Walk Away by Shelby

Walk Away by Shelby - October 2018 Scholarship Essay

Frankly, I do not like to be told to "think outside the box". This challenges me, the person who likes to stay inside her comfort zone. When I am told to "think outside the box", this tells me to come up with ideas that aren't expected. This tells me to be unpredictable and unanticipated, which is something I tend to struggle with. I like to be in a "safe place" where I do not have to worry about expanding on challenges that I face. However, being the person that I am, I do know that thinking outside the box is sometimes necessary to get the best outcome in everything.

I am the girl who doesn't talk very much, although I have a lot to say. I am the person who keeps ideas locked deep inside, due to the fear or judgement. A particular Graphic Communications teacher is someone who has always pushed me to think outside the small box that I tend to cram my ideas into. He sometimes refuses to answer questions for me, he does not ever give me the answer, and he tells me to figure it out on my own. When I get a case of "designer's block" and I cannot think of a single idea, he will often tell me, "Walk away and think outside the box,". When I return, I feel refreshed and i can usually overcome the problem at hand and come up with a design.

I guess the question is, "What exactly do I think of when I think outside the box?". I think of what I could do to get better, what I could add to improve what I already have, and what I could make that will exceed all expectations that anyone may have of me-including myself. Often when I walk away from a problem, I feel as an outsider to the issue, which can help me focus on what really needs to be done. To me, "thinking outside the box" does not just need to be a fresh idea; it needs to exceed all the ideas from the past.