When we were toddlers, our parents would encourage our drawings, no matter how ridiculous and uninteresting they were. In elementary school, every art piece we brought home was gladly accepted and placed around the house.

Now, art is seen as unimportant and a waste of time.

Other things become priorities and most of us slowly let art become background noise in our lives. Good grades are our parents’ desires. Growing up becomes ours.

Art became a hobby that wouldn’t take us farther than our parents’ basement or a cheap apartment in the bad side of town.

At least, thats what many people think. Many seem to forget that drawing and painting and all those other creations we succeeded in making when we were younger are not the only types of art.

All of us witness art every day of our lives. From the drawings that fill the pillar at The Huddle to the endless music that plays at Ragsdale Center cafeteria, we see and hear art all around us.

If we are honest with ourselves, we need it in our lives. Without it, life would be nothing but white noise. Solid-colored books with nothing but facts would fill the shelves of bookstores. Clubbing would be a no-go, because there would be no music or dance moves to throw out, and we’d all be draped in clothing that strongly resembled hotel curtains.

Viewing art, in all its forms, should be taught and embraced in the education system, not only in the college level but in every educational level.

Art is all around us and it is often what we find most pleasing about life. Everyone should know this. It shouldn’t be disgraced and put down;  it is what brings humanity together.

Today we bond over art just as much as our ancestors used to hundreds of years ago. Children should be taught that most of what they see in their everyday lives is created by artists.

Students should learn how much art has evolved and is used today. What about the hours gamers spend hunched over their computers creating tiny graphics that bring excitement to our fingertips? Or the amount of months and years screenwriters dedicate to provide their audiences with believable and relatable characters and plot points that we all spend hours crying and laughing over?

Art comes in many shapes and forms. It carries with it strong emotions and deep thinking. It introduces us to new cultures and teaches us more about our own.

For art to be brushed aside should be unacceptable; instead, we should all take part in thanking all the artists around the world for bringing us together.

Schools should provide their students with a broader picture of what art is and what it offers; perhaps this way more artists will emerge, and art will continue to evolve.