going beyond the status quo

Being a journalism major, I would say I take writing pretty seriously. I enjoy any kind of writing, and it always seems to challenge me in one way or another. Of course I write for assignments, papers, extended responses, etc., but I think of writing as more than just meeting the requirement. Many people suggest writing your thoughts down when you are sad, confused, stressed, or even happy. This is the kind of writing that I believe truly signifies a real writer. I have all these random thoughts bouncing around in my head all the time but everything seems to become more clear when I begin to write them down. They may not even be fully formed ideas, but just the act of having a pen in my hand puts them into perspective and helps me make sense of the ideas that I thought I had a grasp on. I believe that a real writer goes beyond writing in the formulaic way that everyone learns throughout school. It is such a refreshing feeling to write what you true emotions and not stop to consider if it is "school appropriate". Writers write just to write; even if nothing comes to mind at first. Personally, I consider myself a writer but more importantly, I consider myself a thinker.