Snail mail and pen-pals seem to be a lost art in our digital age. However, sending letter is a great way to get creative and make new friends from across the country or even across the world. Through pen-paling, you can learn so many new things about new people and places! So, how do you start?
HOW TO FIND A PEN-PAL:
There are a few ways to find a pen-pal over the internet. My go-to has been findteenpenpals.com for a number of reasons. This site categorizes eligable pen-pals by age, country, or interests. This is the easiest way to find a pen-pal in my opinion. You can submit an "ad" for yourself, including your name, age, interests, your perfect pen-pal, and a photo of yourself. People who are interested in the same things can send you a message or you can scroll though others "ads" to find someone you might like to exchange letters with. I have found many pen-pals through this website, one of which I have been exchanging with for two years!
Another way to find a pen-pal is through Twitter or Instagram. Through a hashtag like #penpalswanted you can find a few people looking for someone to exchange with. There is a large community of k-pop fans on both of these apps who exchange snail mail. I have a new pen-pal who I love receiving letters from because we have different bias groups! It's fun to have a pen-pal with different interests, because It is a chance to learn about something new; I teach my pen-pal about VIXX and Day 6, and she tells me all about BTS.
If you don't trust finding a pen-pal online, there is a chance your school has a language club who may do a pen-pal project (or start a club and a pen-pal project!!). My college has a Japanese club that is planning on exchanging letters with our sister school in Japan. This is a really great opportunity for someone who likes traveling or learning about new places and cultures!
SUPPLIES YOU'LL NEED:
You can make your letter extremely simple or super extravagant. Your basic supplies include a pen, a paper, and an envelope. Your pen-pal shouldn't expect an overly exciting letter full of colorful tape and shiny stickers. You can write the most mundane letter in the world and it will still be fun to receive. However, a bright, enthusiastic letter is always amazing to open. To create a fun letter you might want to use the following:
- Memo pads
- Washi tape
- Stickers
- Doilies
- Cute letter sets
- Scrapbook paper
WHAT TO INCLUDE:
The obvious thing to include is a letter. This letter could say anything, but a good place to start is an introduction. Tell them where your from and what it's like there, what you like to do for fun, what your favorite things are, about your family or pets. As you continue to exchange letters, you can tell them about your day almost like a diary entry, about new shows you have watched, or movies you've seen recently, you can tell the anything you see fit!
In addition to a letter, you can include a sheet of questions. These can be basic questions like "coffee or tea?" or they can be serious questions like "what is the meaning of you life?" just make sure you don't forget to answer their questions! Playlists are always a great idea for a pen-pal letter. Include 5 or so of your favorite songs at the moment, or make up a themed list like "rainy day tunes" that you think your pen-pal will enjoy. If music isn't your common interest, you can make a list of any recommendations: books, movies, restaurants, etc.
My favorite part of a snail-mail letter are the little extras you can include. These are just little things your pen-pal might like. These are definitely not necessary but it makes everything a lot more fun:
- Stickers
- Washi tape samples
- Memo pads
- Polaroids or photocards
- Stationary
- Tea
- Face masks
- Key chains or jewelry
- Artwork
You can buy a lot of these cute extras for super cheap. Try Aliexpress, Wish, or Ebay if you're shopping online, or try the dollar store, Target, or michaels (with coupons!) if you actually want to go shopping in person.
HAVE FUN!
Sending letters is really a lot of fun. Try picking a theme for your letter, like Harry Potter or a color theme like all yellow. Remember that handmaid is always more heartfelt! And most importantly enjoy yourself!
I hope you can find your perfect pen-pal match!
Indiana Grace
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