Everyone should participate in the arts to become well-rounded

Establishing a straightforward path to a career is at the forefront of many students’ minds as they enter college.

In recent years, many schools around the country, including our very own CSB+SJU, have cut liberal arts programs simply because students aren’t participating in them to the same extent as STEM and business-related majors.

However, I would like to propose the mindset that the arts aren’t practical is misleading and causes students to miss out on essential opportunities for growth.

While majoring in STEM and business-related fields is beneficial for developing hard skills, the reality is they won’t distinguish you in the application process.

Everyone applying for the same jobs as you has those same skillsets.

Soft skills, however, are harder to develop and will ensure you stand out among other applicants, as well as flourish in all realms of life.

This is where the arts come in.

Here are soft skills the arts can develop that translate into almost all career paths and aspects of life in general.

1. Creative thinking:

It is obvious that the arts involve creativity, but many people don’t realize creativity is useful regardless of what path you take.

Anyone who comes up with a great business idea, designs marketing materials or brainstorms solutions for a larger problem is thinking creatively.

While knowing how to do the basics of your job is certainly necessary, creative, out-of-the-box thinking is what will make you a stand-out employee and person in general, especially if you are working for a larger corporation.

This kind of thinking is best developed in artistic settings.

2. Communication:

Every good artist, whether a musician or painter, knows how to communicate their ideas effectively.

While communication shows up in most aspects of life, what makes the arts unique is the mediums and methods they use for communication.

Through the use of visuals, sounds and movements, the arts expose you to various perspectives and train you to communicate beyond just words.

This will give you new ways to think about and communicate your ideas as you navigate through different environments and circumstances, which will be essential for succeeding in both your relationships and the corporate world.

3. Attention to detail:

No matter what art form an artist pursues, they will dissect every detail to create the best product possible.

For example, when working on my album, I spent hours simply cleaning up iffy notes or balancing frequencies of layers.

This develops patience for noticing small discrepancies that others may miss, and these small discrepancies can be the difference between, say, passing and failing an interview.

By ironing out every detail, everything will be as polished and perfected as can be, and the arts are a fun medium for developing this skill.

So, if you are still undecided on your major or looking for another extracurricular to add to your schedule, consider something in the arts.

They will make you a well-rounded individual who thrives in our capitalistic and industrial world.