High school had always seemed so distant to me. I watched my sister go through the stresses of 9th and 10th grade and figured I had plenty of time until my own demise in the high school hierarchy as a freshman. But before I knew it, 8th grade breezed by and high school was rapidly approaching.

Transition years have always been hard for me. From elementary school to middle school and then middle school to high school, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to shake the butterflies in my stomach or the tingles in my hands on the first day of class. But this year was different. I was no longer going to be a puny 8th grader, but an experienced high schooler who all the middle schoolers could look up to. I kept thinking to myself, how was I supposed to be a good role model for the middle schoolers if I myself didn’t know what was going on half the time? Because of the pandemic, the class of 2024 never got a proper transition into high school, supported by the then-9th graders. We were thrust into a world of assessments and deadlines without prior warning. Not only was this year a big one for me as a freshman but one faced with many irrational fears that had been exacerbated by staying cooped up in my home for so long.

At the start of the year, I had pushed myself to run for student council, something I hadn’t done in years because of my fear of public speaking, losing, and ultimately, embarrassing myself. This year, however, I told myself that simply trying would be enough, especially because election speeches took the form of video recordings. I thought taking risks and letting myself be known would be a good way to transition into high school life.

The next thing I knew, I had become the 9th-grade representative and was in a position I never actually thought imaginable. After a year of getting to know my fellow council members, it had come time for the elections again. Election day speeches were quickly approaching, and they were in person this time. I had decided once again to break out of my comfort zone and run for vice president. I realized how big a jump it was, but go big or go home, right? I had finished composing my speech and spent countless hours reciting it in front of the mirror and my family. The only thing left to do was wait and stress.

Election day came and coincidentally, it happened to be on the same day as an important math exam, adding a whole new layer of stress that consumed me for weeks. This was my chance to pull up my math grades, yet the world seemed to be against me. The night before the speech, my older sister fell from the middle school playground and almost broke her leg. Now the stress had been tripled and the expectations as well. I would need to ace my test, wow with my speech, and somehow fix my sister.

Needless to say, it was impossible for me to focus on the assessment. As soon as it finished, I burst out of the exam room and hurried to the gym where the speeches were being held. As I sat and watched the rest of the candidates go up to present their speech my worries about the test quickly melted away, replaced by a feeling of dread. I felt the sudden urge to bolt, forgetting all my ambitions of running for vice president. Suddenly, my name was called, and as I made my way to the stage with shaking hands, reality finally set in. I was going to run for VP. It was too late to back out now.

I got up in front of the podium and began to give my speech. My wobbling hands began to sweat, and my mind froze. An earthquake that only I seemed to feel rumbled through the gym, and I felt the familiar words get stuck in my throat as I clumsily corrected myself. And as soon as it began, it was over.

Afterward, I was so proud of myself for just standing up there and delivering my speech, I didn’t even mind if I didn’t get the position. Friends and teachers approached me throughout the day to compliment me, promising that my shaking and mishaps were unnoticeable.

In the end, I didn’t get vice president, but the experience itself was rewarding enough. I had overcome my fear, and though I know next year when I try again, I will feel the same sense of dread wash over me, I will be able to recognize that I’ve done it before, and I can do it again.

Many people have bigger fears than me, but I believe any action like mine – be it getting in front of a crowd and performing a speech or just trying something for the first time – is a big step in overcoming your fears. After all, our fears may never disappear, but we can always be proud that we’ve faced them. Like my favorite line in the Newsies musical says: “Courage does not erase our fears, courage is when we face our fears.”

This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 July-August issue

What do you do when you’re met with a blank sheet of paper or an empty screen? No matter what medium you use, your age, or where you are in the creative process, artist’s block (more commonly applied to and known as writer’s block) always seems to hit when you least expect it. So, what is art block, and how can we overcome it?

Like writer’s block or a creative block, art block is when the flow of creativity is obstructed, and the artist is left staring blankly at a page. Art block shows up at different times for different people depending on the variables in their life. For example, self-doubt, harsh criticism, or comparing yourself to others might all lead to art block.

And though art block may not be avoidable, there are various ways to deal with it.

Reimagine one of your old pieces

When I’m hit hardest with art block, I find it helpful to go through my old artwork and pick one to redraw. This not only gives me an idea of what to draw but also helps me chart my improvements over the years.

A redraw I did July 2021 (left) of an old piece from November 2020 (right)

Don’t be afraid to take a break and let your mind rest

If you can’t come up with any ideas or entirely lack motivation, don’t force yourself to create something. I know how frustrating it is to stare at a blank page, but sometimes taking a step back and letting your mind rest will allow you to return with renewed vigor.

Ask a friend to give you a creative challenge or find a prompt online

Often times I have found myself sitting for hours trying to come up with ideas, but sometimes if you let your friends give you a completely random idea or prompt, you might be surprised by the final product. Even when the end result isn’t what you hoped for, talking with friends and letting yourself create something completely random will help rest your mind and let you return to drawing with a fresh perspective.

Experiment with different supplies and mediums

If you’re a digital artist, pick up a pencil and try something more traditional. If you’re a traditional artist, try digital art (yes, Microsoft paint counts). Whatever it is, shake things up a bit! Go out and buy some new supplies or look through the supplies you haven’t used in a while. Sometimes taking a break from the norm will help you break free from the shackles of art block.

Art block isn’t something that will go away after you recite a magic spell, but hopefully, these ideas will help equip you to slay the dragon that is art block. Remember, art block happens to the best of us, and ultimately, it helps us grow one way or another. So, the next time the dragon rears its ugly head, you’ll know how to defeat it.

Keep Reading: A Perfectionist’s Guide to (Slightly) Imperfect Bullet Journaling

Photos: Feifei Xu, Unsplash

I started my first bullet journal in the summer of 2018. It was a complete fail. Months later, my second attempt became the first journal I ever filled.

Bullet journaling is not just an Instagram-worthy hobby, but also an outlet for creativity, a chance to overcome perfectionist ideals, and a way to collaborate and meet other passionate journal-ists. But first, what is a bullet journal and how is it different from a regular journal? A bullet journal is a self-tailored planner that helps you keep track of your week, schedule, or habits, whereas a regular journal mostly documents your day in plain text on paper.

To start a bullet journal of your own, you need to give yourself room to make mistakes. The first step to creating a successful bullet journal is to try an array of journals and notebooks to find one that fits your preference. A bullet journal is your own to customize and decorate. Try out a few different journals to find what you prefer – hardcover or spiral-bound, big or small. Give yourself time to experiment with your first journal.

A completely blank pristine book may seem like a welcoming challenge to some, but a disaster waiting to happen for others. To get over your fear of ruining an empty journal, you need to understand that mistakes are bound to happen and that letting yourself make these mistakes is going to help you overcome them. When I first started my bullet journal, the blank pages were so daunting that the simplest of lines I drew were deemed unworthy. Slowly but surely, I gained more confidence in my journal and allowed the mishaps to breathe, sometimes even embracing random smears of ink.

Pro tip: Cover unwanted mistakes with scraps of paper and integrate them into the design! It brings more layers to the spread and fleshes out the page as well!

A bullet journal is part of your personal expression. Find washi tapes that you like, pens in the colors you prefer (not just black or blue!), and fill it with curly and bold handwriting as you wish. Use all the colors you want or challenge yourself by sticking to a few. Your journal can be filled to the brim with different spreads detailing your week and a complex log of your emotions, or it can have no rhyme or reason and simply burst with spontaneous color and ideas. Most importantly though, don’t feel intimidated by the impeccable journal spreads on Pinterest. Rather, use them as inspiration and motivation. Your journal is for you and you only, so adjust it to your liking!

I have bonded with many friends over bullet journaling, sharing stationery, and flipping through each other’s books. Which is to say, bullet journaling isn’t just about putting pen to paper, but also the social experience of shopping for journals and the requisite tools with friends (I recommend 南锣鼓巷 nánluógǔxiàng or any stationery store near you), letting go and journaling your thoughts, then sharing work that you’re proud of.

So go out and get yourself a journal, make it yours, and enjoy the process!

KEEP READING: DIY Camp Week 1: Cooking Up Life Skills

Images: Mina Yan

Every parenting book says that a child’s first teachers are their parents. As babies, we learn social cues from our parents and their behaviors are the first social interactions that we pick up on and will keep for the rest of our lives. Everything that our parents do on a daily basis is observed and learned.

Meet Marianne Daquet

American author Ursula Le Guin once said, “The creative adult is the child who survived.” So what’s it like to grow up in a family where creativity and art remain a part of adult life? We sat down with two families where art plays a major part in the parents’ lives.

Meet Marianne Daquet, former director of Atelier Art School, who originally came to Beijing on holiday and fell in love with the city that she and her daughters now call home. “In my family, creativity was encouraged, and it naturally guided me to an art school where I studied for five years. I wanted my voice to be heard. I was educated with free speech encouraged, a strong cultural background, and openness on every kind of art, literature, cinema,” Daquet tells beijingkids.

Marianne Daquet and her girls

Now a mom of three, Daquet’s kids explore their creative side at Atelier. With a mom who shares a similar passion for art and creativity, the Daquet household is never short of art supplies and the girls take full advantage of that! “At home, they have full access to art supplies and even cooking, sewing or whatever supplies,” says Daquet. “They have everything that kids need to make their own creations.”

Like in every parenting book ever written, Daquet says that her kids mimic her behavior. This artistic mom has never tried to cultivate a love for art in her children but “it’s part of our lives. They see me drawing, so they draw, they write, one of them is a great chef! The idea is giving them all the possibilities of making and guiding them if they need it.”

Guiding — not teaching. That seems to be the key here. “Art education leads to self-confidence, autonomy, and creativity. Creativity is not an explosion of abstraction — it is an ability to react differently to things. It is powerful not just for artists but for anyone: lawyers, doctors, parents! Art must be taught with guidance and space for experimentation,” Daquet explains.

Artwork by Ma Ke

According to Daquet, kids as young as four or five can be given the chance to start art classes. Before that, they can play with materials, colors, shapes, or any other supplies they can get their hands on to nurture their creativity. While a career in art is still up in the air, Daquet says “I wish for them to do what they want, whatever they desire, whatever makes them happy every day. This is the only thing. Art or not.”

Meet Ma Ke, a professional artist originally from Shandong and a dad to two boys aged six and eight. Ma fell in love with art at a young age. ”When I was around seven or eight years old, I remember watching the neighbor’s kid draw. I raced home to find a pencil and paper. I had a single thought in my mind: ‘I bet I could draw better than he can!’ It seems like this was just yesterday. From then on, art has always been part of my life,” Ma tells us. And true to thought, his passion for art and creativity never stopped, and he was accepted into the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2000.

Art by Ma Ke

Ma draws on inspiration from all around him to create his works. “I think the root of all growth is love. First, it’s your parents’ love. Then it’s your curiosity for the world. Every time I see something I like, I’m always inspired to make something just as good.”

Meet Ma Ke

So with a professional artist for a dad, does that mean Ma’s boys will follow suit? Not necessarily. “I don’t make my children take art classes outside. If they really want to go, I won’t stop them. If they want to learn about art history, I can teach them all I know. But I think the best teacher is a great work of art,” Ma tells beijingkids. “Sometimes I bring them to my studio to play and draw. The older son sometimes likes to copy my paintings. They both hate going to museums. Maybe it’s not time yet.”

Similar to Daquet’s parenting beliefs, cultivating an artistic interest in children lies in supporting them rather than teaching them. “You can teach yourself how to make art. What other people teach you can sometimes get in the way of your own creativity. Art needs freedom. Free spirits need to grow naturally. Therefore, there is no ‘proper way’,” says Ma.

KEEP READING: How Beijing Teens Use Makeup as a Form of Artistic Expression

Images: Courtesy of Marianne Daquet and Ma Ke, Unsplash

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 October issue

I was born with a best friend – my older sister. She actually wanted a big sister but got me instead. She didn’t choose me, and I didn’t choose her. Yet we love each other because we are sisters.

When I was little, I would follow her around everywhere and worship her every move, convinced that she could do no wrong. Then I grew up. I stopped playing with her so much, got impatient with everything she did, and began hunting for my own friends.

I was in second grade when I met Lauren at a summer camp in Seattle called Yick, Yack, Yuck. We bonded over a dead squid.

Saying goodbye to my sister at the start of camp, moments before I met Lauren

Lauren named him Mr. Squid. Our assignment was to dissect him. We laughed through his entire ink sack removal surgery, we talked about how to break the news to his family when he died, and we pretended to cry at his “funeral” when we threw him into the trash can.

That’s how we became best friends.

But I live in Beijing, and she lives in Seattle, so we only saw each other over the summer.

Each year, I look forward to seeing Lauren. We like to exchange gifts, eat Molly Moon’s ice cream, and catch up during sleepovers at her house.

A dead squid helped two strangers become best friends

But this year, we could not visit Lauren, or anyone else outside of China.

We began to call each other more and more during the spring, making plans for the summer and hoping the pandemic would be over by then. We looked for other camps to join and locations for a road trip. But the pandemic kept raging, so none of these things were possible. We had to find other ways to spend our summer together.

We alternated from WeChat to Instagram to iMessages, calling each other almost every day. She would wake up when I’m getting ready for bed. With 15 hours apart, there is no ideal time for either of us. We’re both groggy and struggling to stay awake, but we push through to make the most of the short window of time we have together.

Screenshots of us during our video calls, one during the day (left) and one at night (right)

Even though we live half a world away, we still manage to bullet journal together and gossip about our day. This week, I watched live as she chased an ice-cream truck down the street, her sister hurriedly handing her a mask. They bought strawberry shortcake and cookies’n’cream popsicles. It was my first experience with an American ice-cream truck.

But what we spend the most time doing is talking, sometimes for hours. I would teach her short words in Chinese, like, best friend – guī mì, and how to say my last name – Xu, which is not pronounced “shoe”. She would recommend some of her favorite science fiction or fantasy books and let me gush over her adorably wide-eyed and overweight cat Skittles, who was still a kitten the last time I saw him.

Refreshments with Lauren last summer

Friendship really helped me get through the pandemic. It kept me sane. It gave me someone to talk to. And most of all, it helped me escape reality and forget about the deadly virus.

It has always been hard for me to keep friends because my family moves so much. I will always have my sister and Lauren will always have her sister. But we all need to find friends outside the family. I am lucky I found Lauren.

Last summer when my sister and I hung out with Lauren and her sister in Seattle

I realized that the distance between us is not what matters. Since the pandemic, all relationships have become long-distance, but Lauren and I feel closer than ever. We have actually spent more time together virtually than during our short annual visits.

Whether your friend lives next door, or in another country, it’s the effort you put into your relationship that matters most. I hope we stay friends for many years to come, with or without a pandemic.

Feifei Xu is a Chinese-American rising Grade 9 student at Western Academy of Beijing who has a strange obsession with dogs and her best friend Lauren. She loves spending time with her family, although quarantine has been pushing her to her limits. At school, she is either hanging out with friends or hiding in the library alone.

This article originally appeared on Inkblot WAB. To read more from Inkblot WAB, scan the QR code below.

KEEP READING:What Does it Take to Be a Good Big Sister?

Photos: Courtesy of Inkblot WAB

Hi everyone, I’m Ares! I was found on the streets with my brother Apollo and saved by the Lost Puppies of Beijing. My brother has already found a fur-ever home, but I’m still in search of a family to call my own. I’m just nine months old and I crave love and attention. Most importantly, I pledge to love you with everything I’ve got – from my wet nose to the tip of my tail.

I adore people and am great with other dogs and even cats. You can swim with me, play fetch, and run with me. I love to be challenged and I am very energetic and super smart. I need a human who can commit to keeping me busy and happy. Please only adopt me if you can give me the dedicated guidance that I need.

I am already up to date with all my vaccines and I’m already neutered (sorry, no grandkids from this pup!). So, you don’t need to worry. I promise to give you all my love and be an adorable fit for your family.

Help me find my forever home!

For more information on how to adopt me, scan the QR code below! This pool dog is ready for a home!

KEEP READING: Big-Hearted Beijing: The Lost Puppies of Beijing 

Photos: Courtesy of Lost Puppies of Beijing

My family loves biking together. When we ride, the four of us usually take up the whole street in a formation that we like to call “sandwich,” with my dad in the front followed by my sister and me, and my mother at the back. But during the pandemic, we could only look outside our window missing the things we used to be able to do outdoors.

When we could finally go outside again, I washed my hands obsessively and told everyone to keep their faces covered the whole time. I felt like the mask police. Every time my mom lifted her mask to wipe away perspiration or scratch her nose, I would yell at her to put her mask back on.

If that’s how I reacted to my mom’s exposed face, imagine how I reacted to the shared bikes that have been sitting out during the pandemic for months. Anyone could have ridden them anywhere.

So, the first time we ventured out for a ride as a family again, I gave the bike that I chose a full-body scrub down, wiping clean the bell, the basket, the brakes, the handles bars, and the seat.

The cleansing was well worth the trouble. It made me feel safe, so I could explore Beijing.

Before the pandemic, it seems like  we were always too busy, buzzing from point A to point B, either in a car or a taxi. My parents just let me buy my own subway card, which was a greener way to travel but it brought me underground, seeing even less of Beijing.

But now, thanks to COVID-19, we have rediscovered the wonder of the shared bike. They are good for the environment and our lazy quarantine bodies. At about RMB 1 per ride, they are a great way to get some exercise and see more of Beijing.

This city is full of imperial gardens. My best friend even flew all the way from the US to visit them the first time she came to China, but despite the fact my family and I live half an hour away by bike, we rarely bother to go.

I’m so happy that I could tell her that this summer we rode all the way to one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Beijing: Beihai Park, home of the famous white pagoda and what seemed like miles of water lilies. My sister and I had only seen these lilies in traditional Chinese paintings, and the bright pink of the flowers on the green lilypads is even more vibrant in real life, so much so that they look almost fake. We took hundreds of photos and didn’t even realize we were getting a sunburn.

Another time, we biked all the way around the walls of the forbidden city and visited the traditional shopping streets next to the drum tower. Over the weeks, the bright bikes brought us to cute stationery stores, overflowing with fancy pens, cloth notebooks filled with soft paper. One time, we discovered a small fried chicken joint which became an instant family favorite. We then sampled square-shaped mini moon cakes made of red beans green and matcha. Along the way I noticed new pomegranate trees blooming and hanging heavy with fruits.

Every time we stopped at a red light my mother would ask us to pose for a selfie. We would always nag at her to hurry up as the light turned green.

The freedom I felt on these bike trips reminded me of when I was little. We used to live in the south of China where my sister and I would roam around the university campus on our tiny bikes. Racing with the older boys, we learned how to overcome our fears and let our wheels take us to places our parents didn’t think we dare go.

Because of that experience, we can now bike through any part of Beijing’s narrow hutongs and crowded streets with confidence. Looking back, I can’t believe I was so scared to go riding with my family after quarantine ended. Life is about taking chances. I learned that when I was a little girl, and taking chances is why I can ride my bike so well now.

If you decide to go on a bike trip as we did, you should definitely be prepared. The deep cleaning I gave my shared bike may seem excessive, but it never hurts to be extra careful. And remember, bring your own water bottle, and keep your mask on, even as you’re riding.

KEEP READING: 10 Easy Family Rides You Can Do Without Leaving Beijing

Images courtesy of FeiFei Xu