Tufts Creatives: Shining stars

As my first year draws to a close, I want to use the final edition of “Tufts Creatives” to reflect on my experience as a Daily columnist. Though I plan to continue writing television and movie reviews, I will forever cherish this experience. To everyone I interviewed, thank you for your time and your thoughtful answers, and for making this a memorable semester.

Julian Blatt (JB): How did you first become interested in writing?

Julian Blatt (JB): When I was younger, one of my most prized possessions was a spiral notebook. Every night, I would jot down my thoughts and feelings about the noteworthy events that had occurred during the day. Through these journal entries, I developed a better understanding of who I was. That’s why I enjoy writing — it’s a conversation with yourself.

JB: Why did you want to write a column?

JB: I loved having the opportunity to speak with passionate members of the Tufts community on a weekly basis. There are so many students here with fascinating backgrounds and interesting stories to tell. We just have to take the initiative to listen.

JB: How did you get the idea for this column?

JB: My high school newspaper had a feature called “Artist of the Issue,” where a student would interview a classmate about their creative pursuits. I realized that the idea would work well here since there are many more students involved in a much greater variety of disciplines. I wanted to showcase the skilled members of the Tufts community and shine a spotlight on them so that their peers could become more familiar with their work and recognize their talent.

JB: Did you encounter any unforeseen obstacles?

JB: I was originally clueless as to how to choose which student to interview each week. Eventually, I realized that my best bet was the Class of 2021 Facebook page since that is where people post about their upcoming artistic events. Also, it took me much longer than anticipated to transcribe the interviews and edit them for length and clarity.

JB: How did you decide which questions to ask?

JB: Even though the interviewees were typically hosts of creative events, I aimed to make the questions pertinent to the student’s relationship with the relevant discipline, such as how they first became interested in it and why they find it enjoyable. The purpose of the column was not so much informing the student body about upcoming events as it was 'introducing' the student and their work to the rest of the Tufts community, so I wanted to truly understand the person and get inside their mind.

JB: Did you enjoy the experience?

JB: Definitely. I’ve loved getting to meet talented people who I probably would never have met otherwise. This opportunity has also opened my eyes to the diverse range of artistic activities and disciplines that Tufts offers its students, and as such has made me want to become more involved in campus life. It’s required a lot of work, but the journey has certainly been worth it.