I loved writing utensils
It’s an Asian thing and I don’t know where it started, how it progressed, or where it will end but what I do know is that I used to be obsessed with writing utensils.
Back in my younger days, we didn’t have all these fancy shamancy things called “lead pencils.” We had straight up wood #2 pencils and from a young age I was intensely fascinated with all forms of writing utensils. Yeah, I collected pogs and lanyard but it was something about pencils that captivated the crap out of me. I had this old, raggedy cloth material pencil case that was stretchy enough to fit at least 80 pencils and I used to collect, count, and stare at them like I had a severe case of OCD.
My cousin TK and I used to have hang-outs where we’d just trade pencils. What in Ghandi’s name is so damn fun about trading pencils you ask? Well, I’ll have you know that besides watching Barney prance around with his little human friends everyday at 3 p.m., trading tree sticks with my cousin was the highlight of my day.
As I got older, people got smarter, and soon there were pens that came in different colors like purple, baby blue, and hot pink oh my! When I used to walk into a Morning Glory, which is the equivalent of what an Asian girl’s heaven would look like, my eyes would light up and my palms would get sweaty at the sight of multi-colored pens. It was glorious. Not only were pens cool, but they started coming out with the god of all pencils-lead pencils. Everything from the clicky thing-a-mabob on the top to the cool little chains that used to hang off of them would get me jumping with glee.
It wasn’t until I snapped back to reality that I realized that it was such a damn Asian thing to collect pens and pencils. In school, none of my non-yellow classmates had awesome writing utensils. They bought their stupid, ugly pens from Staples and wood pencils from the dollar store down the block. Whack! How could they not be entranced by the milky smooth colors of my $2/each mini-pens? I was perplexed for two reasons: One being that I noticed only the Asians carrying around the same kind of writing instruments as me and two being, why were only the Asians carrying around the same kind of writing instruments as me? Were we raised in some kind of pen-loving cult and never told about it? Were we raised in a culture where it was welcomed to indulge on writing materials more than other important necessities in our life? The answer is most likely no, but the only thing I knew was that when I walked into a Morning Glory I was like Gollum with his cursed ring. These pens were most definitely ‘my precious’.
There is absolutely no real moral story to this article. I know you were waiting for me to tell you some heroic story about how one of my sea green milky pens saved a fellow classmate from choking or how the little pink girl hanging from my lead pen chain put an end to world poverty, but they never did and they most likely never will.
So the question remains; why do Asians love rad pens and pencils? It’s a question that may never be answered.
LOL omg GEL PENS~~~ I had so many.. You’re right, I don’t know why I was that obsessed with pens… I had a gel pen of every color, and I would waste them on colouring because they were so beautiful XD There were ones with sparkly ink too~ ^^
I never collected too many fancy writing utensils, but I do have a fascination with pens. Sometimes when writing notes in class, I rotate between what pens I have because each would write differently. I even do it at work too
It may have been how you were raised as to the reason why you never saw any other race with such a fancy. I’m black, from the South and we tend to have that little pen collecting disease too. lol
I have a love/hate relationship with Gel pins though. They show up best on hard to obtain black paper and they run put quickly but they’re gorgeous in color.
Oh and that Gollum pic slightly frightened me as I was scrolling down not expecting that at all.
Keep writing Ellie
ahahahahaha. you’re right. it’s such an asian thing to love pens. ah. to be honest when i was younger i was pretty much obsessed with stationaries, not just pens. I loved collecting notebooks, erasers, pens, pencils, markers, and even files. now i’m not too much into collecting but i get pretty obsessed about the stationary i used. there’s only a particular brand of pens that i like and even worse for that brand there’s only a particular model that i use. same goes for erasers. only one brand, one type that i like. ah. i’m going to sound really crazy now but even the A4 paper and note pad that i used must be of a certain brand. if not i’ll get a bit frustrated and not be able to do my work well. oops. i think it might be time i get some help. ahahahaha.
When I was in elementary school I was obsessed with Gel Pens. I remember that tons of my friends had gel pens but for a while my mom wouldn’t buy me any because she claimed they were too expensive
So I actually had to ask for gel pens for my birthday and finally getting them was like the greatest moment of my young life. Best stuff ever. That is, until they run out of ink.
I think her fascination with pen is, … pen is, … pen is, …….
Sorry, I was stuttering… lol-joke.
Seriously, I think East Asians’ tendency to hoard is genetic, ie built-in/born-with feelings of financial insecurity – leading to unscrupulous business practices.
“Seriously, I think East Asians’ tendency to hoard is genetic, ie built-in/born-with feelings of financial insecurity – leading to unscrupulous business practices.”
I’m sorry if I misinterpreted what you wrote… however, you seem to be characterizing East Asians in general as greedy, compulsive hoarders.
The tendency to hoard things is not just limited to East Asians, and is most certainly not just genetic. Most children go through a “hoarding” stage between ages of two and six, as seen in the examples above, and eventually grow out of it. People who live in environments in which shortages of goods – e.g. food and other resources – expected also tend to hoard, as a response to those threats of shortages – not just because of “financial insecurity”.
Also, “unscrupulous business practices” are definitely not limited to East Asians; companies from developed countries that outsource their labor to developing countries have some very questionable business practices. Abuses from companies in developing East Asian countries are just less hidden due to looser governmental enforcement.
I collected pens too. When I was in high school. I used to love those non gel pens that look like gel pens but use ink..
That’s not a tongue twister.
OMG, it’s an Asian thing and it’s not only me?!
Yay
When I was in elementary school there was a machine where you could put in a quarter and you’d get a pencil with a cool design, each one different and unique. I had a whole gallon zip-lock bag full of them, but I wonder what happened to them…
Hahaha, you brought back some good memories for me Ellie
Thank you.
muahahaha! i made a grip selling these to my non-asian friends
. that’s the true ASIAN WAY.
hahaha, this is so true.
i used to trade pens with my friends all the time.
i guess we asians just love writing utensils. ^.^
i used to collect pens and pencils and stationary, too!! i am still obsessed w/ pens till this day. when friends go back to asia, i always tell them to bring me back pens! b/c they don’t have the kind i like here, the skinny 0.28 or 0.38 that makes your writing look so different! blue-black or brown-black are my faves!
i’m not asian and yet i can relate 100%
i just love pens & stationary… i used to collect and separate them by colors & all that hehhehee
i used to love going to morning glory and the sanrio store to buy those pencils and pens.
I was totally obsessed with the 2way writers where you would twist it and it would be a pencil and then twist it the other way and it would be a pen. My friends and i used to compare, share, and even trade off.haha. Until i figured i was too old to be using those things. :/ I still have them though. ^^
totally agree with you! Even now, studying to be an architect, I actually save up money to buy awesome pens in all colors and tips!
I remember back in elementary I had this huge collection of metallic gel pens. I wouldn’t even dare using them cuz they run out so fast. In the end thiugh, they all dried up, and I eventually wasn’t able to use them all… haha
I’m a Rican from the south and EVERYONE collect those damn pens like crazy.Its was the thing to do because it was cute for writing notes back and forth.I had a huge collection of different type and made some myself.Don’t get me started on gel pens and colors cause i had them all.This obsession with pens started in my elementary school days.I was a writer in school mini stories,scrips,and even poetry.As I got into middle school i started writing sheet music.I have a bucket full of decor pens and pencils I don’t use but still have.I also collect special paper for writing notes and letters to make them extra special.
That trend is popular among everyone now but i guess Asian are glorious in the pen collecting world.
maybe you should do one a phone charms next.I’m starting to collect those also.
OMG…..i remembered when I used to be crazy about gel pen, begging my mom for money so I can go buy some LOL. Then I grew out of it but the collecting pens though. I have a whole jar of pens that I never seem to really use to everyone else around the house uses it and never returns it so I always buy more.
Pen collecting isn’t horrible, depending on what kind of pen u collect and how expensive the pens are LOL
LEAD PENCIL = no getting up from your seat to sharpen your pencil lol
The cursed asian disease! I know what you mean. lol
I have a small trunk full of cute lead pencils that i used to collect back in school. My was obsessed with accessorized lead pencils.. (the ones with little chains and bells hanging off the top)
omygosh…!!..
i collect colour pencils, cute mechanical pencils, gel pens, crayons, poster paints, acrylic, water colours, stabilos… i collect everything that come out in colours……ever since i was in kindergarten and my friends were ” WTH? why are u buying something so expensive? you know you can always drop by the supermarket and just grab tonnes of cheap pens…”
this is so funny because I’m asian and I used to love collecting writing utensils!you’re really pretty by the way and I love watching your vlogs on youtube : )
Holy crap, I thought it was just me who had a major pencil obsession.
I love pens and pencils. Most of the time when I heard to an Asian store, I come out with a pencil(s).
All my non Asian friends are jealous of my awesome collection though. That is true.
Lol. Cute story ellie
finally ellie… u write a real aa story…so ASIAAAA…
I’m not obsesseeee with JUST pencil. but ALL THAT INSIDE MY PENCIL CASE…I have huge pensil case, full of pen pensil tipex glue cutter u name it all…
aatheory just a thought dhou, please, I beg u please…If u wanna talk bout other asian that u dont know (food, clothes, habit, culture, bla bla) learn it first the do the writing or the vlog. I actually offended by ur reaction with ur vlog bout sushi… It makes us (me n my friends) thought what a stupid damn bitch u are!
i KNOW u dont its just for a moment, believe me…so do please learn. I’m not even japanese, but I love sushi. n sometimes, even when u say/talk/write/vlog bout korea/korean,,,,oh , please be smart guys….
im not one for using textures normally but you have inspired me to be a bit more creative in this area, great post!