Aarush Anand shares how art has impacted his life.
I once heard a teacher point out the difference between asking “what you want to be” versus “who you want to be.” In my community, people’s idea of what they want to be is characterized by focus on occupations. STEM positions like doctor and engineer, are held in a higher regard because STEM represents growth, innovation, and undeniably, income. But I think people overlook the arts and humanities, areas of study people often call useless.
When I was two years old, I began venturing into art. My “amazing” stick figures helped develop my fine motor skill, identify patterns and foster intellectual development. As I hesitantly learned to share, and be open to the idea that something existed beyond myself, I learned about the influence of historical choices and the ability to change the future. There were so many decisions I could make to change my community. Understanding this, I approach my STEM interest from a humanities perspective.
My pieces are experiments of their own, drawing from the skills I cultivated as a child. My once interesting stick figures are now paintings that show perseverance, and the drive to explore and view the world through different lenses. I approach problems differently knowing the variety of topics humanities has to offer, and how they shape both my view of the world and of myself.
I admit that one day I want to be involved in STEM fields like healthcare, but knowing how the arts have influenced my mindset, resourcefulness and confidence push me to instigate change around me. Ultimately, it’s allowed me to humanize my interest and attitude towards major issues. So, if someone asks you what you want to be and you say engineer because you want to innovate you should go for it; if you want to save lives by being a doctor, do that too, but never forget that the skills you learn from the humanities can also help you answer the question of who you want to be as well. With a Perspective, I’m Aarush Anand.