How Can Practicing Art in College Help You Flourish?

In a society that appears to be primarily fixated on STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math), it’s tempting to believe that the arts have little or no place. 

After all, juggling between academics and maintaining the college football schedule, is it even worth it for students to invest their limited time and effort in art?

In contrast, college students can profit by studying the arts in numerous ways. Even if you don’t intend to pursue a profession in the arts, including a creative pursuit as part of a well-rounded curriculum can help you achieve academic and personal success.

This article will help you understand the benefits of practicing an art skill and how it ingrains some elements into your daily life, which can not only boost your career but also help you lead a fulfilled life.

Empathy

To create great art, a student must comprehend the observer’s perspective. And, because art is subjective, every individual can perceive a piece differently.

This also applies to one’s life. Two coworkers may approach the same issue from different perspectives. Artists have the ability to learn empathy and to be receptive to how other individuals perceive things.

Recognizing the Importance of Hard Work

Training isn’t always enjoyable. Accepting feedback and stepping back to the drawing board to rework an artwork or novel draft from zero isn’t always great for morale.

However, those who pursue the arts discover that diligence pays dividends. It may not be enjoyable to devote six hours per week to singing practice, but it’s well worth it when they nail their solo to resounding applause.

This insight can be applied to various academic pursuits and life to achieve something significant.

Personal Fulfillment

A person is bound to feel happy after solving something that a million others have done, such as a typical math problem. However, making art gives students strange optimism since they create a unique piece that makes others experience emotions.

Understanding they can create something extraordinary or influential gives them self-confidence that allows them to find and spread joy in their personal and macro environments.

This is a gratifying realization. Many people who are frustrated with their day jobs find great fulfillment in their after-hours artistic interests, such as performing in a band or spending quality time in their garden.

Time Management

Students already have a ton on their plates. It’s certainly a challenge for anyone with the pressures of classes, homework, and their personal lives.

Making time for art requires a student to establish critical time management skills. Students participating in the arts are more likely to learn to manage a demanding schedule and spend their time constructively, whether it be waking up early for a 6 a.m. concert band rehearsal or putting aside time to write creative stories between mountains of academics.

Self-Discipline

A student studying the arts understands the value of discipline in honing their skills. For instance, they know that the more they play the piano, the faster they will advance.

They can make time for activities that are not always enjoyable because they know the benefits. In addition, they have learned through experience that they must repeat the same tasks consistently to polish their skills.

Students with this background bring a tenacity to their college academics that significantly impacts their cumulative GPA.

Problem-Solving Creativity

Artists are problem solvers who use their imaginations. There is no single way to effectively link a work of art with its audience, to make the reader or spectator experience what the artist desires.

There are several answers to creative challenges, as well as numerous limiting factors. Time, budget, and scale make some tasks more feasible than others from a logistical standpoint.

In the corporate sector, the same holds true. Consider a Super Bowl commercial! It is a terrific idea for any promotional campaign. Still, it is only economically sustainable for a few of the largest corporations. How to market a new product without a significant budget is a situation that requires innovative abilities, which every artist offers.

Being Willing to Accept Criticism

Students studying art learn how to accept, analyze, and implement constructive criticism. For instance, this article you’re reading went through multiple edits to ensure it is the best piece on the subject and that the reader (you) gets value by reading this. 

Hence, it is essential to be open-minded and actively analyze peers’ input as writers or artists. Ultimately, this helps in transforming decent work into a brilliant one.

People in the corporate sector are unlikely to be any less critical. Student artists understand how to accept criticism and then use it to develop their work.