Hello reader,
It's that time of year again—sick time. Everyone's getting the flu. I already have it and it's knocked me out for the last couple of days. I've been scrambling to keep up with class work. There's so much to do. Just tons. I've got systems integration, which means how to turn your studio project into something resembling a build-able building; my Reyner Banham class, which this week is all about the rise and fall of Brutalism; my theory class, Foucault and friends, with tons of reading; Mark Gage's atmosphere and effects; and then of course a little something we call studio.
I've been thinking about hierarchy and naming recently – specifically, all the names we give to the people who teach us. Instructor, critic, teacher, lecturer, professor – these words all mean slightly different things. “Critic” is the most amusing, the one who criticizes our work, who judges our performance. I'd rather just call everyone “Professor,” but thanks to the University's tenure system, not everyone is a professor. Alas. There are “professors,” and “lecturers,” according to official nomenclature, those on tenure-tracks and those not. I've also seen “adjunct professor” used as a consolation prize. I wonder how much rancor there actually is within the faculty, here or anywhere, because of these breaks in rank and title.
I've been worrying a lot lately, too. Worrying about the career path I've chosen – will I find a job I really like? If jobs I like are so scarce then why am I in this profession? Why don't I draw more? Do I know enough people? Are they the right people (whatever that means)? Etc., etc. I've been so shy in school, and I feel I may have missed out in forming what Dean Stern calls “strategic alliances.” It's just not my thing, really. I don't think of people in that way. They're either friends or they're not.
Perhaps with some more sleep and more catching up I'll feel a little better about the whole thing.
4 Comments
I don't know if this will work for you, but there was a time when I had the same professional worries. I wondered if I could be happy in architecture and had this deep underlying fear that I was going to end up doing CAD editing in some mediocre office or in any case, doing work I wasn't passionate about. Again, I don't know if this will mean anything to you, but a substantial amount of that anxiety was dispelled when I reinforced the belief that I am in control of my life and always will be. I enjoy this architecture stuff now, and so will keep doing it. If at some point it's not fulfilling me, I can drop it. Maybe it's not that simple or easy, but I'm convinced it can be. I still find that comforting.
Savanna,
Sounds like you are on the right path. You are asking questions which is probably one of the most important tasks for a young designer. Too often I see students and professionals accepting what they hear and learn as a mandate they need to fulfill; consistently conditioning themselves to fit a "mold" that will help increase their chances of "success" in this field. Don't comtemplate on trying to find the correct answer for every question, but invest your time in the process and operations that will help you arrrive to the potentials of asking additional critical questions.
I'm not sure if this is comforting for you but I have the same fears as you expressed about your life in this profession. Because we do not go to work, sit in front of a computer, then go home and watch TV things are more chalenging for architects. Our profession is a lifestyle and from the concerns you have towards architecture it sounds like a lifestyle(not career) that you have already accepted. I don't think you can just turn it off especially after all those sleepless nights in a crammed little studio worrying about how to fix your circulation. What I am trying to say is that those fears just come naturally and once you find that niche they will become a distant memory.
I'm in the fifth year of my architectural studies and it's only recently I've felt a little like you do in regard to my colleagues and friends. It's very difficult as I would prefer to just be friends with everyone, but now as I realise the rather sad realities of the outside world (nepotism etc) I think it's a wise move to keep your eyes open to other people, some are out for more than just friendship, and some care most about getting a good job, and will walk over anyone to do so. Also it makes sense to think of who in your course you could imagine working with, maybe one day you can help each other out. People are much more fickle and strange than I ever imagined, there's no harm in recognising, it is literally a case of 'getting the best' out of people, not in a cynical way, instead that some are good friends, some are just a laugh, and some you need to keep an eye on, in more ways than one.
Anwyay, good luck with your studies, hope that helped.
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