It might seem silly, but I sometimes am surprised about how much I learn about art, the art community, and networking in general from being on DA.

Every time I see a piece that I like, a piece that inspires me, or even something that makes me turn my head and stare, I feel like I'm learning how to look with open eyes. Being on DA, I think, brings you into contact with a lot of different kinds of art; especially the daily deviations. In the beginning, I didn't really know about it, but now, I look at all of them every day. I love how wide the variety is. I honestly feel like the daily deviations page has been really influential for me in opening my eyes to what I think of as art.

Another thing with all the art that I look at is that it inspires me. I haven't painted in years, I almost gave up on drawing or sketching because of my depression. But in the recent months, I've been more inspired than ever to grab my old things and start up again. I've collected so many sketches over the semester of things I want to try, whether in watercolor, pastels, or now markers. That was a very new one for me. I hadn't even though about trying markers until I saw a marker tutorial on DA. I was so amazed at the richness of color that I'm really considering saving up and investing in them.

Another thing that always manages to make me smile is the networking. I know art students on campus. I have a few friends who are art majors, who find me strange, that while I love art, I'm not pursuing it as a career path. I love art, it's a passion, but I also science. I love being in the lab and understanding how everything works. Call me crazy, but I see the art in each cell, each molecule, each system.

But I have to admit, being a non-art major means that you don't love art, in the eyes of many people. But I'm starting to realize that not everyone thinks like that. That it's okay to love art but not make it your career. For those who do, all the best to you! But for someone like me, it's nice to see that you can be a part of a community as a fan, as a advocate, as a friend.

I'm constantly surprised by how friendly many of the deviants here are. I always find it hard to be outgoing online because I'm such a face-to-face speaker. I rely so much on body language and social niceties when speaking in public forums, that I can't do it from within a screen. But every time I've commented, I've enjoyed the replies and I've enjoyed making a connection with that person. It's a very strange feeling, but it's warm and fulfilling.

I suppose the thing that surprises me the most is that I find myself constantly learning, constantly wanting to try something new. It's such a refreshing change after feeling stagnant for so long.

I can't wait till I'm break. I've so many ideas that I want to tackle. I just have survive exams. Here's to hoping!