In layman’s terms, creativity can be defined as the “transforming [of] ideas, imagination, and dreams into reality.” I wanted to know if this definition translated across various cultures, ethnic groups, fields of study, ages and genders. 352Creates asked students and community members of Gainesville a simple question: What does creativity mean to you? I picked out several responses that resonated positively and posted them below. Let’s jump in!

Molly Durnas is a sophomore studying Computer Science. She states, “Creativity is really important to me– it’s a great outlet to express yourself, more so than words.– I’ve been dancing since I was three so creativity has always been important in my life.” Molly describes that she performs the art of dance to feel creative and relaxed in her life, amongst the many stresses that way her down.

Hailey Beal is a third-year Ph.D. Biochemistry student at the University of Florida. Beal says, “Being able to be grounded in other areas and look at a project– through different lenses [grants] you [to] really see the world in a different way.” She believes creativity plays a role in allowing herself to see different and new perspectives in every facet of life.

Isabella Moore is a first-year Business Administration student. Moore states, “To me, creativity is important because it leads to new ways of problem-solving.” Moore says there are numerous regions in the business field that require her to implore creativity. She discusses the importance of right-brain thinking in a left-brain thinking area of study.

Aaron Algare is a junior studying Industrial and Systems Engineering at UF. Algare says creativity is “expressing yourself however you feel without fear of judgment from others.” He thought long and hard about the simplicity and detail of his answer. When talking with Aaron, he shared that creativity to him was more than just drawing on a piece of paper, it was his way of living.

Sneha Sundaram is a first-year Business Marketing student. She states that creativity is “thinking outside the box.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Sneha is one who values quality over quantity and expresses this in her answer perfectly.

Jufoh Lebofsky is a freshman studying APIC/Psychology. Lebofsky says, “Creativity is a big passion I’ve always had because when it comes to collaboration you want to make sure everyone is offering their side of life. When it comes to a project, you find something new every time.” He discusses the importance of creativity in his own major and why it deems valuable in group settings.

Katie Bonevento is a second-year English major. She states, “I think creativity is really important, especially at this school in particular, because there’s a big focus on STEM. Bonevento believes “people sort of underestimate how creativity can help solve problems and how it can contribute to the world.” She described a new acronym in which she stands by, STEAM, STEM-based thinking with heavy involvement of creativity.

Kaavya Sethumadhavan is a freshman studying Philosophy. Sethumadhavan says, “To me, creativity is about expressing yourself in many different ways. You have the freedom to express who you want to be [and] what you want to do, whether it be art, science [or other].” She believes UF is a big contributor to students’ ability to express their creativity on and off-campus.

I implore you to consider your answer to this question. What does creativity mean to you? As Albert Einstein once said, “Creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought.”

Blog post and photographs by Cameron Sonnentag.

Do you value creativity in your organization or as an individual? Create in Place is the second Friday of every month and 352Creates promotes the idea that creativity can happen anytime, anywhere! And it’s good for our health as individuals and as a community!