The Day Microsoft Word and I Broke Up (and How LibreOffice Became My Rebound)

Picture this: A snow day. A rare, magical off day gifted by the powers of winter. Naturally, I did what any introverted poet would do—I decided to spend my day cozied up, writing for my dearest poetry book draft. Dreams of metaphorical brilliance danced through my head as I opened my laptop and double-clicked on my Word document.

And then—BAM. A digital slap to the face.

I couldn’t access my own document. Why? Because my Microsoft Office license, previously covered by my college, had expired. Since I’m no longer a student (shoutout to adulthood and its many expenses), this wasn’t a complete shocker. But the nerve. I was at least a little offended.

Out of curiosity, I decided to see how much it would cost to renew. I figured it couldn’t be that bad. I mean, it’s just a word processor, right?

Y’all. Ten bucks a month. A hundred dollars a year.

FOR WORDS.

Now, I’d like to think I’m a reasonable person, but this was some highway robbery. And the kicker? I couldn’t even open my original document unless I coughed up the cash. Sure, I could access it through the online version of Word, but that interface looked like it had a midlife crisis. Crowded, clunky, and as intuitive as a brick wall. And syncing it? Ha. Not happening.

That’s when I hit my limit. I had a poetry book to write, snow day vibes to enjoy, and I wasn’t about to let corporate greed ruin my creative flow. Determined, I opened a new tab and searched for alternatives. That’s when I met my new best friend: LibreOffice.

Let me tell you, LibreOffice is basically Microsoft Office but without the corporate handcuffs. It’s free, offline, and lets me open my own documents without asking for my credit card information. Revolutionary, right?

The best part? It felt just like old-school Word. Simple. Functional. No frills, no nonsense. And, most importantly, no monthly payments draining my bank account. I could write my poetry in peace, snow softly falling outside, without feeling like I had to sell a kidney just to access my own words.

So, here we are. Microsoft Word and I? We’re done. I’ve moved on. LibreOffice and I are getting along great, thank you very much. And the moral of the story? If a company tries to hold your words hostage for a hundred bucks a year, maybe it’s time to break up and find someone (or something) better.

LibreOffice, you’re the real MVP. And Microsoft? Yeah, we’re never, ever getting back together.