The month of November can become hectic for college students, as many are under pressure to complete final assignments and finish the semester strong.

To help this, the library staff has created a space for students to come and release their creative thoughts and ideas onto paper, easing those end-of-semester pressures.

NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 that has mainly gained popularity via the internet.

The main goal is to encourage anyone to write a story or idea that interests them, writing as much as possible from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30.

Although the organization encourages participants to write up to 50,000 words, students are not expected to write nearly as much.

Rather than focus on word count, the staff wants students to focus on the quality and authenticity of their work, developing their craft and fully expressing themselves in their journeys.

This is the first year the school has celebrated NaNoWriMo, and so far, the library staff has received positive student reactions.

On Nov. 1, each campus hosted a kickoff party in the libraries to celebrate and share what the upcoming month’s celebration would entail.

Weekly meetings were held on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on each campus, giving students the opportunity to visit the library and talk with the library staff about their ideas.

Library Associate for Public Services, Samantha Donato, shared how the library staff from each campus collaborated to bring attention to this celebration and encourage students to participate.

“We’re actually in charge of programming in the library and our goal is somewhere between building communities and doing things that increase literacy,” said Donato.

She shared how a lot of students have expressed their liking to this celebration, “To see there’s been a lot more people interested in journalism and poetry, has been really awesome,” said Donato.

NaNoWriMo has given students the freedom to write about stories and topics they may not have felt as confident to share before, while meeting new people in the process.

“It’s students I wouldn’t have thought of, but they come to these kinds of events and they meet friends this way,” said Donato.

Through their dedication, the library staff has provided an opportunity for students to have their work published. Those who wish to share their art with classmates and faculty can now do so as the Old Red Kimono are accepting submissions.

This celebration has opened up the possibility for students to explore their hidden talents and develop connections with like-minded classmates, unearthing new potential and skills for their future.