Bored to death. Time isn’t going by. The professor is still speaking.
Your hand reaches out and grabs the pen lying by the paper. It moves to the empty notebook page open in front of you. Your hand starts scribbling. Random words, random images, random visuals. Congratulations, you’ve just started doodling!
What is doodling? Doodling is the practice of drawing or scribbling aimlessly. At least that’s what the dictionary says. For me, doodling is the most personal form of artistic expression I have ever used. It speaks to me as nothing ever does. It makes so much sense to me that I often wonder if I should just start doodling my way out of exams. But this is where I am wrong. Doodling, no matter how simple or creative is not something that every other person will understand. While doodlers might appear inattentive to onlookers, this is rarely the case. Researchers tell us doodlers are most likely trying to make abstract concepts concrete with images, or they might be processing the information they are being given, filling in the gaps of their understanding. Doodling has more of a scientific basis than we initially thought. It helps to improve cognition and memory. Many a times I tend to remember a particular comment my professor made only because I remember exactly what I was doodling at the time.
As students, doodling is not something that should be discouraged. For learning purposes, anything that helps in remembering a point, even a small minute one, is a good aspect. Doodling triggers insights and discoveries that are not really possible to reach by using words only. As a form of expression, this is an art that can be taken more seriously especially in Pakistan and used to help kids in becoming better students and learners.
