Author – Priyanka Rudrappa
“Arts? But why Arts?”
“You seem like a bright student. Why do you want to take up arts and spoil your future beta?”
“Arts? Oh! I guess engineering or medicine is not your cup of tea.”
Only a person studying arts is used to such comments made at them very often. After all, for a huge part of the society, arts students are senseless. To all those people always trying to belittle us, judge that studying arts is lame and is for the losers who fail to get into medicine, engineering or any mainstream field; this article is for you.
1. Being an arts student itself is an art.
Everything you do is not about some theory already found and can’t be questioned, but something new that is going to be appreciated. You don’t need to mug up already established theorems and formulae. There are perspectives in arts and everybody gets to have a say.
2. Freedom to be highly opinionated and NOT be judged.
There is no one to tell, “Oh wait, you’re wrong!” Most of the topics we study are debatable and subjective views are allowed. This encourages us to think and have our own opinions and also express them. You can talk about any topic, be it extremely shocking, disturbing or just silly but still nothing is judged.
Arts allow us to see things differently.
One of its lessons is tolerance. Also, arts students learn to appreciate beauty in things and abstract forms that even transcends the logic of rational thinking and reasoning. Art is anything. Draw a line, that’s art. Making love is art. EVERYTHING means something for an arts student.
3. The openness with which we discuss otherwise contentious topics are very liberating.
One of the best things about being an arts student is that you can talk about sex and sexuality without being shy because it is a huge part of being human, hence the “humanities”. For example, commerce students laugh or giggle at the very idea of a vagina, however an arts student wonders about how the vagina stands for female power. Similarly, orgasm is just climax (or as a matter of fact, just a fantasy) for a science geek, but for a literature student, orgasm is an imagery often used by some of the greatest poets.
4. Arts allow you to study your hobby!
What more could anyone want? You love writing? Great you can study it. You love dancing? You can study that too! Arts is liberating, mentally and physically.
5. Arts is relatable
Who would want to study something which has no immediate impact on one’s life? I wouldn’t. Arts is about everything, your life and my life. It’s about talking with a loved one, eating something nice, relationships, career, health, society and almost everything! It’s about science too.
6. Arts can be a promising career as well
Studying arts isn’t a catastrophe like everyone says. Yes, it’s not a cakewalk but it isn’t impossible either. Acting, dancing, photography, journalism, psychology, etc. are also lucrative these days. Which profession isn’t without a little risk here and there? This is what makes life worthwhile, isn’t it?
7. Most importantly, you grow a lot as a person
What’s life if you have all the riches in the world without being a good person? Arts broadens our perspectives, induces character, compassion, confidence, liberal thinking and equips us with all the virtues to face our life ahead strongly and grow as a person.
In short, “Earth without art is just ET.” All those people studying arts out there keep your heads held high and shout out, “three cheers for arts!”
Suggested Reads
10 Best Fine Art Schools of India to Build a Career in Visual Arts
How Much Does Fine Art School Cost in India?
10 Books on Indian Art that Every Artist Must Read
