A Discussion on Creativity

     Creativity is commonly used in our everyday lives but have you ever stopped and considered how creative you truly are? For many people myself included to a degree have the conception the creativity applies mostly to the arts where people make great use of their creativity making music, painting pictures, or even doing animation. However, creativity plays a far bigger picture in our lives then most of us think.  Riding a bike, solving simple puzzles, creating stories in your head, and even cooking food are some common forms in which you show creativity.  This is how creativity blossoms in us, through simple forms which we build upon. Through our own efforts we are able to make ourselves more creative over time. Think about something your good at, I’m sure it didn’t happen overnight and that through constant practice you were able to slowly become better at it. This creativity you develop is used in a variety of ways from personal pleasure to more academic settings and work. It is something that we all share with one another and relate to. It’s also what make each person unique as it allows us to approach situations differently as each person has developed their own form of creativity.

     For me creativity has taken shape in two distinct forms in my life the first being just designing things from a variety of buildings, vehicles, and landscapes. I did this initially through the form of LEGO’s as a child which blossomed into computer games and programs where I could design buildings all the way up to entire civilizations created by me. It was always a surreal feeling of being able to create anything you wanted to with little to no restrictions, being able to defy physics allows for some fun creations. A flying car, a floating city in the sky, a pirate ship in space, things which are nearly impossible in real life that are possible in these programs. I do this on my own time and don’t plan on pursuing it as a form of a possible career, though I still very much continue this hobby. The other form of creativity I have developed over the past 8 years is through music. I can use this creativity for both academic and personal use and still continue in college. I’ve come a long way playing my instrument which is the French Horn, from struggling to understand the fingerings and staff to now currently learning three iconic band pieces in our very own UNF Wind Symphony. These three pieces being First Suite in e flat (no flat sign on PC), Second Suite in F#, both of these by Holst and the final piece is Lincolnshire Posy by Grainger. Pieces I would have never imagined I’d be playing right now and wouldn’t be playing if I didn’t practice and improve myself over time. If I wasn’t pushed by family, friends, and teachers I may not have progressed much and be where I am now. I consider this support to be an important factor for developing your creativity as a healthy environment will make your experience more pleasant and encourage you to continue. These have been just some of my thoughts and experiences on creativity, feel free to take it as you please and possibly even tell me some your own forms of creativity.