Everybody in Gray's is getting ready for the degree show and its really getting exciting and there is a such a buzz about the building, mainly due to the copious amounts of caffeine I imagine but none the less I'm looking forward to everything coming together. I've always worked in the same kind of way when it comes to my studies throughout my school years and into university I stuck by the slow and steady wins the race way of working. So far it has served me well but there is always that thought in the back of my mind that says "oh but you could always do just a little bit more" and its true, maybe instead of taking that 45 minute break to speak to somebody about something that, shock horror, isn't related to the degree show then maybe I'd have better work and be further along in my studies, maybe I'd be finished already. Or maybe I'd be sad and resenting going to art school in the first place. I am so glad to be able to say that my four years in higher education has been amazing, so much so that I am going to do four more! However, if we didn't have that little voice inside that says we have the potential to do more then perhaps we wouldn't get anywhere.
What is such a shame about the idea of studying is that it is associated with the words such as "cram", "all-nighters", "red bull" and the classic "stress". Why can't it be about pace, enjoyment and satisfaction? Granted we do take pride in our studies, thats why people carry on doing what they are doing, at least for most anyway but too often I personally feel that deadlines are seen to be such negative things that people always strain themselves to reach, working through the night and even putting their health at risk to meet them. Some of the best advice I ever received was from a maths teacher in High School (who I used to ask for extra homework from because I worried so much about failing- oh how things have changed!) who said that there is absolutely no point in revising the night before an exam, your not going to learn anything new in that space of time and your just going to stress yourself out because you think you know nothing. Its true, so often people say they need "the fear" to get the adrenaline pumping and churn out work moments before its due in but I personally cannot get my head around that. The very idea of staying up until 6am of a hand in date seems completely alien to me. I don't mean for this to come across as if I am some kind of goodie two shoes that gets A's and everything is so easy for me. I'm not. I find things hard all the time and sometimes I am completely rubbish at what I do but instead of beating myself up about it, I just get on with it really and try my best to enjoy all of the good and bad experiences which come from studying for a degree. All the time in crits people talk about artists and films and I have no clue what they are on about and all the time people talk to me about politics and I have the blankest face in the world, but thats okay, because I can still learn things as I go along! Hell, sometimes its quite funny to not know the capital of Germany, because you're sure as anything not going to forget it when there are about ten stunned faces in front of you staring at you in disbelief at your clear lack of Geographic knowledge (this didn't happen to me). Maybe I am deluded and alone in my thoughts in this respect but I do believe that you can be happy with your pace of working. Yes, sometimes there is a pang of guilt and a hint of nerves but ultimately we are all human and just trying to do the things we enjoy doing. Without a little bit of fear everything would be horribly beige but thats not to say that our minds must be bursting with negative thoughts with regards to education.
So to any fourth year art students, final year medics, sixth year high school students or ANYBODY who feels this pressure of a "dreaded deadline" who is reading this... Stop. Calm down. You're just one person and as long as you are enjoying your work and you are learning new things and are being challenged then you aren't doing anything wrong. Listen to the wee voice that says work harder but don't under estimate the power of self satisfaction because you might just gain so much more than you could ever imagine.
But this is just my opinion, you can do what you want... thats the thing about life.
Alison McGregor: Self Help Guide in stores soon. ;)
