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Poetry is beautiful! Be it a life-changing dilemma or the perfect view of a lovely sunset, writing a few lines has the power to set you free.
In today’s time, we find ourselves surrounded by a lot of stimulation; especially as students who are aspiring to be future leaders. From catching up on notes from the last ECON lecture to contemplating whether partying on Friday is a good idea; to scrolling through those Instagram reels and picking up another shift at work; to wondering why Jack didn’t respond and imagining what Mom must be doing right now at 8 a.m. in India; to thinking what made Jane say that I’m not good enough to be on the bleachers; to playing ‘The List by Maisie Peters’ on REPEAT on Spotify over and over and over again, it can be a little overwhelming for our minds to get rid of such incessant thoughts. According to Exploring your Mind, “our brains consume 20% of the energy and oxygen used by the body’. It’s amazing, isn’t it? While it’s not always possible to have someone to talk to, writing it down is always an option. Making a few meaningless rhymes to let it all go and free yourself from running in circles in the loop of your thoughts is never a bad choice!
Writing poems has always been an intriguing way for me to put my thoughts down. It has helped me come to terms with the situation and figure out a way with calm poise. It continues to be a creative way for me to translate my sadness, anger, worry, questions, doubts, feelings and every other emotion into a piece of art that helps me organize my thoughts as I scrimmage through them. While writing poems and creating poetry is a talent, it is not necessarily difficult to come up with a few meaningless rhymes to have a crack about why Scotiabank didn’t hire you as an Investment Banking Intern (yes, I was rejected) or why eating that croissant was not helpful in your last defeat against Fatboyz FC (yes, we lost the game 2-0). The idea is not to publish an excerpt worthy of challenging ‘The Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth but to let go of a thought that has been on your mind for a considerable amount of time. Write it down, set yourself free and be happy!
You must be wondering; it all makes sense but how do I get started?
Here are four steps anyone can take to start putting their thoughts down in the form of short poems and poetries.
One – Calm down
Try not to think about anything for a second and take a deeeeeep breath. It’s alright! In moments of extreme stimulation or fear, our minds run into a fight/flight mode. We either tend to run away from the problem or fight it without any second thoughts. Try to figure out what it is that is making you overwhelmed. Maybe it is working two jobs while taking a full course load. Maybe it is hitting the gym twice a day without helping yourself with healthy, nutritious meals or perhaps it is about a person you cannot stop thinking about. Whatever it is, find a place where you can give yourself a moment of silence and calm down.
Two – Find something to write on
Once you have given yourself the chance to slow down, try to find something to put your thoughts down. It can be a blank sheet of paper, maybe a notebook, a Notes app on your phone or even your laptop . Find a medium to translate the sparking energy of your thoughts into words that can flow out of your brain and help depart your train of thoughts. The key here is to continue that moment of silence (put your phone/laptop on airplane mode) and get started on processing your thoughts.
Three – Think like a kid!
Now that you are in a state of nirvana (or maybe not if you just checked your phone on the beep notification sound), try to find something funny about the problem or situation you are facing. Maybe the name of the supervisor you despise working with reminds you of a funny character from ‘The Simpsons’. Maybe sprinting down 109 street to get some free ice cream was very heroic and it made you feel like Chris Evans, even though you are now sitting with a swollen ankle. Maybe you just have enough savings to pay the bills and it feels like the beginning of your biopic that will be released in 2030. Find humour in your discomfort and laugh like a kid!
Four – Let it all go!
Finally, start writing. You have now lightened your mood and it is the best time to let it all go. The end result of your work might be a sad poem or it can also be a cheerful rhyme. Whatever you write, translate your thoughts into a poem and make a few meaningless rhymes. Write freely and without any obligations. Play with words. Try and rhyme the lines. Google “rhyming words for glow, bro, slow or trough.” Make it fun. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be as silly as:
“She is simple and sweet
A little shy without any greed
Dances on her own beats and worries incessantly”
(This is an excerpt from one of my poems. I wrote this in a text reply to a close friend who was worrying about her assignments. I wanted to help her and was thinking about ways to support her.)
Once you have put your thoughts down, reflect on your feelings. Does it feel better now? It is relieving, right? As The Minimalists say, “It is not worth it if the cost of your sentiment is your sanity”. While walking down in the halls of Tory Atrium, a cup of coffee in one hand and a cell phone in the other, we try our best to find ways to untangle the nets of complications and incessant worries that continue to affect us while we drudge through the drudgery of living a so-called “perfect student life.”
Why not take a break and make a few meaningless rhymes?
Have a laugh and save our worries for some other time?
Believe me, it is easy and freeing at the same time!
