My sophomore year painting professor at Pratt told our class that you got to be crazy to pursue painting as a career. There is so much information out there now about what majors one should apply for in college to maximize profit and have the best chance for high paying careers and a painting degree isn't exactly gonna be high on those lists. Although I understand going to college for this purpose but my mindset is kinda the opposite. I understand why my professor said you have to be crazy to get a painting degree because it's a huge investment that may never pay dividends and as a painting major you have to be okay with that uncertainty, the uncertainty that you may never make it as a full time painter. Painting and art is something you pursue for the love of the game, for the love of that grind not for the results. That feeling of improving teeny tiny aspects of your skills every time you make something, for me that couldn't get more fulfilling. With the technology of AI shoved in my face seemingly in almost every aspect of my life but especially within art spaces it can feel discouraging but art is my life and realistically nothing is gonna keep me from trying. All of this to say just painting may not be my job in the future but I hope creativity will be a part of it. Even if it isn't creating art will always be apart of my life.