PROS AND CONS OF THE LIFE OF AN ARCHITECTURE STUDENT

Working in an architectural college gave me an idea that creative people are never satisfied of themselves. They often believe that they are not able to project their ideas into models and drafts. But one thing’s for sure – you can’t force yourself to like architecture and designs; you have to truly enjoy it. You need to be really passionate about what you are doing otherwise it gets very difficult to handle the things thrown at you.

                Architecture school has many pros and cons. I’m pretty sure the main things you hear would be the stress, no sleeping and no social life. I feel like this idea of an architecture student can scare people off and can start diverting them from exploring what they love. Doing what you are passionate about comes with hard work.

                In this article, I would discuss the pros and cons of life of an architecture student. First the cons because the pros should make up for them in the end, as they say, “All’s well that ends well”.

CONS

• ·         Workload:  The workload of an aspiring architect is only so much you can take. You have always got something or the other to do, whether its for studio, an elective or history. Every class is demanding. There has to be something due for every studio class or drawings, models, assignments and so on.

• ·         Too much stress: Keeping up with your workload can be very stressful we know.  And then the stress of your design too. Studio would have to be the toughest part of your semester because that is where you actually put your creativity to work and trust me it doesn’t go easily at times.  And not to forget, working in the deadlines.

• ·         Sleepless nights: Whether it be that you procrastinated and waited too long and you have to stay up a finish it; it’s all about time management. The only explanation would be that we tend to procrastinate a lot and I highly recommend not to, but you know how that goes. It’s not just the fact that we procrastinate, but it is also because of the amount of work we get. I would have to say though, that sleepless night is probably like 50% because of procrastination. It also is about producing great quality work, great work takes great time.

• ·         Budget going over-board:  Unless you are rich then you should be fine, but for the rest of us we spend so much money on materials. Then the frequent changes made by our guides and proctors in the plans have burned more holes in our pockets than our hearts! Every month comes with a challenge to survive.  When it feels like you were just at the supply store, you’re there again buying more of the stuff you thought you had enough of. I would start saving now if I were you.
• Wanting To Quit: Every one of us has wanted to quit one time or another. There are times when things get to be too much and you may feel like you can’t take it anymore. We all hit rock bottom and you just have to get up and try again.

So now we come to the pros of being an architecture student. We all know them but we seldom realize them. Here’s a shout-out to all the students who are studying/ aspiring to make a career in Architecture: You are in for more than in think...

PROS

• ·         Being creative: That’s the sole reason why we’re here.  Creativity excites you and gives you the reason to survive inspite of the workload. You get to explore new techniques, ideas and new ways of thinking artistically. It’s awesome to be able to generate a design and to be able to produce amazing work. The work you produce is very rewarding in the end.
• ·         Learning: I don’t know about you, but I love to learn new things about architecture. I mean we all should!  In Architecture study course, you get to work with your hands. It’s not just about reading and writing all the time, but you must have a hands-on approach on many assignments. Building scale models, making surveys, talking to people… it’s a very active field.
• ·         No monotonous routine: An architecture student’s routine is never the same. Every day brings in a new assignment, a new challenge or an idea that waits to unfold itself in material. And the workshops and site visits that keep you on your toes most of the times.
•           Longevity of Career: You can practice the profession of architecture for as long as you want. Like, even if you are not in a job, you will continue to be an architect. There is no age for retirement. In fact, the older the profession, the more fame you get.  I imagine that you have to come to some sort of understanding as to who you are as an individual before you can start to be consistent with imparting your imprint onto a building.
•          Respect: Even if people don’t really understand what we do, there is a perception that architects are ethical and responsible and will endeavour to make the right decision. It’s part of the reason that ‘architect’ is chosen so often as the vocation for title characters in movie and TV roles. Architects aren’t generally viewed as driven by financial rewards like doctors or as scurrilous as lawyers.
• ·         A good pay: Though money is not a concern for creative people, but it does matter. Architecture is a very high paying field. Once you get through the course and pass with good marks, there is a high possibility that you may be pursued by large firms looking for fresh talent and ideas. And compared to other fields, Architects make more money!

I’m sure by now you would be willing to ignore the minor cons to go for the greater pros of choosing Architecture. Above all, the euphoric feeling of seeing your creativity of mind in a real-life project is an entirely different emotion. While you watch your own project getting built- it’s like having your own laboratory where you can experiment and refine things that you consider to be important and worthwhile.

 Note : Though I'm not an architect nor am I pursuing a course in Architecture, I have written it from a point of view of one.

Sweta Agarwal