How To Have A 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' as an Adult Creative
Save Ferris. Let Cameron Go.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
We all remember that iconic line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. But what if I told you that Ferris Bueller isn’t just a fun-loving, mischievous teenager? What if he’s a powerful symbol of something we all need to reconnect with? That he represents something much deeper. That part of us that craves freedom, creativity, and spontaneity. In Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris isn’t merely playing hooky; he’s embodying a powerful allegory.
I believe his day off is the antidote to reconnecting with our true selves. I’m not kidding. It’s the framework that I’ve used to rescue myself from an obsessive personal growth era and become an artist who uses PTO to recharge my very dead creative battery.
The Bueller-Frye Allegory
In Ferris Bueller's Day Off, we see two contrasting characters: Ferris Bueller and his best friend Cameron Frye. Ferris is the embodiment of the carefree, adventurous, and spontaneous inner child within us. The creative spirit that finds joy in every moment. Cameron, on the other hand, represents the responsible, cautious, and often stressed-out adult we've become. The part of us that is so deeply enmeshed in the identities we hold outside of being artists, we question whether we’re even creatives at all.
Recognize the Need for a Creative Break
We’re all juggling life. Late capitalism is whooping our asses. And too often we find ourselves withering away in bed at the thought of having to work to survive, even if we actually do love our jobs.
Some of us (see: me) have become like Cameron. Paralyzed by the weight of his responsibilities and expectations, Cameron represents what happens when we feel like working our 9-5 is all there is to life. We (again, this may just be me and I’m seriously projecting here) end up being anxiety-ridden, extremely tired, and uninspired ghosts of the creatives we once were. He's the part of us that has forgotten how to dream, how to play, and how to explore, and it can feel like parts of us are dying.
When we feel burned out like this, it’s a sign that our creative self is yearning for expression. As Ferris tells Cameron, (and brace yourself this revelation:) "You're not dying, you just can't think of anything good to do." This moment perfectly highlights the disconnect between our working and artistic identities, suggesting that a creative break is essential for reawakening our true selves…
So let’s talk about how to plan your own epic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:
Plan Your Day
Embrace Spontaneity: Like Ferris, start your day with a sense of adventure. Instead of following a strict itinerary, allow yourself the freedom to explore and be open to new experiences.
Choose Inspiring Activities: Visit a museum, walk through an art gallery, attend a theater performance, or explore bookstores and art shops. Choose activities that light you up and make you feel like you’re the coolest person ever for doing it. Read up on what Julia Cameron calls an ‘Artist Date’.
Disconnect to Reconnect: Disconnect from digital distractions. Get rid of social media for a while. Do a round of Morning Pages. Do any analog thing you can, to fully engage with the physical world around you and not let work keep you ruminating.
Experience Art and Culture with Friends
Ferris’ adventure is made better by sharing it with his friends. It’s what turns his day off from just hooky to an epic, life-changing adventure. And it really emphasizes the importance of communal experiences. Not only in life, but also in our art. Unlike Julia Cameron’s ‘Artist Date’, which encourages us to go solo, experiencing art and culture with others is also immensely important for those of us looking to heal our creative selves.
In my opinion, solitary exploration just doesn’t cut it here. It’s others in the creative community that pour into us and it’s our artistic responsibility to pour back. Getting back into creative spaces felt too intimidating to do on my own. I thank God for my best friend and fellow creative, Amirah who has been my creative experience companion for the last few months. Without her, I’d probably still be doom-scrolling on TikTok.
Plan A Few Group Activities: Instead of going solo, set up a group museum trip, a gallery hop, or a night out at the local community theater. Follow up your time there with a chat at a dive bar or coffee shop about what you’ve experienced. Exchange thoughts and inspire each other. (More on where to connect with fellow creatives who get it in a moment)
Make Something Together: Team up for a joint art project, whether it’s painting together, a group photo session, or a even just a good conversation. The magic of collaboration can lead to some seriously amazing results.
Reflect and Create
Document Your Experience: Take a moment to jot down your thoughts. What did you see? How did it make you feel? What new ideas bubbled up? Developing well-formed opinions, or tastes, about what you consume is what helps you develop your creative brain and separates you from those who are not artists.
Create Something New: Let the day’s inspiration flow into a new creation, whether it’s a painting, a poem, a photo, or even a fresh project idea.
Remember, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Save Ferris. Let your Cameron go.
If you enjoyed this post and you’re looking for a community of fellow creatives that get it, we’ve got you covered. Sign up to receive On Your Day Off : a free monthly publication and consider becoming a member of our club by the same name.
On Your Day Off is building a community with other 9-to-5ers that need more time and space for creative activities, a supportive network to share their artistic pursuits, and consistent opportunities to engage with art and culture together, one day off at a time. We hope to see you inside!
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