Although summer was significantly different for all of us this year, many GA students were able to make the most of this time by taking on creative tasks in baking, making masks, filming digitally, selling clothes, and more. Given the current pandemic, the GA community has faced many difficulties, especially during the quick transition to Virtual GA last spring. Luckily, GA provides all students with a long summer break, which was a great opportunity for many who started an independent business. However, given the challenges of acquiring materials, creating these businesses was no easy feat.
Social media has been a popular source for promoting creative online businesses, especially in the fields of baking and fashion. Currently, business in the baking industry is increasing as many people are stuck at home and craving delicious sweet treats. Alexa Baer ‘22 took the opportunity this summer to kickstart her baking business through her Instagram account: @Made.by.AJB. She ran her baking business within the Philadelphia area and around Margate, New Jersey. Alexa made delicious treats, such as piñata cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and her specialty, challah bread. On average, she would make items three times a week. According to Alexa, the biggest struggle through her business was “having the motivation to make the items, while being down the shore, just three feet from a beach.” She was also able to use her creativity when designing certain cakes, especially for special occasions or birthdays.
Similarly, apps such as Instagram and Poshmark have gained popularity for selling clothes, as they provide both the customer and the seller with a convenient and enjoyable experience. Paige Begley ‘22 also took advantage of being stuck at home to start selling unwanted clothing she had on Poshmark. Paige used her creativity to her advantage by not only selling clothes, but by also making appealing packaging for shipping. Since she was able to sell her clothing to anyone around the world, it allowed her to expand her business more rapidly. According to Paige, the biggest problem she ran into was “selling clothes that were not in style or popular to wear these days.” She was able to overcome this issue by selling those items at a cheaper price.
For Alexa Baer and Paige Begley, these experiences were stress-free and enjoyable, as they got to accomplish something they enjoy, even with limited resources. Both students were able to use their creative skills to their advantage. Ultimately, no matter the given situation, there is always room for more creativity.