Part I Architecture: Regrets & Things we wish we did differently
Today’s post is an insight into our regrets and thoughts based on our experiences studying part 1 architecture. For it to be as helpful as possible and to get you thinking on how you might experience your degree, we have tailored this post to be released prior to the start of the academic year as it would be best to be informed on the things we wish we did differently now and not when half of you have already faced the same regrets we have.
The aim of this post is not to prevent you from doing things that we now regret, but to share our reflections on some things we might have reconsidered had we been given the choice to return to architecture school.
Don’t get hung up on criticism
Considering how much of the architecture degree consists of receiving comments on how to improve your work, we are constantly faced with criticism. I think this regret is mainly aimed at when we were first years, but also sometimes during second and third year also,it’s quite natural but it’s not worth beating yourself up about.
If I could go back and give myself some advice it would definitely be to not take some comments to heart and let them be the reason for me to question my abilities. This is one of the ways imposter syndrome began. The constant questioning of whether I was fit for the course or if I’ll ever improve. The lot. Yes, I might have been stubborn or might be having a bad day but that shouldn’t be the reason for me to soak in every single word into my system and let them take control of my capabilities. It’s definitely easier said than done but none of us had anyone enforce on us that criticism will come in waves and we just need to take control of deciding what matters to us and what doesn’t. In some cases you will be in the wrong with your design and let that be a reminder that you have areas to improve on and not to quit on.
In this case, the regret is more than just being hung up on criticism. It’s also the regret of being naive enough to let unprofessional and unnecessary comments hinder our self-belief and our characters as designers.
Overbuying Materials
Don’t. Just don’t do it.
You’re damaging the bank and the university material stock. All 3 of us are sitting here, guilty as charged, with an enormous pile of unused materials as a result of buying more than the necessary amount. Those ‘just in case I’ll need more’ moments never occur and we all know it. Chances are, if you do need more material, you’ll be able to get a hold of it one way or another without the assumed panic or hassle as you know, where there’s a will there’s a way. Worst case scenario, you can substitute the material for something else, ask someone in the studio or wait it out.
Oversharing Ideas
You always hear, don’t share your ideas because they will get stolen. Well, this saying must’ve been formed as a result of an experience and for a reason, because as soon as you voice your concept to contribute to a group discussion or out of your sweet kind caring heart your idea will get taken and claimed as their own. What’s even worse is that whilst comparative thinking with academic results is something which we do not advocate, it is extremely frustrating for someone to take your idea, claim it as their own, get credit for it and then also get a better mark overall. From experience, it just will happen so don’t do it. In some cases, it’ll later turn into spoon-feeding your fellow classmates and I don’t recall us students being design generators.
Oversharing is when the line of collaborating is crossed. Of course, we should exchange conversations about our work but there are always the sly ones who just listen and then turn up to tutorials with your project but’ different’. For us, personally, such situations never put us in a good mood because all your research and designing efforts were stripped from our minds and onto someone else’s sheets. Upsetting but true. Implicitly, as architecture students, we end up improving our observation skills and it’s not purely because of the countless amount of InDesign sheets we format but also picking up on the behaviour around us. I (Sude) can definitely say that I have gained super sonic hearing during my time at university.
Don’t leave things to the last minute
A bit self-explanatory this one and… I’m sure we’ve all been there whether intentional or not. There have been many times when we’ve procrastinated, had a mental block or even just left things to the last minute assuming it would be an easier task than what was at hand. Well, whilst this seems like a plausible idea, it never is. The only things you’ll unfortunately gain by doing this are stress, headaches and more stress.
In some cases, like my own (Elif), this is one of my biggest regrets from my Part 1 education. Leaving things to the last minute as a result of prioritising perfection. Even though it didn't happen regularly enough to be detrimental to my work ethic, when it did happen, it was incredibly hard to bounce back and still be proud of the work I produced. In some sense, this regret is a stem for many others like adjusting to a mindset that is only satisfied with ‘perfect’ work, even though I would never class anything I’ve ever produced as perfect.
Not taking advantage of facilities
One of the best things about our university is our facilities. Something I (Linda) personally regret is not spending more time trying out the VR/AR facilities, being more experimental with how I take photos of my work and using all the machines in our workshop (CNC, robotic arm etc) when that’s exactly why we’re paying for uni. Sometimes when the facilities are available but the use of it is not initiated in the curriculum it can be easy to forget about them or excuse them as a result of not having enough time, but if you have a genuine interest in it then you should make the time to learn and figure it out whilst you have the chance to.
Waiting until the end of the year to make your portfolio
Whether for your portfolio submissions or job application, don’t wait until the end of the year to start thinking about your portfolio. Just finished a technical drawing? Format it onto your portfolio file. Got a collection of sketches? Organise them onto a page to show employers. Making your portfolio as you go along makes the process so much less daunting, so don’t leave this till the last minute either. I certainly regret doing so…
Saying yes to what isn’t important to you
I’m an advocate of balancing your studies with skill building in other areas, but one of the things we regret is continuing activities that I later realised weren’t helping me grow or progress in my future goals. I stayed committed to certain things for longer than I should have at the expense of my mental health; whilst living up to your commitments is important, you have to learn when to quit certain things or situations when they’re no longer benefiting you. Otherwise, it’s not just you who will be impacted but other areas of your life and even people around you. It’s better to be honest and stand your ground for what you believe is best for you, because the most valuable thing you can do is show up as the best version of yourself which you can’t be if your time and energy are being put towards something that is too taxing on you.
This week’s post was highly influenced from our own personal experiences during our undergraduate degree and thought it would be useful to give a heads up to some things we regret in order for you guys to tackle the situation better.
These are just our thoughts and could differ on a student-to-student basis, so itt would be fascinating to hear what are some of your regrets regardless of what year student, assistant or degree you are in. Head on over to our instagram, @archidabble, to join in on the discussion.
