IT’S STARING ME IN THE FACE BY OLIVIA TEJAN

Everyday Creativity stares me in the face. Some days our eyes meet, and everything falls into place. But other days, we seem to divert our eyes from each other like two shy children afraid to look at each other, and I’ll sit in my room staring at my computer and think to myself “I’ve got absolutely nothing”.

I think it’s a common misconception that creative people are always creative. I know for a fact that I am creative thinker. Every since I was a kid, art/design/advertising/fashion, you name it, has always made the most sense to me. It’s what I’m good at. I’m even a quote-unquote “art student”. Yet, creativity may be the one thing I struggle with the most on a daily basis.

As a design student, I am constantly expected to have good ideas. I’m surrounded by other creative thinkers, and we’re all competing with each other for “the best idea” (whether we want to admit that or not). I feel this immense pressure to produce genius, beautiful, work all the time. But the fact of the matter is I don’t. Whether it’s self-doubt, the fear of failure/letting others down, or I’m having an off day, creativity does not always run through my veins. It’s something I have to fight for and immerse myself in.

For all the people out there who envy others that create these incredibly thoughtful ideas, advertisements, paintings, etc.- just know that they struggle with creativity just as much as you do, if not more.

It’s expected that we creative thinkers see Creativity’s face in everything we do. But just like everyone else, we don’t always notice what’s been staring right in front of us.