I am a first year student in a 5 year BArch program. The whole year I haven't been sure if it is for me. The work stresses me out more than I enjoy it. I am doing pretty well though because I work really hard. I'm not the type of person to slack off at all. If I am unsure does that mean I should change majors? Do people actually enjoy school and not getting sleep or being socially isolated? How different is school from the working world...because if it like what I am doing now, then I don't want to continue.
Well I am "riding the fence" on this one... I am stubborn and have wanted to be an architect since I was five years-old. I love the notion of 'architecture' however, what you are doing in school as far as all nighters (coming up with the 'stand alone' projects... and designing a great solution) I personally, do not think that is what you can look forward to... you probably won't be designing much, if anything right off the bat. I got in a position (that I was glad when I first got... that wears off!) I now do miscellaneous drafting for people that design the fun stuff... often times I am not busy (enough...) and there is the fact that the firm I work at is more of a business office rather than a creative Architectural firm... be careful (if you do stay in...) where you get hired... do your research!
There are many days where I say... "if I would have gone into_________?" Go with your gut... and good luck!
here's the thing... architecture school is hard and if you devote yourself to it, very personally rewarding. you learn how to think, produce, analyze, criticize, and design. yes, the sleep deprivation and lack of social life are not the high points of the process. but, you form close relationships with the people that you are around. its ok, because after 5 years of school, your "pre-arch school friends" won't speak the same language as you and you probably won't be interested in them anyway.
now, life after school is the wierd part. working in an office is absolutely nothing like school (in some offices it is somewhat similar, but not many.) it is a profession with real contraints, real clients, and you have to work a lot faster and smarter. but, after school, you are ready. oh, and even though you will be in serious debt after 5 years of hell, you will make little more than a retail store manager, if that. that's the fun part!
i suggest you intern in an office, even if its for 5 hours a week. cutting to the chase will help you decide whether or not you're cut out for it. good luck.
I read architecture books. I am a big nerd. But it makes me happy, really happy. Not happy because I think it is what I should be doing, or because to be a good architecture student I should be reading them. I do it because I have a genuine interest in the built environment and how people interact with it, and in it.
Not everyone thinks this way, and thank God they don’t. You should take serious note of: what you gravitate to when you are not doing school-work, what you do for fun, what you do when your not doing things that you feel you have to do.
Both. I learned that I have to just learn from my mistakes. They really don't lecture at my school or teach. It's just doing projects, so I learn from experience. When we finally get to do something creative, I feel like I have little inspiration left sometimes.
yeah, first year is deadly. all the things you think you're missing - social time, sleep, etc - you'll figure out how to get what you need in the coming years. if you don't, you didn't need it anyway...
if you don't like your classmates, you may have trouble: these ARE going to be a big part of your social life in school. and that CAN be a great thing. it's like the tightest fraternity you'll ever know, except coed. my classmates from school are still among my most valued friends, some of whom i keep up with often, others who i only check in with occasionally. youre school experience will build this kind of bond if you're open to it.
i'm with some of the others: if you give it a while, you might get in the groove. if you don't, even after second year, you probably haven't really lost time in building a different major. architecture education at the first two years is really a valuable pedagogy anyway -and it can help in other disciplines. if you quit now, you may always wonder.
whatever you do, don't be that guy at parties who says 'oh, you're an architect? yeah, i was going to be one, too.'
Mar 12, 08 7:35 am ·
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Not sure about school
I am a first year student in a 5 year BArch program. The whole year I haven't been sure if it is for me. The work stresses me out more than I enjoy it. I am doing pretty well though because I work really hard. I'm not the type of person to slack off at all. If I am unsure does that mean I should change majors? Do people actually enjoy school and not getting sleep or being socially isolated? How different is school from the working world...because if it like what I am doing now, then I don't want to continue.
Any advice helps..I am confused
Well I am "riding the fence" on this one... I am stubborn and have wanted to be an architect since I was five years-old. I love the notion of 'architecture' however, what you are doing in school as far as all nighters (coming up with the 'stand alone' projects... and designing a great solution) I personally, do not think that is what you can look forward to... you probably won't be designing much, if anything right off the bat. I got in a position (that I was glad when I first got... that wears off!) I now do miscellaneous drafting for people that design the fun stuff... often times I am not busy (enough...) and there is the fact that the firm I work at is more of a business office rather than a creative Architectural firm... be careful (if you do stay in...) where you get hired... do your research!
There are many days where I say... "if I would have gone into_________?" Go with your gut... and good luck!
here's the thing... architecture school is hard and if you devote yourself to it, very personally rewarding. you learn how to think, produce, analyze, criticize, and design. yes, the sleep deprivation and lack of social life are not the high points of the process. but, you form close relationships with the people that you are around. its ok, because after 5 years of school, your "pre-arch school friends" won't speak the same language as you and you probably won't be interested in them anyway.
now, life after school is the wierd part. working in an office is absolutely nothing like school (in some offices it is somewhat similar, but not many.) it is a profession with real contraints, real clients, and you have to work a lot faster and smarter. but, after school, you are ready. oh, and even though you will be in serious debt after 5 years of hell, you will make little more than a retail store manager, if that. that's the fun part!
i suggest you intern in an office, even if its for 5 hours a week. cutting to the chase will help you decide whether or not you're cut out for it. good luck.
What do you do when your not doing school-work?
I read architecture books. I am a big nerd. But it makes me happy, really happy. Not happy because I think it is what I should be doing, or because to be a good architecture student I should be reading them. I do it because I have a genuine interest in the built environment and how people interact with it, and in it.
Not everyone thinks this way, and thank God they don’t. You should take serious note of: what you gravitate to when you are not doing school-work, what you do for fun, what you do when your not doing things that you feel you have to do.
What stresses you out? the amount of work or not knowing if you are doing things correctly?
Both. I learned that I have to just learn from my mistakes. They really don't lecture at my school or teach. It's just doing projects, so I learn from experience. When we finally get to do something creative, I feel like I have little inspiration left sometimes.
Architecture is about learning til the day you die
If you don't enjoy it, then just change it, cuz it doesn't get any easier
Good Luck!!
Hope you end up doing something you enjoy
I say give it your all this year, and see how it feels the 2nd year. I always consider first year of college the acclimation year.
yeah, first year is deadly. all the things you think you're missing - social time, sleep, etc - you'll figure out how to get what you need in the coming years. if you don't, you didn't need it anyway...
if you don't like your classmates, you may have trouble: these ARE going to be a big part of your social life in school. and that CAN be a great thing. it's like the tightest fraternity you'll ever know, except coed. my classmates from school are still among my most valued friends, some of whom i keep up with often, others who i only check in with occasionally. youre school experience will build this kind of bond if you're open to it.
i'm with some of the others: if you give it a while, you might get in the groove. if you don't, even after second year, you probably haven't really lost time in building a different major. architecture education at the first two years is really a valuable pedagogy anyway -and it can help in other disciplines. if you quit now, you may always wonder.
whatever you do, don't be that guy at parties who says 'oh, you're an architect? yeah, i was going to be one, too.'
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