Posts published on October 19, 2015

10 Ways to be a More Creative Student this Year

By Jane Hurst

Being a student doesn’t have to be boring, even if sitting in a classroom or lecture hall may seem boring. There are all kinds of ways that you can use your creativity to make being a student a lot more fun, and improve the quality of the work you hand in. The key to being a successful student is creativity, and here are 10 ways that you can boost your own and be a more creative student this year.

1. Hang Out with Creative People – The more creativity you are around, the more it is bound to rub off onto you. Start hanging around with creative types, such as writers, artists, and musicians. You can get a lot of inspiration by doing this, and it won’t be long before your own creativity is sparked.
2. Just Do It – You will never get anything done, creative or not, if you don’t start somewhere. Just dive in and start working on something. If you want to write a book, start writing that first chapter. It may be really bad, but you can always tweak it and make improvements later on.
3. Get Out There – You need to be exposed to new things, particularly art such as books, paintings, music, etc. The more you are exposed to creative things that are completely new to you, the easier it is going to be for you to come up with ideas that are new and creative.
4. Get Involved – There are plenty of organizations, including many right on campus that can use your creative input. For instance, you can get involved with a group that is organizing an event. You can be the creator of custom-designed patches for everyone who is involved to wear, and that will make a statement about what your group is doing. Learn more at PatchSuperstore.
5. Get Your Own Morning Ritual – Let’s face it, not many of us really like mornings. But, you can turn your mornings into a time where you can sit and reflect, and come up with new ideas. Enjoy your coffee while watching the morning news, and then go for a walk. The more you repeat these actions on a daily basis, the sooner your mind will be open to doing things when you are in that zone.
6. Try New Things – Start doing things you have never done before. If you normally watch television in the evening, go for a walk instead. If you like to read, read something that is completely out of the norm for you. Doing new things will get your creative juices flowing.
7. Ignore the World – Sometimes, you just need to step back from the craziness in the world and retreat into yourself. Take a nap, meditate, go for a walk alone, etc. Just take some time for you so you can clear your mind.
8. Carry a Camera – Never be without your camera, because you never know when you may see something really interesting. You may notice something different on something that you see every day. Look for new perspectives on things you look at every day.
9. Question Everything – Don’t just accept things at face value, even from your professors. Question assumptions instead. This is going to help you learn to use your own voice, and have the confidence you need to be more creative and take some risks.
10. Exercise – Everyone needs exercise, and we should all be getting at least one half hour every day. Not only will it help you physically, it will also help to clear your mind and let you be a lot more creative.

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot.