Creativity is What You Make of It

I used to think that I wasn’t very creative. I was definitely an odd child growing up. Shy, quiet, closed-off, and other similar words were all used to describe my personality. I never had an imaginary friend. I didn’t want to play school or dolls with my five-year-older sister. I didn’t know how to fit in on the playground. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school when I befriended an exceedingly bright, optimistic, and artistic girl, that I found my creative side.

I always enjoyed writing short stories. In seventh grade, when we told the class what we wanted to be when we grew up, I said I wanted to be an author. Later, I changed my mind knowing I wouldn’t make a very good living if I didn’t write a best-seller. Up until my senior year of high school, I still didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Freshman year of high school, I was in Art 1. My teacher passed me with a C. She thought I didn’t try hard enough or that I didn’t care about my grades. When in reality, I always thought painting was really cool and admired it a lot. I had wished that I could make something that someone could appreciate. It really put me down and made me think that I wasn’t good enough at art or being creative in anything, for that matter. Two things that I could create outside of Art 1 was music through an instrument and music through my voice. 

After years of playing in the band and singing at church and school, I learned that I had been using my creative side all along. I started writing again with motivation from my best friend (the one I befriended sophomore year). She taught me that everyone sees everything differently. Therefore we all channel everything into creativity differently. Creativity isn’t something you learn. It’s something you’re born with. Whether that’s inventing, putting things together, fixing things, creating art, or making music, it’s all creative. Everyone has a creative side, even if it’s the way you talk to kids, the way you organize, or even baking! Don’t put yourself down or be scared that no one will like your ideas or thoughts. Who knows? You could be the next Picasso, Alexander Graham Bell, or George Boedecker Jr. (the guy that invented crocs). 

Art isn’t black and white, right or wrong, left or right. It’s a billion unique colors, paths, and destinations. This world is a huge space waiting for creative minds to go, to do, and to try. “If you never try, you’ll never know what you’re capable of” – John Barrow. Creativity has room for mistakes that in turn allow us to grow. Don’t give up on yourself or turn your back on what you love doing. My best friend is now a studio art major, while I’m a sociology major. She wants to make art, and I want to help people through writing. Both of us are doing what we love, all the while being ourselves and getting creative. My last thought in writing this is- if you remember the slogan “Got Milk?” then my slogan is, “Got creativity?”.

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