Food for thought...
Is it better to focus the majority of your energy on one subject you excel at? I would like to pose the argument that balance is better. For myself, the vast majority of my academic career focused on a very specific, very narrow pocket of biology (the evolution of regeneration in salamanders if you were dying to know) but in my personal time I rebelled. I needed a break from biology! I needed a break from talking 'shop' with other grad students, from reading research papers, and from sitting in a climate controlled laboratory. So, in my extracurricular time I expanded my boundaries. I took silk screening classes, did yoga, learned Latin dance.
During my brain's break from biology, amazing things happened. For one, I made a whole whack of T-Shirts for my family & friends, but I also learned skills that helped me along the way. I visualized things differently using my artistic skills, I learned stress reducing techniques that grad students need, I learned about new cultures, and made new friends.
And as an added bonus, I will be combining art and science in an Art Workshop that I will be running! It's called 'Painting with Nature'. So, if you are in Niagara October 13th, come check out the walk-on-up & create workshop, which will be running from 12:20-6:00 as part of the Niagara Nights of Art.
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