Student essay written in en (native language: English, CEFR level: C1, field of study: Arts)

Art, what a beautiful thing.
But, what exactly is art? The art of loving someone carelessly for eternity, the art of giving birth to cells who will then later on have a life of its own, or simply the art of expressing ourselves as individuals to enlighten people on our feelings and thoughts, without orally expressing it. You can still be heard without saying anything.
"Why did you chose Art?" Is a question that has often been asked by my family, even by the ripe age of 5 years old. My mum once told me that I was caught red handed drawing profusely on the walls of our house when I was 4 years old, or maybe slightly older. "Alex Dupont? Why would you do such a thing?" she said, raising her eyebrows in shock by what I'd just done to our home, "Alex Dupont, mummy. Isn't it beautiful?" . Till this day, at the age of 18, I still remember vividly that day like it was yesterday. I've always noticed that time goes by quickly, and that things change or fluctuate, but no one can prepare you for how fast you grow up and become a more profound version of yourself everyday. My past words really stuck with me: Art is beautiful. Ever since I can remember, I've always had a deeper connection with things and noticed in a more detailed way the world around me. To some, a walk in the forest is simply, a walk in the forest, but to me, it was everything: I could hear the autumn leaves crunch beneath my feet as I stomped away singing to myself, holding my notebook and pencil, I could also smell fresh moss and feel the fog slip through the air. Noticing in such detail what's around me has made my choice of studies much easier than most people researching what they should study before having to make an actual final decision, that according to adults "will determine your entire life", which is of course completely false. Because one simple action determines a moment, an instant. And though it may seem like accepting that job saved you from struggling financially, or staying at home that day whilst people were fighting for their lives, in one life time what you do will differ, and you won't always be confronted to having to make up your mind on something so fast. The concept of a lifetime is different to anyone, to some it may last 4 years, 19 years, or 87 years. This brings us back to art, and we can create a clear metaphor here: painting for 4 hours, 19 hours, or 87 hours is extremely different, and will be noticeable once it is finished, just like living for a certain amount of years. Everything is art, because art is an instant and a lifetime.
My grandad used to design and draw his own jewellery: rings, necklaces, bracelets, and so on... Although I never got the chance to meet him since he pasted before I was born in 2006, I have always felt, and still to this day, a strong connection to him. I feel him around me, everything I pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, an oil pastel, a charcoal pencil. Keeping my connection to him and to art in general as I got older was an immense priority that I would have never given up, not even for my own good. Because without art I am no longer myself. Studying art in middle school, high school and university has been the best decision I have ever done in my entire life span: 18 years of living. Choosing history aswell as part of my curriculum was just a match made in heaven: remembrance of the past, important historical events that have lead us up all to this moment in time, and of course, Art, and yes, little Alex Dupont was right, Alex Dupont is beautiful.