I’ve Officially Unlocked a New Level of Post-Grad
Post N007
October 27, 2024
I just sat at a ramen bar with a 35-year-old man, who had a mustache, drinking beers for two hours as he told me all about his job at an ad agency. Yeah, I think it’s time to hang my hat here. The next level to unlock might be joining a co-Ed soccer or ultimate frisbee league.
A few weeks ago, my mom met this man, Jake, at a restaurant bar. Somehow they struck up a conversation, and of course, he just so happened to work at an ad agency I’d recently been researching for job opportunities. In fact, his line of work pretty much aligns with everything my program at Parsons taught me. Without even asking what I think, my mom set up a time for me to meet him. So, on an innocent Thursday night, I got dropped off by my mom and found myself sitting at the end of the bar (where Jake always sits), trying to keep up with his four IPAs. I think I didn’t even finish two. It’s something about guys with mustaches I swear they all love IPAs. Beers turn to water once you’ve got facial hair like that. The bartender even accidentally poured me a third, and I just let it sit there.
I’ll spare you most of the details of our conversation—things only creative strategists like Jake and I would fully understand—but there was a bit of advice he shared that I think is worth mentioning. He told me that creativity is like taking a shit (sorry to be crass). We do it every day, but it’s up to us to embrace it. (He either said “embrace” or “choose to do it”; doesn’t matter, they both work). It might not be a ground-breaking thought, but there’s a lot of truth in it. And that truth needs to be the mantra going forward.
As we all know, I’ve been struggling recently to unlock my creativity. But maybe I’ve been looking at it the wrong way. Creativity is always there, sitting on the right hemisphere of our brains. If we’re actively aware that creativity will present itself almost daily, we’re going to begin to notice it more. I’m not sure I’m explaining this perfectly, but you get the idea.
My grandmas ex boyfriend (ha) once told me that the best way to meditate is to focus on whatever you’re doing. For instance, brushing your teeth. If you’re on your phone or thinking about what to wear while brushing, you’re taken out of the moment. You might even brush twice because you were so distracted. He said, “Next time you brush your teeth, just stand there and tell yourself, ‘I’m brushing my teeth,’ and really focus on it.” It invites a meditative state. I think this is how we should invite creativity into our lives.
Of course, everyone has their own methods for finding inspiration. But, for the next few days, let’s try to be aware of what we’re doing—our surroundings, who we’re with, the thoughts and feelings that come and go, the food we’re enjoying. The more present we are, the more room we make for critical thinking and innovation.
This post-grad life has been pretty funny so far. Jake emphasized that this is exactly what people in our position should be doing, talking with others in similar industries and building a network from there. It’s all about the narrative we’re creating.