School is just starting. You have new clothes, good friends, and you’ve had the entire summer to relax and enjoy life. You’re refreshed, you’re eager to learn, and perhaps some of you are even more eager to move on to your professional careers.

Then it happens. Five essays due in one week. Tests, quizzes, homework, and unbearable stress. We’ve all had to deal with it, and often we’ve wondered why in the world we have to write and write and write when we are probably never going to remember the significance of that Walt Whitman poem. But writing presents so many incalculable rewards. Often, we do not even realize it.

Yes, writing is difficult. Yes, drafting reports are challenging. And it should be. Writing is not a mere measurement of knowledge or reflection. Writing is about being creative while simultaneously restricting thoughts. Writing is about using proper English so the audience can trust you, so they can value your opinions and appreciate your point of view.

Incidentally, this is what the professional world wants from you, too. Businesses want a leader. They want someone who can manage change and implement diversity. They want good public speakers. They want good editors. They want people to be able to criticize and offer ideas without letting one mentality prevail over another. Writing provides you with all of these skills, and so much more.

Indeed, writing provides you with analytical and creative skills. You became proficient in eliminating unnecessary ideas and words. You captivate the interest of others and make your points clear. Thoughts are voiced (whether verbally or on paper) unambiguously and thus communications are not misinterpreted. The ability to write efficiently is synonymous with clear thinking, creativity and imagination.

But writing can also help us understand who we are. Writing is important not only because of its applicability to the professional and academic world, but also good writing has value because it helps us gauge a better understanding of our values, opinions, and ideas. Writing effectively and thinking creatively allows us to mature in both wisdom and intellect.