By: Thomas Horvath

Everybody has different handwriting. Some people have neat handwriting, while others have almost illegible handwriting. Your handwriting has nothing to do with intelligence, and some say that if you write messy, then you might be very smart since your hand cannot keep up with your brain. This is not always the case, as many intelligent people also write very neatly. So where does handwriting come from?

Handwriting can change depending on what you are doing. For instance, if you are quickly taking notes in class, your handwriting will probably be messier since you must write faster than usual. However, if you are taking your time, then your handwriting will reflect that. Some researchers claim that handwriting may also come from your bone structure, hand-eye coordination, muscle memory, and mental capabilities. If you are struggling with your handwriting, you may also be using the wrong hand, to begin with. A good test to find out if you are writing with the right hand or not is by putting a bottle or small object in front of you. Depending on which hand you use to pick it up, that is your dominant hand to write with. This trick is used in schools, specifically primary school. However, this process is starting to be used less often in schools, which can lead to some kids never writing correctly with their dominant hand. 

But will handwriting even be necessary for the near future? With keyboards and computers becoming as common as paper and pencil, it seems like handwriting will be pointless. Handwriting may be less common than it used to be, but it is too common, especially with the elderly, that handwriting, paper, and pencils will most likely stay around for a long time.