I have 76 published articles. I have 400 face art designs. I have 15 years on this website. I have a deep love and nostalgia for everything Whyville. To see the paper dying, is killing me.
Tonight I went to the Writing Hour meeting at Greek Theatre, and met with a few other writers and AMae. People had good ideas for articles, people were articulate and fun, and I believe once they get the pen to paper there will be some wonderful insight from these citizens.
But in the meantime, where is everyone? It's so quiet, almost dead. As if the greed of trading faceparts has consumed all souls. I can't find anyone I know, which in of itself is not surprising. We are all old; we are all in our 20s. Some of us are closer to 30 than we want to admit. But we're around. Sort of. Those who I did find, were all discussing value of faceparts.
I don't know what to do, how I can help. I want to submit articles, but I don't know what the people of Whyville are into these days. I think I will submit my design essays from weekly in class tests in Contemporary Theory lecture . . . but upon rereading them I wonder, who will care? Will my sharing of design knowledge influence other people to have opinions and write back? Would perhaps it be better if there was a way that we could all read the same readings and reply together? Can I submit my thoughts and links to the articles, and have no bearing on bias as you read the original material for the first time? It is a design problem, and I live for these now.
For years I sat silent, letting the kids of Whyville have space to express themselves. I thought it best to give room, and yet now I wonder if not the best would be to nurture and encourage. I love reading the Times, each week it is something I can use to distract myself from the toils of university and adult life. In so many ways, so much is still relatable. Especially those of you writing from the first couple years of university. I may be quite older, but I am only in my second year at a university proper now.
All I can do is beg you to write. Anything, everything. Submit school essays, write short stories, poems. Express yourself. Set out some time each week to think about an issue you find important, and write it down. Submit that. It doesn't have to be good, it doesn't have to be perfect. Each one you make will be an improvement from the last. Writing for the paper is something you can use to relax and unwind, while still improving research and analytics skills which you employ every day at school. It will help your grades, it will help your self esteem . . . Please, please keep writing.
-BP
