Jessica Hoffart, Peer Consultant

 

On days when it’s beautiful and I want to get out of the house, I go on drives just so that I can try to get lost.
 

My purpose is to find new places and wander, but first I have to be willing to let go of trying to control the path I take. This is not always easy, and at points I get scared. I worry that I might not find my way back, but through this process I am always learning. My favorite part of the writing process is free writing or stream of consciousness writing because those parts are like going on a drive. I have a blank page, or an open road, and in the end I am going to discover something new.

In high school I worked for my school’s newspaper as a writer and editor. Around that same time I also got into writing creatively and started writing short stories and poetry. With this as my background, I have been able to discover my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. What I discovered back then is that I thrive at creating big-picture ideas and struggle with the smaller details. 

 

Five years later, as I enter my senior year in the IAS program with an emphasis on Culture, Literature and the Arts, I have come to realize those discoveries are still relevant. When it comes to writing I’ve had to admit to myself that there are no concrete ends to the roads I wander. I am always finding new areas to work on and often find myself at dead ends, but that doesn’t keep me from pressing on.

 

Of course, I haven’t become a better writer all on my own. The reason I have been able to gain perspective is through having others help me. My teachers and peers give me feedback and I am able to learn more through that process. I hope now that I will be able to do that for others while working here at the Writing Center.

 

"My purpose is to find new places and wander, but first I have to be willing to let go of trying to control the path I take..."