Letters, stickers, and faraway places
Letters from Penpals (Alexa Rios/The Puma Prensa)
Written By: Alexa Rios, Chief Editor
I first thought of becoming a pen pal after collecting stationery in 7th grade. I never used it, though, for fear of using it up. On the rare occasion I did, it was utterly decorative. I was often inspired by social media influencers doing sticker decoden. Decoden is originally a Japanese craft using over-the-top phone cases decorated with 3-dimensional pieces of cute foods, characters, and symbols. Sticker Decoden describes this maximalist look when applied to journals, card holders, and letters. I started pen-paling during my junior year of school, making a TikTok dedicated to my interests. After I posted a video of my stationery collection and said I wanted a pen pal, I received many people DMing me on Instagram or TikTok. From there, I entered the world of decoden and pen-paling.
I have about seven pen pals from across the world, all of whom I met online, but most of our interactions with each other are through letters. For the most part, the key components of a pen pal exchange include a decorated envelope, the actual letter, a Q&A, and gifts. Gifts can include memo pads, stickers, tea bags, or drawings. I’ve even received gifts from Japan after a pen pal went there on vacation. There is no limit to the possibilities; the most important thing is being creative. However, being a pen pal can also be challenging due to its time-consuming nature. On average, I take about an hour and a half to finish a letter, but since I’m often busy with school, it might take me a day or more. The experience is still fun, especially when seeing a letter come together, whether color-coordinated or with a theme, is rewarding. As for the actual writing, the first letter is always for introductions and to get to know one another. Later on, as you get to know them, you can start talking to them like any other friend. Becoming genuine friends and sharing meaningful experiences with pen pals is always essential. While I’ve never met pen pals in person, I’ve still formed close bonds with them and hope to meet at least one eventually.
When finding one, I recommend using social media, as it is available to most people. If you love stationery like I do, you can easily find a community on Instagram and TikTok to interact with. But first, list things you like on your profile; this will make connecting to others with similar interests easy. If you aren’t big on social media, alternative ways exist. Many websites, such as penpalworld.com or penpal.me, provide easy ways to communicate with others.
As a warning, being a pen pal can be expensive. I’ve been using the stationery I have collected for years, but I still spend money buying more. While I’m unsure what amount I have paid, it’s definitely in the hundreds. An additional cost comes from the fact that many penpals want you to give them stationery in return, whether it's loose memo sheets or stickers. Also, the price can depend on your aesthetic; I like Japanese stationery with cute characters like Hello Kitty, Doraemon, and Rilakkuma. Some people, however, like to write more traditional letters. It just depends on the pen pal. If you can’t splurge on supplies, that’s okay too! Not everyone interacts with their pen pals the same way, and you can find people who just write letters to each other without being fancy. However, if you want to start buying nice stationary, I’d recommend these to any newbies.
Pens, markers, and colored pencils are colorful writing tools. My favorites are the Paper Mate InkJoy and Prismacolors.
Any lined paper will work, but I like any dot-grid paper
Stickers, stickers, and more stickers; I usually buy mine in places like Japantown in San Francisco
Envelopes: you can find these at any store like Staples
Finally, postage stamps: you can buy these at your local post office
Pen pals are a fun and engaging way to connect with the world around you. We are often stuck in our hometowns, afraid of change. Writing letters gets me out of my bubble and introduces me to many people worldwide. So, try pen-paling if you're considering leaving your comfort zone.