As a third-year humanities student in a world that prioritises productivity, financial stability, and rapid career progression, I’m well and truly starting to feel the panic. Pursuing a non-STEM career in this contemporary Silicon-Valley obsessed landscape can feel like swimming against the tide, especially when many around you seem to have sacrificed their creativity in favour of more steadfast vocational higher educations. I constantly find myself wondering if my writing and art should have remained a hobby in favour of a more financially secure degree path that would have eased my current career anxieties. Indeed, whether it's writing, music, or any other creative pursuit, finding affirmation in your passions is arguably becoming increasingly difficult in this dystopian capitalist world where external validation is inconsistent, and financial rewards are uncertain.
However, for one student musician, Laurie, staying true to artistic passion has been a process of discovery, requiring periods of isolation, change, and space to experiment and grow. As a fourth-year International Relations student at the University of Edinburgh, Laurie serves as a fine example of someone who has successfully navigated the somewhat strained relationship between academia and artistic ambition, demonstrating how to find success in staying connected to what excites you. Sitting down with Laurie, we discussed how we can try to find affirmation in our creative pursuits, even when it seems that society rarely rewards them.
Lesson 1: Embracing Slow Creativity
For many creatives, the Covid-19 pandemic paradoxically presented both a challenge and an opportunity in its requirement for unprecedented levels of isolation. In a time of great stress, loss, and societal upheaval, lockdown forced creatives to sit with their craft away from the ubiquitous distractions of daily life. “I told myself that I would write my first EP during lockdown”, Laurie recalls. “At the time, I was coming to terms with my passion for music… it felt so secret and personal”. For them, the forced pause of lockdown became more than just a frightening and lonely experience, but instead became a moment to refine creative output without expectation. Looking back, Laurie now sees those months as an invaluable creative incubator, acknowledging that the ability to dedicate time to creativity was a huge privilege and learning that creative work flourishes when we give it time, space, and freedom to evolve.
Lesson 2: Stepping Outside Your Bubble
Time does not stop for us to be infinitely refining our crafts. However, as Laurie notes, space and freedom to grow creatively can come about even when marching on with the pursuit of higher education. The incredible opportunity to study on a year abroad in Sydney gave Laurie their first taste of a big-city music scene, opening a whole new avenue of perspectives, approaches, and creative energy. “It felt like Sydney had everything - venues, bands, DJs. The music scene there was so young and fresh, full of people hustling creatively”. For the first time, he found himself in an urban jungle, immersed in a culture where people weren’t just making art as a hobby, but were dedicating themselves to it full time.
Laurie reminisces on how this experience has transformed the way he approaches music now. “Coming back to Edinburgh, I just started doing it! I saw how people in Sydney were throwing themselves into their creative projects - and I wanted to bring that energy back”. Undoubtedly, this resonates with a crucial lesson familiar to many artists, that stepping outside of your comfort zone - whether physically or metaphorically - inspires, reigniting creative ambition and affirming you in your passions.
Lesson 3: Finding Unexpected Sources of Inspiration
Whilst striking the balance between a non-artistic degree and a desire for creativity can cause some undeniable friction, arguably, your art can intersect with any seemingly unrelated degree. Indeed, higher education provides a unique environment where artistic stimuli can come about wherever you look, and whilst the freedom to prioritise passion projects whilst at university is a privilege not all have, for those who do, recognising that, and looking for inspiration in unexpected places can aid the creative process. For example, Laurie speaks of how his academic studies in International Relations have influenced his approach to music. “I love the critical lens my degree gives me. Studying power structures, queer theory, indigenous studies - it all informs what I create. Art is inherently political”. Indeed, creative work does not exist in a vacuum. Rather, it thrives on diverse enriching influences, whether that be through intellectual exploration, new lived experiences, or even 3am drunk conversations in a bar.
Redefining Success on Your Own Terms
Pursuing creativity is not without its difficulties, with Laurie admitting that the time- consuming nature of fourth-year means they has less time to dedicate to their personal exploration of art as well as the dynamics of songwriting with their band. Yet despite the pressures of academia and the fast-paced outside world, he feels “constantly affirmed in his art. At university, so many people are making huge defining life choices, so I am noticing when I feel excited - and I feel excited about my music”. For Laurie, the most validating and inspiring moments come from seeing friends succeed as musicians, watching them on stage and releasing albums. It is this affirmation that allows him to balance academia with creativity, recently taking on the role of Musical Director in EUSC’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, as well as preparing for upcoming performances with his band, Bottom Line. Indeed, Laurie’s journey is a testament to the fact that success is not measured solely by external validation. Rather, it is about carving our space for your passions, seeking inspiration from unexpected places, and staying connected to the joy of creating. As Mr Keating tells us in Dead Poets Society, "medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for."