As students progress from elementary school, to middle school, and eventually to high school, they may recognize a pattern of their various art activities becoming more “serious” than they once were. 

This makes sense. As school gradually becomes harder and harder, surely art should too. But is there a case to be made that such activities should stay as fun hobbies and not necessarily become more demanding and time-consuming?

Take singing for instance. Everyone sings, and many students may have even been in choir in elementary/middle school. However, by the time they get to high school, choir has transformed from an amusing after-school activity to a year-long elective that requires much more practice.

The added challenge of high school art activities could be both a good and bad thing. Junior Maddie McNeal sang a lot for fun when she was younger, but now being in choir, singing has changed from a “low-stakes pastime to something more demanding and competitive.”

Despite the added competition of high school choir, she still enjoys it. “I’m definitely glad I still do it, despite the challenge.”

Junior Mia Evans shares similar sentiments about visual art. She is currently in AP 2D Art, and says that “[Art] has become more stressful; the class has more expectations.” She’s been doing visual art her whole life, and is very fond of it.

Like McNeal, Evans still very much enjoys art class, as she did when she was younger. “Now that I’ve committed to it, I find it enjoyable. [Art] is the thing that brings me the most joy in the world.”

So while art does become more demanding in high school, that doesn’t take away from the fun of it very much at all. It appears the key is finding something you enjoy doing, and then it will be enjoyable no matter the difficulty.