MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — As a student who often had a hard time focusing in class, there was one thing that always seemed to help.
Never on the walls and never on my homework, but my school notes always had an occasional doodle or scribble. What better way to express creativity through scribbling than National Scribble Day?
There are a number of ways to sharpen our minds. For this story digging into National Scribble Day, I wanted to hear from an art teacher who could weigh in on the craft.
"I think anyone could be a scribbling expert," said Wilson County art teacher Sydney Ellison. "Sometimes it can be helpful with concentration, focus, or just personal happiness."
We know life can just get to us.
"Maybe you're feeling extra angry that day or you're extra sad and sometimes it's just as helpful to literally have no idea what you're doing," Ellison said.
So what's the difference between, say, scribbling and doodling? To see prime examples of scribbling, check out the video player above.
As for doodling, that would be your average stick figure or expressing your imagination of a puppy with wings and a cape.
"I tell students even if they're not interested in art, this is actually beneficial for all areas of your life," Ellison said.
It expresses creativity. So many aspects of our lives begin with art, therefore might begin with a simple scribble.
"You can make that scribble into a gorgeous work of art," Ellison said. "You can hang up that gorgeous scribble."
There's also the mental health component — where scribbling can help distract you and take out frustration, anxiety, or stress by putting crayon, colored pencil, or marker to paper.
There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom