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I can’t be the only one that’s noticed it’s gotten a little colder out. And by “a little colder” I mean I’m freezing my “back up drive” off. However, I’m looking forward to winter break and a much needed slow down.

This pause has given time for self reflection. One question that continues to float around in the old brain cage is, “How did I get here?” I’m not trying to be existential. I really want to assess whether or not going back to school in Chicago was the right choice. You may be thinking, “Bubba, you’re five semesters in. It’s a little late for self reflection.” Actually, it’s never too late.

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It’s important for me to go over my decision because it may help you. So why go to graduate school? Is it worth the investment? Graduate school was the right choice because I wanted an environment where I could learn and be able to make mistakes. The freedom to fail is liberating. I’m not saying I go out of my way to make sub-par work. When you aren’t afraid of failure, you take creative risks. Artists must be motivated to push limits or they won’t find their works relevant. For me, Columbia College Chicago is that type of training ground.

Aside from pushing my creative envelope, access to resources factored heavily in my decision to attend Columbia. I wanted to be someplace where I had access to state-of-the-art equipment, editing facilities, crew and actors. Although I’m getting prepped for the real world, I also wanted to get an academic experience. I wanted structure, mentoring and the chance to bond with other students who were also learning and developing their voices.

It really boils down to: what sort of community do you want to belong to in your current stage of life? I wanted a constructive, creative, and collaborative community. CCC, hmm, Columbia College Chicago. You see what I did there? Pretty clever, huh? Like I said, I want to make mistakes, even if they aren’t very punny.