I was worried about expressing myself creatively when coming to Harvard – a place that I had imagined to be academic-focused with little room for my artistic pursuits.  

Drawing and painting are two things that I actively love to do and hobbies that I had engaged in frequently before entering college. I was nervous about the academic environment at Harvard and feared that there would be little time for me to be involved with the arts while studying here. Not only did I love engaging in art in my free time, but it was also something that I integrated into my extracurricular sphere during my time in high school and I wished to have similar opportunities while in college.  

Art in My Entryway 

It didn’t take me long to realize that this would be entirely possible at Harvard, with artistic opportunities emerging in the very building that I lived in. In my first-year dorm, Stoughton Hall, my proctor had invited me to draw chalkboard signs for our Ivy Yard study breaks. These were a couple instances where I was given the chance to use my skills practically for an event on campus in my first-year entryway.

Art in Student Organizations  

Outside of my first-year dorm, I found an opportunity to stay involved with art through the student organizations on campus. Many organizations have a variety of boards that students may join, and I found myself interested in the design board for The Harvard Advocate, the oldest continuously published collegiate literary magazine at the college. Through finding this organization, I was able to collaborate with other students also interested in drawing and design. I’ve already learned so much about what makes a good design and the tools to do so, while actively being able to implement my artwork.  

Art Around Me 

Additionally, I was able to engage with artwork in the facilities that were on Harvard’s campus. The Harvard Art Museum was a location that I had interacted with for classes and in my own free time. In my First Year Seminar, we saw artwork exhibitions of current issues and related it to our learning in class. Along with this, the Carpenter Center is another space on campus where you’ll find students working in visual arts and where this art is displayed. This space has all sorts of supplies and materials but also serves as a great source of inspiration.  

Art in Class 

One realm where I could express my artistic interests that took me by surprise was actually in the classroom. Harvard’s curriculum allows students to take General Education courses, and one that I took was all about creativity. In this course, we did our typical readings and discussions, but we also submitted weekly creative assignments. These assignments encouraged us to try new things and push our existing abilities, which I was grateful for because I worked with art in an entirely new way. I wasn’t merely drawing and creating, but I was looking at my art through a new lens and understanding it in a different way. It was a pleasant surprise to see how I could learn so much about a field I was already familiar with and how I could integrate it into my own academic journey.  

Art on My Own 

Even while exploring art in my academics, extracurriculars, and in the community around me, I found that art was still an outlet for me to unwind and enjoy during the free time I had. I often found myself walking around Cambridge Commons right outside the yard, sitting on a bench, and pulling out a journal to doodle what I saw around me. I continue to find inspiration in the spaces I occupy and implement art into all the areas of my life, even while navigating my academic journey on campus.