Why I Decided to Start Writing
I’m not a writer by nature. Veering away from the humanities, I feel much more in touch with professional labels such as “Data Scientist” and “Entrepreneur”. Or perhaps, I relate to my impassioned love for baseball and its analytics, the dazzling world of fashion, or my ever-constant choice of Queen at karaoke.
So why did I start writing?
This January, I started my 18-month service in the South Korean army. As of the day I’m writing this sentence, that puts me roughly 30% of the way through… and a lot of time to reflect.
Time is, quite literally, our single most invaluable asset. No matter what, we possess a limited amount of it. And for the long 18 months I’m obliged to spend within my infantry barracks, it could very easily slip by. By the end of my service, I’ll likely return to university and continue pursuing my career ambitions, like nothing had happened.
Knowing that, I want to take time, while I have it, to share personal memoirs and reflections, various opinions and worldviews, and my ideas of — and progress towards — what tomorrow holds. Writing allows me to capture who I was in the past, how I think today, and who I aspire to be in the future within the pixels of a computer screen, carving the opportunity for much-needed introspection.
It’s an opportunity to internalize and recollect myself when I’d otherwise be consumed by immediate concerns over academics, job prospects, and more.
At the same time, I hope my writing proves valuable to you readers, too, though I presume there won’t be many of you out there. Whether you find my insights thought-provoking or simply relate to my personal stories, I hope my writing proves worthy of your invaluable time.
Till next time,
Jason
