Digital Pen
I’ve often heard the saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” At first, it felt like a line from a textbook. But as I’ve grown and observed the world especially as a young Indian stepping into adulthood I’ve realized it’s actually true. Words have the power to influence minds, change systems, and even start revolutions. And in today’s fast-moving world, I truly believe that the youth need to write, speak, and lead more than ever before.
We’re the generation that has grown up with technology, global conversations, and a thousand opinions thrown at us daily. But how many of those opinions come from us from the youth? We are often told to “wait our turn,” but I don’t think change should be scheduled. If we have something to say, we should be saying it now through essays, speeches, blogs, debates, even Instagram captions. Our words matter. In fact, they might matter more than ever.
Writing gives us space to reflect. Many times, I’ve sat down with a blank page just to organize my thoughts, and ended up discovering what I really feel about a topic. It’s like therapy but also a form of leadership. Because when we write and share, we don’t just understand ourselves better; we give others something to think about too. It might just be one person who reads your blog post or poem, but if it makes them pause, relate, or rethink that’s power.
Speaking, too, is a skill that we often underestimate. A lot of people my age are scared of public speaking and I get it. I was terrified the first time I spoke in front of a crowd. My hands were cold, my voice was shaky, and my mind was full of “what if I mess up?” But once I began speaking about something I genuinely cared about, it all changed. Suddenly, it wasn’t about perfection. It was about passion. And the audience could feel it.
There’s something electric about using your voice for something that matters to you. Whether it’s at school assemblies, youth conferences, or just over dinner with your family when you speak with clarity and conviction, people listen. And slowly, you begin to believe in yourself too. That’s how leadership starts not with a title or a trophy, but with confidence.
In the last few years, we’ve seen young people across the world stepping up. From climate strikes to social justice movements, many of these efforts were led by teenagers or college students who dared to speak up. Their words became slogans. Their essays became manifestos. Their speeches became movements. And that’s the proof that writing and speaking aren’t just creative hobbies they’re tools for real-world impact.
In the last few years, we’ve seen young people across the world stepping up. From climate strikes to social justice movements, many of these efforts were led by teenagers or college students who dared to speak up. Their words became slogans. Their essays became manifestos. Their speeches became movements. And that’s the proof that writing and speaking aren’t just creative hobbies they’re tools for real-world impact.
I’ve noticed something else, too. A lot of young people think they need to be “experts” to share their opinion. That’s not true. You don’t need perfect grammar or flawless vocabulary to make your point. What you need is honesty. Authenticity. A desire to make someone think. Even a small voice, when it’s consistent and sincere, can lead to big change.
And we don’t always have to write about big issues, either. Sometimes, just writing about personal experiences school pressure, body image, mental health, friendship, identity can be powerful. Because these are the real stories of our generation. These are the things that adults often ignore or misunderstand. When we write about them, we’re not just expressing ourselves — we’re helping others feel seen and understood.
In a time where attention spans are shrinking and social media is filled with filters, we need more raw, real, thoughtful voices. And that’s where the youth can shine. We’re not stuck in old mindsets. We’re open to new ideas. We ask uncomfortable questions. We challenge systems. And we bring fresh energy to everything we do.
But for that to happen, we must first believe that our voice matters. Whether it’s a handwritten journal, a passionate speech, or a short Instagram reel every form of expression counts. We just need to pick up the pen and begin.
Because in the end, the world doesn’t just change through protests or policies. It changes through people who dare to imagine something better and then put that imagination into words. That’s the real power of the pen. And it belongs to us now.
By: Gargi Ghildiyal
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