As the fall semester quickly approaches for students, whether new or returning, it’s an exciting time to go into the studio and immerse yourselves in this world of design and culture. I recall the moments when I first walked into the studio seeing all the creativity spewing from my peers, and it never stopped with each new semester! I always looked forward to seeing what’s new, but a few things arose that may not be so glamorous to architecture school. One could say, “the darker side of architecture school,” but let’s not jump to conclusions just yet.
Like all careers and studies, there are certain observations one could make navigating school and life. As our team is excited for you to start or return to design school, we also want to share certain “truths” you may experience in architecture.
Disclaimer: This may not be everyone’s experience in school, but we would like to highlight our experience or what we’ve seen in school from peers.
Opinions + Judgement
As the adage goes, “design is subjective.” With that in mind, be prepared to face many opinions in favor or against your work. This can be detrimental to younger students’ self-esteem, especially with how rigorous the curriculum can be and whether architecture fits them. Now, there can be many influences, but a handful of my peers, including myself, have contemplated whether pursuing architecture was the right path after taking a hit to our self-esteem.
If you have ever been or will be in this position, it’s okay to feel this way. An individual’s design journey is never-ending, so be kind to yourself by recognizing these are opinions, and you should attempt to break down what is being said to propel your design thinking. In the same beat, it’s quite easy also to feel judged for your actions or thought-process by peers or professors. This is why it’s important to discover your voice in the sea of opinions in the beginning stages!
As you begin to develop as a designer and gain confidence, it can be easier to detach yourself from your design to understand the problem and find a solution! Eventually, an individual will arrive at a unique milestone by identifying what architecture and design mean for you, thus shaping your role in the architecture world.
Peer Pressure
The tale is as old as time. Peer pressure can be present in all aspects of life, and architecture school is no different. However, peer pressure can be multiplied while in the studio when you add “studio culture” into the mix. It’s important to delineate that “studio culture” isn’t inherently negative, but it can fall into a gray area when you are sleep-deprived and stressed out.
It can be even more difficult when you happen to spend all your time in the studio with the same group of people day-in and day out. So it’s important to stick to your values and priorities when your peers are persuading you to do other things. For example, let’s say you have a presentation at the end of the month, but you tend to pre-plan and work in advance to be prepared. However, a peer can tell you to push things off to do something else. This is where knowing how you operate and being aware of your priorities will help you not fall into peer pressure. Remember, everyone has their own way of scheduling and working; some students prefer to work into the night, while others get up early to be productive. Experiment and find out what works best for you!
All-Nighters
Many architecture students have come to know that “all-nighters” may be inevitable and end up disappearing from their circles for days. You usually hear, “Sorry, I’m in the studio.” As sleeping is normal to others, designers make it seem like not sleeping is the norm. But sooner or later, many of them find that the lack of sleep lowers the overall productivity and design quality. I’m not sure where the exact moment was when the majority consented to stay up 30+ hours a week to work, but knowing that it’s a shared experience among the design students of the world, it should be an area of concern. Our team at Archi Hacks encourages you to develop good sleeping habits and refrain from pulling all-nighters, and if possible, none at all!
If you want to learn how it came to be and why we think it’s not conducive for you, head over to read more about All-Nighter Culture in Architecture!
You Won't Learn Everything Here!
You’ll expect to graduate and start your career knowing (almost) everything, but the truth is learning is a life-long process. And quite frankly, there’s just not enough time to teach you everything in school! Keep learning beyond school, and don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ll come to realize that learning the technical and practical side of architecture starts with your career. This learning stage is quite important for aspiring architects as it serves as a design foundation of what can be possible!
Prioritizing Yourself
Another life-long lesson to learn. School and all its stress are temporary, but its effects on you can last a long time. Try to get some sleep, take breaks, eat well, spend time with friends and family, do things for fun that you enjoy, try new things. Don’t let design school consume you.
My peers and I would always toss this phrase out, “there’s a life outside of architecture.” In Meghna Sanyal’s article submission, she beautifully said, “Architecture cannot be practiced by sitting inside a room and isolated from the world we aspire to create in.” As much as one can feel like they should devote all their time to design, it’s equally necessary to understand why you want to design!
Ultimately, the observations we wanted to highlight for new design students aren’t trying to scare them away. On the contrary, we want to inspire and help design students find a footing for themselves and provide a community that understands the journey and the nuances architecture school can hold. Did we miss anything important you’d like to add to the conversation? Let us know in the comments below!
Well, that’s all we have for you today, and if you’ve made it this far, you deserve a cookie. I hope you found this article interesting and took something from it! Sharing is caring! We hope to provide you with valuable insights and share them with someone who might find this useful. Make sure to follow our YouTube and Instagram for more content!