Bethel Creatives, no. 19: Kyle Minnick

Interview conducted by Katie Brown in The Crossings’ series on creativity and diversity within Bethel University’s student body.  The heart behind this series is to explore creativity in a broader sense and to be encouraged and inspired by the creatives on our campus and the things that they are doing.   

Kyle Minnick is a sophomore majoring in Biology and Psychology at Bethel. You can find him in either the Writing Center or at Shiloh. Kyle enjoys drawing, reading, riding horses, and doing genealogy work (family trees). 

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How would you define creativity?  

I think creativity is best defined as thinking outside the box, looking at things in a unique way, and it’s a very individual thing, how you can interpret something and look at something differently. 

How do you express your creativity?  

My creativity shines through in teaching. Not only am I a TA for writing but I have also taught my younger siblings how to ride horses (I do that on the side, just some freelance work). Explaining concepts in a way that makes sense to someone else, you have to be creative to relate and promote understanding. 

At what age did you discover your outlet?  

I would say in second grade (so at about the ages of 7 or 8). It showed up when I would do drawing, and I like illustrating some short stories I would write. It really proliferated in my drawing. 

Do you have a routine? If so, what is it?  

I guess my routine in the morning (I take a lot of time getting ready) prepping myself for the day is I like laying things out, everything planned, and then from there, it makes it easier to be creative when you have a plan, so things are going smoothly and then you can derail a little bit. If you don’t have a plan, it’s hard to derail from something when you think outside the box. 

Do you gravitate towards a specific genre? If so, why?  

I really like classics. I like Jurassic Park, The Godfather, Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, and so on. I guess I have a bias towards the way things were (like old fashioned things) and that’s why I gravitate towards classics. 

Where do you find inspiration?  

I’d have to say outside. For me, you can’t look at anything outside and not see not only God’s handy work but also just the intricate nature of people, places, buildings, and nature as a whole, not only what is natural but what people have done with the world. 

How do you balance your workload with being creative?  

I would say my creativity is hindered by my workload because I do so much; I don’t get to put in as much time and creativity into a paper because it has a deadline and it needs to be done, so I just need to do it. I can’t be abstract. 

Is there a way you specifically explore your creativity on campus?  

I would go back to the teaching aspect, explaining things in an abstract way or in a different way for someone else to understand. Teaching and being a role model. Creativity can really proliferate how you explain things and show things to others. 

Do you have any words of wisdom you’d like to give our readers?  

Being creative is priceless. There’s no value you can put on a creative person; they bring new ideas to the table, produce solutions to problems, and they’re fun to be around. They’re spontaneous and helpful, so I’d encourage them to be creative and find ways that they excel in creativity and promotes it to other creative people.