Beyond the Norm by Drina

Beyond the Norm by Drina - October 2018 Scholarship Essay

When I hear the phrase, “thinking outside the box,” I think about the unexpected. Something that is unexpected and creative is not considered to be average or a norm; the person that thought outside of the box had to come up with something original. For example, renowned inventors had to question the norms and think about the unexpected instead of being contained in a box with set beliefs. The most important foundations of this process are brainstorming and experimenting.

Coming up with an original idea requires brainstorming and using research to bring that idea to life. Nonetheless, how that idea will impact your intended audience. Once the mind is set free from limitations, creativity will naturally flow out. Mistakes are to be expected, however, these mistakes can make the end result more polished. Once a set idea comes to mind, experimenting the idea is the next step to testing how the idea will become effective.

Experimenting will help the inventor discover the pros and cons of the idea like how the experiment can be fixed or even the benefits. The only way that the idea will become a principle is if it is capable of being replicated. If the inventor is not able to replicate or prove the idea of being true, then the idea will not be able to be used. Establishing a controlled variable will help the inventor monitor the experiment; therefore, using the scientific method while experimenting is crucial.

In conclusion, thinking outside of the box means that an inventor will create their own standard that differentiates itself from the average way of thinking. Creating an original thought derives from questioning the already proven factors or using those factors and building upon them. In the end, many ideas will connect to other ideas because everyone is inspired by someone or something else in one way or another.