As time goes by, it seems like there is less and less of a need to write things down by hand. Letters are no longer necessary when you can easily text or email someone. Things you need to remember can be put in your Reminders or Notes apps. There are even apps made for you to keep a journal. We live in a digital age, and writing just isn’t the all-important skill it once was.
Still, some people still prefer to write things down by hand. While this might seem terribly inconvenient to people who would rather type everything out, it has its benefits. A study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience noted that “handwriting on paper is more effective for learning than typing on a keyboard.” It can be tempting to save time by just typing everything out, but people who prefer to write possess some rare traits, according to education news nonprofit The 74 Million.
People who still write everything down by hand usually have these 4 increasingly rare traits:
1. They have a strong memory
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When you were in school, did you ever notice that you remembered information you were learning better when you took handwritten notes on it? There’s a reason for that. According to a study published in the journal Life, writing by hand involves “more extensive neural engagement” than typing. It also turns on parts of the brain that are responsible for episodic memory and encoding.
Researchers said, “The effortful nature of handwriting, which requires the formation of each letter and the integration of visual, motor, and cognitive processes, enhances the brain’s ability to retain information over the long term.” By writing something down by hand, you are literally committing it to memory and encoding it in your brain. It’s much more powerful than typing something out.
2. They are fast learners
The educational experts at The 74 Million noted “that the physical act of forming letters … accelerates learning.” Pamela Rutledge, PhD, MBA, the Director of the Media Psychology Research Center at Fielding Graduate University, agreed that writing “increases brain connectivity.” This means that writing by hand can help your brain function better.
Part of why writing things down helps people to learn more quickly comes from the very nature of the act. Marieke Longcamp, a cognitive neuroscientist at Aix-Marseille Université, said, “Handwriting is probably among the most complex motor skills that the brain is capable of.” Writing keeps your brain firing on all cylinders and helps you to truly take in information, making learning an easier process.
3. They are confident
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Pretty much every aspect of life involves writing in some form. Even if reading and writing weren’t your thing in school, there’s a good chance you do them regularly now for your job. Since everyone has to write in some way, it’s important for people to feel confident doing so. Of course, this comes as someone writes more frequently.
Educational development company Learning Without Tears put it this way: “Handwriting isn’t just about neatness or legibility; it’s about developing a sense of achievement, fostering independence, and building self-esteem. As children learn to form letters, they gain more than just a new skill. They develop persistence, patience, and the satisfaction of seeing their hard work come to life on the page.”
This isn’t just true for children. Being able to write effectively is a boost for anyone at any age. One example The 74 Million offered was how learning to write in cursive can help those with dyslexia or dysgraphia in a “transformative” way. Writing is so deeply ingrained in our culture that knowing you can do so is sure to make you feel more confident.
4. They have improved cognitive skills
According to the American Psychological Association, these are “the skills involved in performing the tasks associated with perception, learning, memory, understanding, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intuition, and language.” Cognitive skills basically encompass all of the processes the brain carries out. It’s easy to see why improving them would give someone a major advantage.
Rutledge said that handwriting is considered a “cognitive activity.” Furthermore, studies show that brain imaging has proven that writing things by hand “can enhance brain structure and function and may enhance cognitive reserves.” Your entire brain is strengthened when you write things down by hand, and you benefit from stronger cognitive skills because of it.
In a world that’s full of instant gratification and easily finding every answer you could ever need, things like a strong memory and cognitive skills aren’t really valued like they once were. These traits are becoming increasingly rare as people feel they are less important and they have fewer chances to flex those muscles. However, these things are still treasured by many, and choosing to write everything down by hand can help you develop them in your own life.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
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