I’ve spent most of my life dancing. Though I am not a ballet major, the term dancer is one of the first descriptors I or anybody else uses when describing me. Growing up as a dancer, especially with the ever-increasing prevalence and importance of social media, I was always aware of those who were technically superior. A joke I’ve seen on the internet is about accepting that no matter how much work you put in, you can always find a Russian five-year-old on the internet who is far better than you could ever hope to be. Such is life. However, I believe the futility of these kinds of comparisons are creating a generation that preemptively removes themselves from the world of art, and closes themselves off from accessing their artistic sides.
Although I consider myself to be a dancer, I am also a scientist. In this side of my life, I am constantly exposed to people who put a lot more effort into the left side of their brain. Generally, when I tell people about my other life as a dancer, they react in one of two ways. The first is being impressed and supportive; my dancing is a new fun fact that helps them learn a bit more about who I am. The second reaction is confusion and occasionally (though not very often) judgment. How could someone who had come across as so logical do something so out of character?
The perceived total disconnect between taking pleasure in or being proficient in left and right brain activities has extended into my Her Campus career as well. It is generally difficult to convince my fellow STEM majors to take a chance on our organization (or to even attend an event with free food and raffles). Our societal beliefs in the either/or nature of left and right brain activities combined with the ever-increasing push for a perfect image created by social media can leave people afraid to try things outside of their perceived silo.
While I’m not advocating for forcing yourself to do things you loathe, I think a lot of us could be happier if we allowed ourselves to grow outside the confines of what we think we should be. In all truth, nothing exists in a silo, and proclaiming yourself entirely creative or wholly logical isn’t going to get you very far. While you may not feel like the world’s most artistic person, it’s important to nurture both the creative and logical sides of your personality. I can be a scientist, a writer for Her Campus, and a dancer without compromising any part of who I am. In the end, we all need to find our own healthy balance between creativity and logic, and allow ourselves the time, space, and love to grow into the best versions of ourselves.