The prettiest hat is the one that I designed! by Roshonda

The prettiest hat is the one that I designed! by Roshonda - May 2021 Scholarship Essay

At the age of four years old, we are sent off to school and for the next 13 years take on the identity of a student. While pedagogy is as ancient as humanity, modern schools have become a place of mechanical indoctrination. Individuality is quenched, and students are drilled to conform and regurgitate. Therefore, reigniting the creativity that I lost as a child, has been the hardest hurdle to overcome.
Possessing the freedom to imagine, is one of the most profound gifts that mankind possesses. As children we are free to create, draw, and play in the distinctive worlds of our imagination. But, as we get older the pressures of society squeezes our creativity dry. It is not surprising that psychology journals are advocating for more creative outlets to combat stress. Without an outlet, people tend to feel burnout and mentally fatigued.
The year 2020 allowed for an introspective observation of my own creativity. Months of papers and projects had left me feeling depleted. I came to the conclusion that, while I wore many hats as a student, worker, and family member the hat I least wore was my own creativity. This revelation was the catalyst for me to begin exploring various pathways of my imagination.I spent time creating designing a nonprofit fundraiser to support social activism called the BSaint Prints. After spending time with my nonprofit, I felt inspired to make the first step and open my business. Queencentive.com. For a long time I felt that my box of creativity and art was closed. But what I needed was time to explore, without the fear of failure or doubt.