Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)
Unexpected leave of absence, undergrad arch
Hi there, I’m currently a third year pursuing architecture, undergrad program who recently had to take a leave of absence for my mental health. It was unexpected, suddenly the first week of class I had severe anxiety attacks that caused nonstop nausea and insomnia. I had to be put on meds and decided I couldn’t design anything in this state and took a year off( I couldn’t take a semester off because I need to take a studio in fall before i can take studio in winter). I still feel terrible why this happened and want to ask someone with similar experiences if you forget how to use Rhino or lose momentum after a year break? The thing I’m scared of the most right now is not being able to pick up where I left off.
I had a very serious physical medical condition that stopped me from being able to complete my fifth year of my BArch. This was my thesis year. I simply spoke to the dean my college and asked if I could do the same topic for my thesis next year. They allowed it.
I stayed a full time student during my absence from my thesis. I was able to keep up my design skills by taking a few interior design courses.
The down side was that I had an extra year of debt. The up side was that I got an accelerated MArch because of all the extra courses I took. Overall everything worked out well.
Good Luck!
You don't forget how to use the programs. When you are back in school you will use them so often anyway that you will quickly recover to your baseline aptitude.
If anything, having a breather from arch school gives you distance from the groupthink and contagious stress of studio. And when you're back you will have acquaintances in the upper year who can tell you what to not worry about, which profs are just being unreasonable, etc. I took a year off during my grad program and I came back feeling like I could think 100 times better.
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