Pen Vs Pencil

Well hello again! Today we’re all going to sit in a circle and contemplate which is a better writing utensil: Pen or Pencil.

(Perhaps this should be a gameshow.)

(Then again, perhaps not.)

Pencil Pros:

• I can easily erase spelling errors and never need to worry about the ink dying on me

• Pencil doesn’t stain my crisp white blouses

• It doesn’t smudge (unless you press down really hard with it, but then it’s your fault.)

• I can break them if I get frustrated! …No? Nobody’s with me on that one? Okay.

Pencil Cons:

• The led can sometimes be hard to read

• I need to sharpen them

• The more I use a single pencil, the smaller it gets until I physically cannot hold it, but it feels like a waste to throw it out… :(

• If I’m using a mechanical pencil, I need to buy lead and erasers to fill it up, or I just buy more.

pushes target bag holding pack of 20 mechanical pencils away Uh… heh heh…

• Mechanical pencils are NOT good for the environment. Hmph.

Pen Pros: (Not prose, Pros. That’s a homophone.)

• There are a lot of cute pens out there…

• The ink is easy to read

• The tip glides across the page… oh-so gorgeous to behold.

• It makes me feel professional (don’t ask why, I don’t know myself.)

• Ink looks better than led on paper

Pen Cons:

• I need to remember to put the cap back on otherwise it dries on me

• If I write too quickly I end up with illegible smudges across my page

• Um… they’re too beautiful?

Yeah, I’ve got nothing more against pens. I love ‘em. They are most definitely my preferred writing tool.

However, I do enjoy writing in pencil from time to time. Were you aware that there are pencils with seeds at the bottom in alternative to an eraser?! How insanely cool is that?!?!?!

And in case my parents read this post… I wouldn’t mind getting a pack of spruce tree seed pencils for Christmas. blink blink

Anyway, yeah. It’s super cool and you can find them on Amazon. (Not the forest. Although… I wonder…)

amazon.com/Sprout-Plantable-Eco-Friendly-Sustainable-Heart-Warming

So, I think this concludes this debate of mine. Normally I’d prefer pens, but if the pencil is really cool, I can be persuaded.

What about you guys? Comment below about which you prefer: Pen! Or! Pencil!

—Leah Larkspur (13)
Written November 21st, 2023