10 Tips of Advice if You're thinking of Pursuing Architecture
Architecture school & the steps to attaining a licensed to be an Architect is a long path. I had no idea the path was this long before I got myself into the field. Would I go back and change anything to be where I am now? Absolutely not! Architecture will change your life, the way you think & the way you look at the world. I extremely love this profession. With years of experience under my belt in the academic and professional world, I’m here to guide you on 10 tips I wish I would have known before I pursued the path of architecture. If you're a student, or someone who thinks architecture may be a path for them, read along and let me know if these tips were helpful!
1. Go in with an Open Mind
This is going to sound cliché, but this profession is not like what we see in the movies. The architectural profession is a long path & it's important to go into it with an open mind. I remember my first day of my first architectural class. It was a foundation of design class and it ended up being a sketching "how-to" class. To learn the fundamental aspects of being a designer, you really do have to start at the beginning. I thought I would be amazing in this class because I had a passion for drawing, but I let my ego get the best of me and that's something you should avoid! There will always be people who are better at something than you, but don’t let it discourage you! Go into design school with an open mind, and a willingness to learn and you will absolutely thrive!
2. Don't be Afraid to be Creative
Design school can be intimidating being surrounded by a room full of other artistic and creative people. Don't be afraid to let your creative side out, this is how you thrive! You can learn the most about yourself when you become vulnerable and express yourself creatively. You will be tasked to draw, make 3D models, and digital representations of your work. Let your creativity help discover yourself & your designer identity!
3. Develop Mental Toughness Early
Architecture School can get tough, I want you to be mentally equipped to handle instances when things when things get tough. In architecture school, at the end of each project you have what's called a "Pin Up" or a "Final Jury" at the end of the semester. Both of these situations task you with presenting your design ideas to a handful of designers or architects. Although I haven't always loved them, these are the best moments to learn, grow, and develop as a designer for two reasons. The first reason is because you learn to develop a way of communicating a design idea that you are passionate about. The second reason is because sometimes the jurors disagree with your work and you must either defend or take their comments into consideration. My biggest piece of advice is this: Don't get so attached to your designs that if it's rejected or has pieces that need further development that you take the rejection personally, this ties into #4. The last piece of mental toughness to have is in regards to the amount of time it takes to complete a project. There will be times when you get frustrated but if you time manage appropriately, which we'll talk about on #8, you can learn to avoid this issue at hand altogether!
4. Learn to embrace failure & Rejection
This will come more with time & experience, but embracing failure is the key to success. I have learned the absolute most when I have failed. Not only does failure teach you resiliency, but it builds persistency, a knowledge of what not to do, and a willingness to surpass your expectations. Not all juror's will appreciate your work, and that’s okay! As designers, the biggest strength we can have is to learn from each design we do to better the next one. The more we are willing to learn from our failures, the more we will grow and prosper.
5. Don't let Others Get in Your Head or get Discouraged
Trust me, I have heard it ALL! "You can never get married", "You'll never have time to see family", "You'll never have time to prioritize your health", the list goes on. Very early on in my academic career, I was told over and over again to say goodbye to my social life and family because I would never have time for it. I decided very early on that I was not going to put up with this standard, and I encourage you to not let others get in your head! If you establish boundaries & time manage early on it will make you all the more successful. I am extremely passionate about overall wellness and longevity, so I prioritize seeing family and my mental and physical health in this career field.
In regards to discouragement, I first want you to take a deep breath, and remember why you joined this field. Discouragement can come in many forms, but early on in design school its repeated over and over again the downfalls of the profession. This is because school's want to slowly cut out the students who don't have the work ethic. Despite the negativity others may tell you, I assure you if I can do this, I know you can too!
6. Network & find Mentors
The best & easiest way to network is to create social media accounts to exhibit your designs. Create a LinkedIn to network in & out of your region. I created an Instagram account in my undergrad to showcase my school projects & it's a great way to exhibit your work! In terms of mentors, I wish I had mentors early on in my academic career that could tell me this information to better prepare me for the future ahead. If you feel that you need more guidance or a mentor feel free to contact us and we can do our best to guide you!
7. Invest in Your Technology
I learned this very early on in my academic career, that technology matters! Invest in your computer or laptop that you plan on using for school. I would also recommend ergonomic furniture to help with your wellness & longevity long term. I have an adjustable desk and an ergonomic chair which I love! I enjoy the flexibility and the ability to stretch throughout the day. In terms of technology, early on I had a cheap PC and learned very quickly this wouldn't suit me in this profession. I currently have a MAC and it works incredible! It's fast, reliable, and I have the hard drive boot camped so I can still run windows and operate windows-only products.
8. Learn to time manage
This will be the key to your success and the avoidance of all nighters, but we will get to that in a moment. My biggest recommendation and key to success in this field is to become the best possible version of yourself by learning to time manage. My weekly habit is to organize what my tasks are for the following week. If I know I have deliverables due Friday, I know how to organize my week accordingly to hit that deadline. Sometimes there will be sacrifices you have to make, for example my finals or midterms week has always fallen around holidays, but with proper time management you can learn to enjoy these times while still meeting your obligations.
9. Get. Enough. Sleep!
I can't express this one enough, get enough sleep! Yes, this profession is physically and mentally taxing at times, but setting boundaries early will benefit you in the long run! Early on in school, it was embedded into students to pull all nighters, and I assure you this can be avoided by learning to avoid procrastination. If you have a project due within 2 weeks, prioritize time everyday to working towards the deadline so you don’t have a lot waiting towards the end. Getting enough sleep is incredibly important to your overall health & longevity, prioritize yourself!
10. Be ready to learn, ask, & continue learning
The learning does not stop, you will always be eager to learn more! This is what differs ordinary designers from extraordinary designers. As codes change over time, so do styles and ways of living. Don't be afraid of asking questions, I have found that asking questions is the best way to learn. Asking questions will get you respect a lot faster than having the ego not to ask and act like you know the answer. Learning with each project, learning from failures, and learning from other architects and designers will better you & your identity as a designer.
If you have questions, comments, or topics of discussion for future blog posts leave them in the comment section!
All the good vibes,
Elisabeth
