5 Reasons Cursive is Still Important

While not being taught as widely in schools today, cursive is still entwined in society. People frequently type everything they want to put into words, but that can easily be converted to cursive on a computer. People who handwrite often use cursive for many reasons including the speed and ease with which someone experienced can write cursive. The commonality of cursive and the advantage it can provide make knowledge of cursive important even in the 21st century. Here are a few reasons why learning to write cursive letters is still important.

It Makes It Easier to Read Cursive

Simply knowing cursive is a huge step towards gaining the cursive advantage. A lot of letters are differently shaped when written with cursive than type font. For example, let’s take the cursive s. In cursive, the letter ‘s’ looks like the bottom end of the letter has been connected to the middle of the squiggle and the top is lost. For a non-writer, this may seem like an absurd translation! But when you begin writing you see that it is a natural path for the pen to trace that line and writing a printed ‘s’ would be inefficient. Tricks like that will make reading the cursive you see in memos and on billboards in everyday life easier.

You Can Write Faster

In the same way that writing a cursive ‘s’ is more efficient, the design of every cursive letter is for uninterrupted flow because every letter is connected and you never lose time by picking up the pen. Once you are familiar with cursive, writing quickly is a breeze. Oftentimes, taking notes quickly with cursive can derive a new blend of cursive and print that is fastest for you to write. This unique but speedy chicken scratch is one of the main benefits of learning to write cursive.

You Can Write Nice Looking Letters

However, if you want to write very nice looking words, cursive knowledge can also help there. Cursive is the foundation of calligraphy. Simply looking at a nicely written word in cursive can be calming and satisfying. If you want to handwrite invitations or letters, knowing how to write cursive can create another level of grace in your penmanship. Labeling scientific specimens or artwork looks better in cursive. Being able to create beautiful looking words yourself has the benefit of a DIY price and adds a personal touch.

It’s Good for Your Brain

If you simply want to stretch your brain muscles and learn something new, cursive is a great choice. Writing in cursive is different enough from print writing that it creates new pathways in your brain. This is similar to how brushing your teeth with your left hand if you’re right-handed helps spark your brain awake. Learning a new handwriting font makes your body act in ways it isn’t familiar. A healthy brain likes to do new things and this is an easy task for a busy person to learn.

Self Discipline

Learning cursive can require a bit of devotion and self-discipline. It’s easy to slip back into writing in print when you are first starting cursive. Setting the small goal of writing in cursive all day once a week can be a great exercise in self-control. This trick will not disrupt your schedule and doesn’t require changing any other aspects of your life. Simply go through your day as normal but always write in cursive. It will be a challenge, but it’s not tricky enough to quit!

In the end, learning cursive might be a little work at the start, but there are so many benefits that it’s worth giving it a try!