When I was placed into this class, my first thoughts were, ‘Yay! I’m going to paint and do pottery and visit other European countries. I can’t wait!’ Shortly after that, I found out the class was taught by the head of the IM program at NYUAD, and my thoughts became, ‘Oh no, that sounds more like coding and making games. The professor is also the head of a program. You don’t just become the head of the program with easy classes. What did I get myself into?’
Three final exams, two all-nighters, and one flight later, I found myself sitting in a class in Berlin, listening to the professor map out our next three weeks. My thoughts at this point were blank. I didn’t know where I was going or how it would end. All I knew was that I had to be creative and that it was all about the process.
My creative journey in this class typically began with meditation and slap showers—a concept very unique to this class. These moments of mindfulness provided a much-needed pause from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing me to cultivate a deep sense of calm and presence. Initially, I approached these meditations with a restless mind, finding it challenging to quiet my thoughts and fully immerse myself in the practice. However, as the sessions progressed every day, I began to experience a shift. The shift was not so profoundly transformative, but it was refreshingly different from my past experience with breathing practices. Sometimes, the guided meditations, particularly the breath-oriented ones, helped me ground myself in the present moment and clear my mind before starting class. Other times, it felt like a nap.
What I loved most about this class were the daily creating assignments. They were a means for me to immerse myself in the world of creativity on a regular basis. Among these assignments, the second one, ‘make something else with the same theme,’ was my first real obstacle, and it challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. Typically, I tend to stick to my initial perspective and get tunnel vision. So, when I heard the prompt for the second assignment, I felt a sense of discomfort. The idea of deviating from my initial thought-out approach with the ‘rainbow’ made me slightly uncomfortable. However, I realized that this discomfort was an opportunity for growth. I made a conscious effort to think laterally and break free from my usual patterns of thinking. In this way, the assignment pushed me to expand my creative boundaries and approach the theme from unconventional angles. Finally, I also enjoyed discussing our creations in class. Hearing the different perspectives and approaches people took was an opportunity for communal growth, and I appreciated that. I only wish we’d done it more often.
As a business student and someone who has never explored art before, some aspects of the class visits and trips focused on the arts were initially challenging for me to relate to. However, I appreciated the diversity in artistic fields we explored and the passion exhibited by the artists we encountered. Robert Seidel captivated my attention with his extraordinary work, particularly his mesmerizing piece ‘Folds.’ I am singling him out because seeing his work triggered reflections on the limited artistic mediums back home in Ethiopia, where art is limited to music, paint, sculpture, and theater. I’m not sure what I will or even can do with this realization, but I feel it was important.
One of the most valuable lessons I gained from the course was the practical application of techniques from the book ‘Lateral Thinking’ during our brainstorming sessions. Putting theory into practice was a transformative experience. The ‘Why?’ technique, in particular, was my favorite, as it encouraged me to question my own thinking process. I’ve always been someone who questions their own thoughts but never formally while keeping track of my answers. It was a very different experience to do it in this way.
Lastly, I must talk about my favorite and most insightful class reading: the chapter ‘Fears About Yourself’ in the book ‘Art & Fear.’ One quote that resonated with me was, ‘To require perfection is to invite paralysis.’ This line is deeply connected with my struggles in writing and starting projects. Every time I sit down to write an essay, I freeze up, paralyzed by the fear of falling short of perfection. Hours would pass with a blank document and a blinking cursor as my only accomplishments (I wrote about this in my reading response as well!). Through this reading, I understood that my expectation of perfection was what held me back. The fear of creating something that contradicted my vision of perfection paralyzed me. It was a revelation that shed light on my self-imposed barriers. I hope this realization will be the start of a new creative approach for me.
Overall, this class has been transformative, opening my mind to new possibilities and approaches to creativity. From the daily assignments to the meditations and class visits, each aspect has contributed to my growth. I have learned the value of lateral thinking, embracing imperfections, and questioning my own thoughts. In conclusion, I’m glad it wasn’t a painting and pottery class, and I’m even more glad it was taught by the head of the IM program.