Having a pen pal is the perfect way to create a new friendship and express yourself through art and crafts. Here’s how I got my pen pal from Kansas.

Finding a pen pal is actually way simpler than it seems–your pen pal could be a friend in another state or a complete stranger. When I started my pen pal journey I wanted to find a stranger to write letters to and create a friendship. 

I went on many different pen pal sites online and learned that is not an effective way of finding a pen pal whatsoever. The majority of the people on those sites are adults or are only trying to chat on email. 

I found my pen pal by going on Instagram. There is a huge pen pal and letter writing community on Instagram. If you look up hashtags like #penpalswanted #snailmail #penpal you can find posts from pen pal accounts where you just comment your basic information like name, age, and interests. Others who are looking for a pen pal will dm you or you can find someone else who commented. This is how I met my pen pal. I left a comment on a random post and within the same day I had her dm-ing me.

Instagram or YouTube is the way to go if you are looking for information on how to get started in pen pal letter writing. It’s all about figuring out what you want to do. You can do normal pen palling and just send letters or you can send gifts. It’s all up to you and the other person. I recommend watching some YouTube tutorials on how to get started, it’s also a great way of finding art inspiration for whatever type of letters you are sending.

Writing to a pen pal is the perfect hobby for anyone who is artistically inclined or enjoys writing. Sending letters back and forth is super rewarding and a great way of learning what life is like outside of your personal bubble. I really recommend pen palling as a cool way of forming a connection with someone.