The Art of Snail Mail
By El Weiss
If you love getting packages and mails as much as I do, pen paling is the perfect way to ensure a constant stream of fun mail (oh, and it also doesn’t rack up your credit card bill).
What is Snail Mail:
Texts ping across your screens in seconds, we get 100s of spam emails a day, and of course those annoying notifications that your ex-best friend posted on Instagram. We don’t allow ourselves to slow down and decompress from the overwhelming amount of notifications we get a day. What if I told you that there was a way to connect with your friends and disconnect from hours of screen time? The solution, my friend, is snail mail.
Imagine this, a colorful envelope adorned with stickers and your name delicately traced in cursive with goodies tucked inside. Snail mail, aka pen paling, is the art of sending handwritten letters to the recipient of your choice.
Now, let’s get into how you can jump onto the pen paling bandwagon!
Who With:
The options are endless! Have a friend going to college across the country? Keep in touch through letters! If no one is springing to mind, here are some ways to get a snail mail buddy.
★ Pen pal websites; websites such as Global Penfriends allow you to make the pen pal equivalent to a Tinder profile. You’re able to write down your interests and match with people all across the world.
★ Instagram; there are various Instagram accounts dedicated to helping people connect with other people who want to exchange letters!
★ TikTok; similarly to Instagram, you can find videos with the same goal of connection. Oh, plus it’s so Gut Instinct to forge connections. AKA, you’ll be soooo cool.
How:
As a mailroom employee at my college, I have witnessed first hand that people do not know how to address letters and packages. I’ll include a helpful diagram below. As for how snail mail itself works, someone will initiate the conversation by sending off the first letter. When it is received, you send a response and so forth. You’ll need to pick up some stamps. You can either order them online or go into your local post office (where you’ll be dropping off your letters). You can also put your ready to mail letters in your mailbox or drop them off at your college mailroom.
What to Include:
The most important thing to include in your letter is obviously the letter- extras are completely optional. However, some snail mailers also add little goodies. Personally, I include a list of questions, a playlist, and things like stickers, jewelry, magazine cutouts, and bows. If you’re feeling extra, you could make each other care packages or mixtapes!
In conclusion, I would like to urge you to go get creative and make or deepen friendships. Go foster your inner child through community and the joys of expression. And as always, follow your gut instinct.
