My Architecture & Design Journey
It's Time to Enjoy the Process. It’s Time to Pivot.
I hope my design timeline reminds you that you, your goals, your mindset & ambition drive you to achieve your dreams. Take as much time as you need & enjoy the process!
I Left My Job in the Architecture Profession… For Now
Everyone's journey in life isn't linear. But we keep going, regardless of obstacles - because life happens! This journey is ongoing & ever-changing.
Sometimes we lose track of our “why”. Sometimes you need to make a change that people may not understand in order to follow the strategic path of your vision in life. Sometimes the best route involves pivoting and change. But the end result always ties back to the “why”. Sometimes the current situations we’re in hinder us from achieving our aspirations in life.
For me, my goal is to be a licensed architect. In order to do this I’ve realized I need to pivot in direction to focus on studying. I left my job in the architecture profession for now to focus on me and my goals. I’m focusing on my goals, my well being, & finding my purpose. I’m focusing on licensure, creation, & creativity.
It's your dream. No one will see it, feel it, or understand it the way you will. Don't care what anyone else says or thinks because it's your dream & your life - you only get one. Do something that's going to make you a better person, something that feeds your soul & your dreams. It's time to enjoy the process. It’s okay to pivot.
I hope my design timeline reminds you that you, your goals, your mindset & ambition drive you to achieve your dreams. Take as much time as you need & enjoy the process!
2017
Enrolled in an Architecture Program at a university while working nights part time.
I started college in the Fall of 2017 where I took an introductory architecture class rooted in basic design skills - sketching & model making. I was also working part time at a restaurant on the Las Vegas strip 4 nights a week.
2018
Architecture is HARD! I took a year to minor in a different field & questioned if Architecture was really for me
A year into school, we had done plenty of physical models & started taking architecture related classes like history, structures, and construction technology. We started to dive into learning software's & this was an overwhelming part of school for me. I remember being completely overwhelmed with learning software's like Rhino and the Adobe Suite.
I had a visiting professor who didn’t teach the software class well, and most of my peers were cheating to get passing grades. I wanted to actually understand the software's we were learning since they're such an integral part of what we do - and since classes are only offered yearly (not every semester) I took a year off to wait for a different professor and minored in business.
2019
In the Spring of 2019 I returned to Architecture & finished preliminary courses where I learned Rhino & Adobe Suite. I started to apply for upper division Architecture school.
When I returned to architecture school, I was in a new cohort - since I waited a year. I learned Rhino & the Adobe Suite and began to be comfortable with digital modeling. In the spring of 2019 we applied to Upper Division architecture school.
What is Upper Division?
In most architecture school's, you have to apply at the end of your second year to continue an architecture education. Prior to upper division, your studio class size is large & the material you learn is introductory. You also have to have pre-requisites completed by the time you apply to upper division, such as physics, pre-calculus, & calculus. Upper division is a more in-depth curriculum focused primarily on the subject of architecture with smaller class sizes. Our studio size in lower division was about 80 in total and condensed down to about 30 in upper division. This part of school can be extremely stressful!
2020
I was accepted into Upper Division Architecture school where I learned software's, complex subjects, & completed studio projects
Amidst the beginning of upper-division, Covid happened! Classes went completely online & architecture started something it's never done before - online teaching. Classes, team projects, & juries became online zoom meetings. Although we were online, we still made physical models. My skills in digital drafting, modeling, & rendering improved immensely because I had a lot more time to practice my software skills.
2021
I got my first job in architecture at a Design-Build firm as an intern where I learned SketchUp, Enscape, & AutoCAD. I started an Instagram to showcase my school projects.
2022
I graduated with a Bachelors in Architecture & switched to a hospitality architecture firm working full time where I learned Revit. In the Fall of 2022 I started Graduate school for my M.Arch. Degree.
There were plenty of people who told me doing my M.Arch degree while working would be impossible - but I did it and it’s doable! I took Arizona State University's online M.Arch program and loved it! I was able to complete my Masters while maintain working. Time management & setting boundaries was the key to being able to work 30-40 hours a week while completing my M.Arch degree.
2023
I got a new job at another hospitality firm in a role that combined AutoCad, Revit, SketchUp & Adobe Products
With every job & every skill, you learn so much! By embracing the amount of software's you can do it opens so many more doors of opportunity.
2024
Graduated with my M.Arch degree & left the professional setting for now. I’m currently pursuing licensure as a Licensed & Registered Architect. I transformed my portfolio-style Instagram into a blog - EmbArc to offer tips & advice, guidance on self development, and direction on pursuing architecture + design
Leaving my job at an architecture firm was not an easy choice to make! I was learning a ton & surrounded by some of the smartest professionals, but this was a choice I had to make to benefit my goal of becoming a licensed Architect. Excessive work hours were beginning to overtake my ability to work towards my own goals. While I was offered opportunities at other firms, right now I decided to focus on two things: my license & my well being.
Enjoy the Process
I created EmbArc - a lifestyle blog to talk about all things architecture & design - the good, the bad, & the things we don't talk about enough. I created this blog for all the students thinking about or already attending architecture school to offer tips & advice, guidance on self development, and direction on pursuing architecture + design. I'm a living & breathing example of figuring sh*t out while going through it. I hope my design timeline reminds you that you are the controller of your dreams & the power of your future lies within yourself. I'm here to help guide you in any way I can! Never forget that it’s okay to pivot & to enjoy the process!
