When I came to SMU, I knew exactly what I wanted to study: political science and economics.

Since the fifth grade, I had never considered studying in a field of which I didn’t know if I would have a job upon graduating.

Recently, my wellness teacher showed our class an interesting lecture by Sir Ken Robinson. In this lecture, he describes how fewer people dedicate their lives to studying in the creative fields, including art, dance, writing, acting, etc. His for hypothesis why this occurs is that schools often stifle creativity at a young age.

I had never considered this; I just always assumed that those who chose to study painting or dance were so passionate about their work, they would risk the possibly of not being wealthy as long as they were doing something they loved.  

As he spoke of more and more examples of kindergarteners being taught not to fit round blocks into square peg holes, my mind started questioning whether there was merit in what he had to say.

Two hundred years ago, it was almost unheard of to go to school past the elementary level. Today, it’s almost unheard of not to go to college and still be able to find a job. Instead of studying multiple subjects superficially, children were forced into apprenticeships where they learned one thing deeply.

So which is a better system of education? Well, it is hard to say.

The one thing I know is that the greatest authors, artists and scientists that we are taught to learn from today were once so passionate in their field that they had to be specialized in that area to have been so successful. Some of the greatest works of art have been produced by people who never went to college and pursued their passions independently. Some of those geniuses include: William Shakespeare, Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel, Walt Disney and Frank Lloyd Wright.

I know some may not agree with me, but I think many schools have lost the essence of passion and risk. If schools can force students into studying math, science and English, why can’t they mandate taking an arts class too?

Sometimes it’s important to have that one class in which you can let loose and just let your mind imagine. Furthermore, does a core curriculum serve to help  us, or hurt us? Would studying one area allow us the time and energy to become such experts that we can provide a life based on that one study? I ask you these questions because I truly don’t know the answer. I guess they are just some things to ponder as we go about our daily lives learning new information and the ways of the world.

Even though I never considered taking my love of acting and turning it into a career, I have always admired those courageous artists and writers who take a risk and dedicate their lives to their creative work. A part of me will always wonder what it would have been like to come here and study theater or cinematography. So, to those who have taken the risk, I commend you.

Alex Stambaugh is a freshman political science and economics double major. She can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].