For students everywhere, the holiday season offers a respite from schoolwork and a chance to relax and recharge, both mentally and physically. But what about creatively?

Let’s face it – even if you’re a theatre major (like me) and loving your program (like me), not everything you do throughout a school term is going to be something that creatively satisfies you. That was a tough lesson for me to learn over the past year and a half, but I’m glad I learned it. The realization that I was not leaving every project feeling pleased creatively has transformed my holiday season from TV binge-watching and oversleeping into a time of year when I am actively working to better my life creatively. In other words – it’s an extra month of my year that I’m using to become a better artist, rather than just relaxing, doing nothing, and honestly feeling worse off for it.

This holiday season, I’m dedicating my time – at least portions of it – to projects that, with school and work, I’ve been too busy to pursue. Quality Netflix time is still on the holiday list, but I find that I’m more excited to tackle my “Creative Bucket List.” Although it isn’t giving my mind and body a rest in the way that I usually use my holidays for, working on projects I’m passionate about is exactly what this tired theatre soul needs.

How can you get started on your own creative bucket list? To give you some ideas, I’ve selected a few of the projects I’m looking to start in the month I now have off from school:

1. Write a modern adaptation of a classic
2. Update my audition book
3. Record covers
4. Paint inspirational quotations creatively
5. Blog more

Take some time this holiday season to listen to what your creative soul needs. You’d be surprised at how neglected that creative spark can get when you are caught up in the business of everyday life, but if you just take a few hours or minutes each day to work on something that feels creatively fulfilling, you’ll go back to school and work in the New Year feeling recharged and ready to take on anything.

Happy holidays!

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