Not everybody gets enough creative stimulus in their everday life and work. A nightcourse can fire your imagination and get those creative juices flowing. . .
Sigmund Freud said a lot of pretty crazy stuff. Whether you believe all his ideas about dream interpretation, neurosis and fancying your mother is up to you, but his thoughts on the origins and benefits of creativity still strike a chord in today’s hundred miles an hour modern world.
Freud thought that our everyday lives don’t leave enough room for us to apply our creativity. We are stifled, silenced and made unhappy by our jobs, family and society. We have a primal urge to break out of this straitjacket and return to a more natural state, where we were free to do, think and create whatever we want.
That’s probably enough of the pseudo-Freudian analysis; suffice to say that it is good for everyone to have some creative outlet in their lives, to escape the bonds of society and get back in touch with our more natural sides, at least for a few hours a week.
There is a great sense of satisfaction to be had from creating something yourself. Not buying something and putting it together; not watching or reading about what someone else has created; not copying what someone else has already done millions of times, but actually coming up with an original idea and working hard to see the project through to fruition. The end result might not be perfect, and there are bound to be setbacks along the way, but sticking with it and creating something yourself is generally well worth the effort.
This guide contains a whole plethora of nightcourse options to help you feed your creative side. You don’t have to necessarily be creative in the ‘painting a masterpiece’ or ‘composing a concerto’ sense of the word. Different people express themselves in different ways, and (as Freud might have said) each person has to be free to find their own route to creative fulfillment.
It is possible to show your creativity in nightcourses as different as glass blowing, Italian cookery and gardening. There is no best way to choose a subject, you might decide to pick something a friend is always going on about loving, return to a subject your really enjoyed at school or when you were younger, choose a course title that you are not sure you know what it means (bouzouki, millinery, tempura), or just flick randomly through this guide with your eyes closed and leave everything up to fate.
There are also some (ahem) practical reasons for taking a creative nightcourse. Creating something new does wonders for people’s confidence and self – esteem. You will generally have something tangible at the end (whether a piece of jewellery, short story or new found ability to tango), which can make a great, personal present for a family member or loved one. You might find your recently acquired photography, design or writing skills start to come in useful at work, or even that you will be able to make a little money selling the works you produce – Christmas cards, embroidery, pottery etc.
But none of these are the main point. What most people are looking for when they enroll in a creative nightcourse is to add a little colour and magic to their lives, and give a part of themselves that is generally hidden away a chance to shine. Maybe your life is full of creative challenges and artistic achievement, but if not, a nightcourse can be a most fulfilling and rewarding way of spending an evening a week. Don’t take our word for it; ask Freud. He was a doctor.
