Art Tip #6: Don't give up

Don't extinguish their passions.

One of the saddest things I encountered when I was in college: students who were majoring in a subject because it was "practical" and not because they really wanted to study it. I heard many fellow students confess that they'd rather study something else, but Business/Psychology/English/Graphic Design was "more practical" and would get them a job. Um, okay? One of the main reasons that many weren't majoring in what they really wanted to study was their parents. "My parents won't pay for my education if I study something else. They say I won't get a 'real' job." Well-meaning advice that leads nowhere. If your kid is truly passionate about something, encourage that pursuit! To them, it is practical, because if they love it, they'll work at it with all their strength.

I had many people tell me I should study graphic design in college, so I could get a "real job." I was asked often, "What are you going to do with a studio arts degree?"
Guess what? I don't like doing graphic design! I'm not interested in sitting at a desk all day, making stuff on a computer. I don't enjoy doing computer programming, web design or working on tight deadlines. I love making things with my hands, getting paint all over my face, taking months to turn layers of random things into objects of beauty. If I had been a graphic design major, I would have probably dropped out. But I studied what I truly loved, and I kept at it even when I felt like giving up, because I knew it's what I truly want to do. And my parents didn't try to get me to choose another major "more practical" than studio art. I appreciate so much what they said, "Pick something and stick with it." They told me to work hard and excel in whatever field I chose.
Graphic designers are a dime a dozen these days--you really have to be amazing and multi-talented to stand out (like my friend, Reed). I have always wanted to focus on the studio arts, and I will have a career in it because it's what I truly love. My parents encouraged me to pursue that passion, rather than focusing on practicality alone.