Every summer has something that defines it. For some, it might be the summer before moving into college or starting a new job. Although summers are often defined by personal moments, they can also be remembered through the art that was popular at the time. Take “Brat Summer,” for example, which is the affectionate nickname for the summer of 2024. “Brat Summer” is a term stemming from British singer and songwriter Charli XCX’s hit electric pop album, “Brat.” Everything about the album, from its lime green background all the way to the messy party girl lifestyle it evoked, set the tone for that summer.
This summer, though not as dominated by one singular art piece, still saw many releases. From various music albums such as Olivia Rodrigo’s “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” to movies like “The Odyssey” (2026), there is no doubt that there was more than enough media to go around. Even against a political backdrop of increasing criticism contrary to the arts and the humanities, many successful artists were still able to shine through.
It can be observed that for most people, consuming art is more commonplace than creating art. It is much more common to see someone listening to music on Spotify or watching a TV show rather than playing an instrument or making origami. Perhaps this is because consuming art is perceived to be more passive, and creating art to be more active. And creating art may seem daunting for many because of social pressure and perfectionism. This results in many people stopping themselves before they even begin, letting social and internal pressures get the best of them. However, there is nothing inaccessible about art—consider all of the four-year-olds who do not hesitate before grabbing a red crayon and drawing on their bedroom walls. In other words, the only obstacle to creation is the pressure to succeed.
Case Western Reserve University is of course, as we have heard time and time again, a heavily STEM-focused college. It is no secret that most CWRU students are majoring in the STEM field. In the midst of the grueling journey toward graduation, we often forget about the other avenues we can explore, namely, the humanities. Whether it be an introduction to poetry, dance or creative writing course, there is much to learn, even if it doesn’t contribute to your major. Because, no matter the specificity or rigor of the courses taken in college, the end goal is as much the content within each course as it is the lessons on how to think, learn and engage in discourse. Five years from now, you probably aren’t going to remember all of the chemistry formulas from your first-year introductory class. But, for example, you may continue to critically read and analyze text as learned from an English course. Except, in the future, it won’t be a passage from an archaic reading, but perhaps a memo that has arrived on your desk, or the manuscript of a research paper.
Of course, the value of humanities stands strong on its own, even apart from its relation to a career track or from within the STEM field. In the field of science, it seems we are interested in things that did not come from us: plants, atoms, rocks and gravity, to name a few. In the humanities, we can explore what has come out of us: literature, music or dance. Especially with the majority of CWRU students pursuing pre-health, it should be emphasized that the exercise of peering into a human figuratively is as important as peering into a human literally.
Engagement with the humanities doesn’t just end at the university courses. CWRU resides in a cultural cornerstone, priding University Circle as the nation’s most culturally dense square mile. Take a free guided tour at the Cleveland Museum of Art and then go drawing at the Wade Lagoon. Write poetry just because and don’t worry about how it sounds. Join The Observer, which is full of art, from the weekly articles to the eye-catching front covers. Look into CWRU’s theater MFA program, which, according to the Hollywood Reporter, consistently ranks within the top 25 in the world, and go watch a show at the Cleveland Playhouse. Even our long-used academic buildings such as the Kelvin Smith Library or Millis Schmidt hold interesting architectural facets when you take the time to notice. For example, take a second to observe the glass ceiling that spans across Hovorka Atrium the next time you’re passing by.
Active engagement with any type of humanities is worth the investment and should not be viewed as a distraction or even detraction from your current path. As students, it is very easy to use your academic pursuits as an excuse to not try anything new. However, as everyday consumers of great art, we should also be willing to try our own hand at it.