Writing is something you have to make time for. I know this. What I didn’t know is how easy it is to make time for writing when you’re doing things like homework and laundry all the time…it’s much harder to make time in between traveling, eating out, and sightseeing.
During the five weeks I was in Oxford, I journaled every day. I made a conscious decision to do this, and it often involved writing late at night or on bumpy trains and buses. And I did this because I knew that otherwise, I wasn’t going to write everyday. The material was there, but honestly there wasn’t always time.
There were a few (amazing) moments when I was able to just sit down and write in the middle of a beautiful or inspiring location, and I doubt that the work produced then could ever be rivaled. But, when I wasn’t able to do that, I was glad that at least I would have my journal to look back on. It contains my thoughts, feelings, and a very subjective account of the days’ events.
The one productive thing I did was buy a notebook with the intention of only writing stories in it. Stories based on places, situations – things I had experienced during my travels. It was a challenge, but definitely a fun one. I’ve written in it a few times since I’ve gotten home, but my best experience with it was a lovely writing-filled day in Edinburgh.
A few of us passed up the offers to go sightseeing, instead deciding to spend our time enjoying nature’s inspiration. We hiked in Holyrood Park and then sat for about an hour, just taking in the beautiful sights and writing. One of my friends even pulled out watercolors and painted the scene in front of us. It really was a testament to just how easy it is to be creative when you have so much material to work with, and I’m looking forward to seeing how inspired I can be when I have just my journal and memories to take me back to those amazing places.