Creatively Human: Putting Ourselves Before Our Crafts
Written by Jourdan Lobban
As I write this, there are other tasks demanding my attention within the limited space of my planner. That second French Exam which will be taken at the early hours of the next day. Those many assignments for Modern Dance which should have been done weeks ago. And there, right there smack dab in my face, are the many hours I will dread researching ways I can financially support myself in college without the need for a sugar daddy.
Like most of our friends, parents, that nosey woman at Sunday service, the prevailing opinion is that you will wait until that degree is in your hands to get that high-paying and over-the-top job. But as seen from this little snippet of nonsensical living is only what my typical day as a college creative looks like, the road to such pleasures is everything other than tasty. While working towards my degree in multiple disciplines, getting published on multiple platforms before graduation is an equally imperative goal. Add to that booking gigs, networking with people in the entertainment business, and not to mention hungrily building your presence on social media, and then your day is always booked. So if any burnout has been felt just from reading the first half of this article, then you have an idea of how I and other countless creatives in the making feel on a daily basis.
For most of us out here, there wasn’t a manual on how to make a name for yourself while creating a life on your own terms. Drawing beautifully unreal people during physics were often seen as meaningless doodles by people who controlled the grade. Dancing choreographed routines in the cafeteria, and the only adoring fans were thirsty boys asking for individual performances (hard pass player). Oh, and do not forget the parents who tell you that you’re not legit until you become a doctor or lawyer.
Because apparently “writer” does not have any correlation with forever changing the world.
As artists, as hopeful creatives, we all spend half the time trying to make it and the other half fighting the major discouragement from all sides. Between professors, bio families, chosen families, friends, lovers, one must ask the question,
“Where is there room for just...me?” The room for just being who you naturally are, in a state of equilibrium which allows the true self to come forth into the reality we live in, that has to be as much a part of your craft like anything else. Aside from mastering technique, making the finished product shine better than gold, it is crucially imperative for us as creatives to make ourselves a masterpiece worth the consistent effort of self-maintenance. If we do not check on how we are feeling, what is bothering us, and where it all comes from, then no great works will ultimately come from our beings. Our art is tied to who we are, but it is not the sole element of our identities and neither does it ever have to be as such.