College Experiences That Helped a Visiting Assistant Professor as an Artist Succeed

I did it. I did a lot. I made music albums. I basically just, kind of like a mushroom, like a rhizomatic structure. I just spread out into as many different communities and as many different ways of making. I tried to collaborate with everybody.

I think I really accidentally networked. I was super socially awkward because I was always just thinking about weird creative ideas, but I also just kind of stumbled out into places. I would wander around campus and end up in clubs that I didn't even know existed. Then I'd just sit in on the club and meet a bunch of people.

So, people say "network, network, network," but it doesn't have to be that way. You can just be curious and expand, go beyond what you think is essential for your career, and go beyond it out of curiosity. Try to connect because you don't know where the most meaningful doors will open.

Assuming that club has nothing to do with what I'm doing actually inhibits a possible connection. It limits how and in what way people could become important to one another. So, I think just following up on every single interest, taking classes outside of your field, helps to build your mind wider instead of more singular.

And then, just participating in a lot of different community spaces. A lot of people who got me opportunities were peers, not industry professionals or faculty. People who opened doors for me were people for whom I created opportunities.

For example, by saying, "Hey, I'm running a popup on the street corner, submit art." Or, "I built a wall on the back of my car and I'm just going to drive around the block for three hours and exhibit your work on the back of my car." Some really DIY, super strange thing.

Because I created an opportunity for them to do a really weird thing, then in the future, they were like, "I want to create an opportunity for this person." So, really choosing to be where you are and create community is one of the most important things.