my secondary and tertiary education. But I’d never thought about doing it outside of school.
And then Tom gave me a reason to.
Over the last decade I’ve blogged on and off. My reasons for that are well documented. While I’ve sometimes lacked confidence in my “why” for writing, I’ve never regretted a single blog post or piece that I’ve written.
My blogs over the years now serve as the perfect souvenirs of so much of my life. They allow me to take a walk down memory lane whenever I want to, transporting me immediately back to that moment in time.
That is the very reason I continue to blog.
The last ten years seem to have gone by in a flash and yet when I revisit these pieces of writing I realise that it really hasn’t. I am reminded of how much living I have done in a decade. How many wonderful people I’ve met, the extraordinary places I’ve been, the fun things I’ve done. Occasionally, I’m also reminded of thoughts I’ve had and been brave enough to share with my small audience.
There is also a whole host of writing that sits on my laptop unpublished. Much of this content is made up of thoughts or opinions that I’m not quite brave enough to share. Some of it may see the light of day, much of it probably won’t.
This creative outlet that is my hobby has given me so much. It’s given me memories, it’s given me purpose, it’s given me a reason to do something with my time that isn’t mindlessly scrolling. Above all, it has given me connection with people.
Each post I publish results in me connecting with at least one person, and that is my favourite part about sharing my writing. I love to hear the opinions of others, to hear of similar experiences, or even to hear that they simply enjoyed what I’ve written.
“Blogging” is not the done thing anymore like it was a decade ago as short form video content on TikTok and Instagram is what captures the attention of most these days. But us humans have been writing in some form or another for literally thousands of years and it is what I love to do. The written word, in my opinion, is endlessly special and oh so timeless, and I will continue to do it with no end in sight.
Thank you to Mrs Bellingham. Thank you to Tom. And thank you to you, dear reader, for choosing to spend a small portion of your day reading my words.
That’s all for now,
Jordyn
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” – Anas Nin
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