The Adaptive Creative

"Your vibe attracts your tribe" Introduction     One of the purposes behind the Digital Summer Clinic having interns maintain a blog is to think about our audience and who it is we want to connect with. We have a progress report to present in our weekly meetings, and recently we've started including this audience. When I first presented with my internship partner, I was met with confused looks and questions from my mentors.      My goal is to connect with two audiences. The first, my peers and other professionals early in their careers. This made perfect sense to my mentors, it's my second audience that left some perplexed. I strongly feel that I would benefit and find wonderful connections with other neurodivergents and creatives, which are often one and the same.     This word, neurodivergent, was unfamiliar. I was asked if it referred to someone who has Asperger's, or Asperger Syndrome. Autism does fall into the category of neurodiversity, as well a...

Where You Work Impacts How You Work      Covid-19 changed the world in many ways, including how we work and pursue education. Virtual and online work went from a flexible option to a necessity for all. As vaccines and boosters have become more accessible, many of us have returned to interacting outside our homes.      As of now, I am working in a hybrid setting depending on where I'm working. For Intermode, I am in-person throughout my 10 hours. As a field manager, I am working in a hybrid style with the vast majority of my work completed remotely.      I have been working in a hybrid style as early as the fall 2020 semester due to having lab hours. Here are some things I've learned over the last two years about working and studying from home. Don’t work or study where you rest : This is a tip I received from my therapist. Our minds are powerful and influential, and we often don't even realize what's happening at a subconscious level. Our bed...

Modifying Your Schedule Can Be Difficult     Humans are creatures of habit, and having a regular schedule is often many small habits throughout the course of our day. Starting in childhood, the average person had a schedule revolving around school, extracurricular activities, family, and other factors. We know what tomorrow looks like because we've done the same things over and over before.      When our schedule changes, it can be so easy to forget the new addition. It can be just as easy to forget parts of your regular activities because you spend so much time thinking about the new variable. These are some challenges I've had to overcome, and am still adapting to, during  The Digital Summer Clinic (DSC) of 2022. Plan as Best You Can     The internship began the week of June 13. Prior to the start of this week, multiple emails had been coming through about when the clinic would have regular meetings. My internship partner and I had also worked o...

Introduction      Everyone deals with procrastination at some point in their life. Some of us just happen to deal with it on a frequent, if not daily, basis. Or, if you're like me, multiple times in a single day. I n my life, procrastination is like the TV show  Friends  on cable. I know, I know, who the hell uses cable anymore? But hear me out! It's a regularly scheduled program on one channel that has reruns on the channel directly beneath it and other episodes on a completely different network playing about four hours later.       If you are a creative, neurodivergent, and even if you're not, welcome! You've found the right place! Before we dive into everything, I think getting a lay of the land is important. I am approaching this topic from the perspective of someone who struggles with ADHD, depression, and anxiety. While these things do not define me, they are part of me and I have been learning about them for years.     ...

Seizing and Receiving Opportunity Some Background (Psst! Jump to "1. Don't Rush" if you only want the advice part)        It's amazing what happens when you let life play out in its own time. Situations change and shift organically without any input from us. Opportunities tend to evade you when it's all you can think about and present themselves when it's the last thing on your mind. While I still believe in taking control of your own life, an important lesson I had to learn is to welcome the things I can't control.       Throughout high school, I struggled with many things, including mental and physical health. My grades suffered because of it and I feared that my life wouldn't amount to anything significant. Not for lack of trying, of course. It felt like my life was spiraling out of control the more I tried to get a grip on things.       When I graduated, I thought it would be best to start my journey as a young adult at Was...

First Day #Anxiety Is Real       My heart is racing, my palms are sweating, my stomach is churning, and my head is pounding yet floating simultaneously. The lights are too bright and everything is too loud.  For me, anxiety is a hereditary characteristic I've had the joy of overcoming since childhood. Sometimes, it appears unannounced on a random Monday and sticks around for a while. Most of the time, anxiety makes its debut according to new developments in my life.      I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with The Digital Summer Clinic and Intermode this summer! Unfortunately, that excitement didn't nullify the nervous energy that coursed through me the closer I got to the first day of my internship. These conflicting emotions set me on edge and clouded my mind for days.       In a bittersweet way, I'm glad that I've had to spend so much time with anxiety because it's given me years to practice how to deal with it. Here ar...