Dreaming Too Big? 3 Stress Relievers for Soon-to-Be Graduates
Image by Olena Sergienko
Graduation is a topic known all too well by creative students. Whether you want to or not, you'll end up talking about the dreaded "G" word sooner or later with family or friends. The question of your success is always on your mind, with thousands of thoughts swirling around in your mind — if your portfolio is good enough, if you'll land a great job post-college, and if years of debt were worth it.
Pursuing a career in liberal arts might be deemed as a money trap to some, usually by those who think that you can just walk into a talent agency and declare your worthiness... Yet, we all know it doesn't work like that. One of the toughest realizations to come to terms with is if you're just downright dreaming too big.
We all know of the phrase: do what makes you happy in life. If you're happy at doing your job, then is it really a job after all? Dedicated creatives take this mantra to heart, throwing themselves into heavy course loads and extremely competitive fields to do what they love every single day. However, it's hard not to feel the pressure when it seems like everyone's got a blog these days and amazing Instagram portfolios.
Some professionals describe the creative industry now as being "more like an Instagram facade." For soon-to-be graduates, social media can be a great tool to display portfolios and connect with other artists. Unfortunately, it also means it's impossible to ignore the overwhelming competition that's out there.
According to The Business of Fashion, fashion students, in particular, stress the most about finding jobs after graduation. The industry has seen an explosion of young artists enrolling in programs and ultimately competing for the same jobs. Although course loads and instructors don't seem to be a problem, it's the lack of preparation for the real world that worries students. I, myself, am concerned with job security and how I stack up to other applicants all the time. When the thought of graduation gets to be too much to handle, remember these three things:
Being An Artist Means You Have to Be Fluid
I've seen my personal career path change several times since transferring to Columbia College Chicago. At some point, you have to decide if you're okay with working unrelated jobs to get to that dream job.
Think about: how many unpaid internships are you willing to work, the sleepless nights you're willing to endure, the stressful collaborations you're willing to take on, where you want to end up, and how important your dreams are to you.
Use All the Connections You Have
Some may think an education in liberal arts is a waste of money and unwarranted. With it comes endless opportunities, exposure, experience, and connections. As you start building your career, use these opportunities to your advantage! Collaborate, network, immerse yourself in the hidden areas of your field, and USE SOCIAL MEDIA!
I was recently afforded the opportunity to work with three talented photographers, all masters in their own rights-- in fine arts, photojournalism, and fashion photography. I had all of these grand plans for photoshoots and blog posts with no idea how to bring them to life. That is, until I realized the answer was right in front of my face... Instagram! Like I said before, social media is a great way to connect with other devoted artists. After weeks of thinking about how weird it must be to message a stranger, I came to terms with it. Social media is the way of the world, and if you don't care to post selfies all the time, you might as well use it for your career.
Now, I've made three new friends IRL, who inspire me in so many different ways! Had I stayed in my little town and tried to start up a styling career from there, I would have never met other passionate artists who get the excitement of completing a project and bringing a long-time vision to life. If you're not dedicated to finding connections, you'll always wonder what your career "could have" been.
Use Rejection as Motivation to Fine-Tune Your Skills
There will be times when you are overlooked or rejected for a job. It's honestly unavoidable. Employers may not be direct about why you weren't chosen for a project or specific job, but don't take it personally. Understand that there are hundreds of people just like you vying for the same internships, jobs, and opportunities to display your work.
Trust me, I have seen my fair share of rejection. It can get discouraging and make you wonder why you couldn't have just gone for that safe, office job your parents wanted you to instead. Turn that thinking around, otherwise, you'll spend all your days assuming you and your work aren't good enough. If I would've kept wallowing in my failures, I would've never landed the internship of my dreams!
Use your past rejections to light a fire inside of you to improve your work and skill set, whether it's to prove it to yourself, your family, or your dream employer that you are capable of greatness. Replace your concerns of job uncertainty with the relentless energy to create your best body of work. You'll thank yourself later that you chose to believe in your own power.