The field I'm getting myself into seems pointless to go to school and study for. Photography. Why should I sit in someone else's classroom to learn from text books and power point presentations that failed to make it into the business (or stopped doing what they sought to do in the first place)? I'm a hands on learner and I learn best from doing. Trial and error. Attending workshops from fellow photographers, and maybe some business lessons would make sense, but never to study photography from a teacher that can only show you their viewpoint on the subject. Sure, school can give you access to equipment you'd otherwise never have, but instead of paying for student loans, why not buy yourself some of your own equipment? Or rent them? Learn for yourself? Why should you need a degree to prove your talent?
To me, a degree in photography is worthless. Your passion, talent, and drive will speak for itself as you get your name out there and the style you create for yourself.
Now, I'm not against school entirely. I want my doctors, lawyers, engineers, mathmaticians, teachers, etc. to learn all that they can for their provided careers. But for anything dealing with art, why do you feel you need a degree? You are learning a technique developed for the masses instead of taking the time to develop your own. You are being molded into a cast of something else. It just doesn't make sense to me.
If you have a vision, drive after it. Thousands upon thousands of artists have emerged in the past who literally owned nothing but the shirt on their back and canvas in hand and they were able to leave legacies behind that mold the beauty of history's forgotten past because they had the passion for creation. A lot of them were rejects of society too. But they never let anything stop them from expressing themselves in a unique way. College just won't teach you that passion. You have to own it and BE it.
The world didn't like my plans when I made them. It didn't like the path I chose to walk or the life I dreamed of having and still do. I've been judged, walked on, scolded, ridicouled, talked poorly about [even behind my back by many closest to me], and yet I can still walk strongly forward with head held high and an unbrittled positive attitude. There's this thing that society tries to grab out of you, take control of, and turn it into something that matches the rest of it. Your individulaity. Be brave. Be strong. Don't ever hold yourself back. Don't let everyone's whispers scream in your ear when you are most afraid. Anything is truly possible. Just recognize that there is something huge out against you, everyday. And the best way to own it is to laugh and smile. Nothing can break you then.
BUUUUUUUUTTT ANYWAY. I haaaaaad to get this off my mind before I fell asleep and thought it could be helpful for those feeling the same way I do! I know I can't be the only one.
Good Night World
Brooke
2 comments:
I agree with you, totally.
You know, this new coworker of mine that I told you about on FB... she's got a degree in social sciences or something like that. She asked me what it is that I'm studying. I told her that I'm studying archaeology and she asked me if I'm gonna continue studying till I've got a Master's degree or even a PhD. I said, no, actually, I haven't even decided if I'm gonna finish my Bachelor's degree because it's boring as hell. She said, "studying isn't always fun, you know that, don't you?". Are you kidding me? Not even my mum would say something like that! Who does she think she is to talk to me like that? I'm sure she went straight from school to university, and now she's working a second job at the coffee shop because her first job doesn't make enough money. She doesn't know what she missed out on.
I told her that I do what I want to do, and that I would stop doing something or quit a job as soon as it doesn't feel right anymore. I've learnt more from living the life I've lived than this ignorant bitch has ever learnt in school or university. She's boring as hell - I do whatever I enjoy doing.
No matter who those people are that are - or have been - talking dirty behind your back, don't care about what they say, it doesn't matter, because this is your life, not theirs. You gotta be the person you want to be, not the person they want you to be.
I just said goodbye to a good friend of mine who's leaving Hamburg for a year of travelling and working in various countries in continental Europe, Scandinavia, and probably as far away as Asia. And you and me, we're like her. We're not boring. So don't ever let the things all those other people say get you down.
Well, I can see you've been having similar experiences! I cannot, and will never understand what makes people think they can judge others in such ways. I don't care what people do with their lives as long as they are happy with the decisions they have made. And if they aren't and they come to me for advice I'm more than happy to help them!
But I get customers every week that give me that conversation...."So you in school?" .... "No." .... "WHY NOT?!?!" They automatically assume I am not doing ANYTHING with my life because apparently school is the only way to make it in life. I feel 20 years ago, maybe yes. But now, things are changing.
I definitely will never stop being me. And being as stubborn as I am, when I get stuff like this at me, it makes me more persistent in being all that I expect myself to be. And as long as I'm happy with myself, I'll continue to never care what people really think about any of it :)
I'm happy to hear you have such friends that actually want to go out and do that kind of stuff. None of mine do lol.
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