10 Tips for Surviving Architecture School

#1 TIME MANAGEMENT

Time management is KEY if you want to produce quality work and stand out within your class. DO NOT save things for the last minute! Architecture projects take A LOT of time, effort, development, and iterations. Not only do you have to come up with original and creative ideas for projects, but you also have to make sure you give yourself enough time to produce quality drawings and graphics that accurately and effectively present your ideas!

You may think that you are built differently and you can handle it, but trust me, you are going to wish you started working on it earlier when you are on your second all-nighter and haven’t even had a chance to shower… [gross I know, but you will see what I mean].

You will see a lot of people around you that push off their work and it may be tempting to kick back and hang with them, but I promise you will regret it later.

Not only do you have studio projects, which take up the majority of your time, but you also have 3-4 other classes as well. So you REALLY need to be budgeting your time properly. Although the other courses are not as intense as studio courses are, there will be assignments and tests for these classes that you need to work on!

Make a weekly schedule

I highly recommend you plan out your schedule on a weekly basis. Get yourself a planner, or use online tools to keep yourself organized so you don’t forget important deadlines for projects, assignments, and tests. I even suggest breaking up your days and planning how much time you want to spend on each of your various tasks: study time, homework, essays. And for you studio classes, it is going to depend highly on what phase of the project you are at.

In the beginning, it is a lot of brainstorming and sketching ideas, you will continue to refine and tweak your ideas with your professor and have multiple progress pin-ups/presentations leading up to the end of the semester. As you get closer to the final review, then things start to intensify, so keep that in mind and budget your time accordingly!!

But I will say, if you stay on top of your work and are consistent with the amount of effort you put into producing your work, then you really won’t be so overwhelmed with the amount of work there is. [Along with following all these 10 tips for surviving architecture school.] 

#2 DONT GET TOO CAUGHT UP IN STUDIO CULTURE

Studio culture is a real thing in design schools. You have 24/7 access to a studio with your own desk set-up and computer, which is super exciting! In the beginning of your time in college, everyone is adjusting to life at school, the new schedule, freedom, making friends, and trying to fit in. Design students have the unique experience of having access to studio and at times it can get out of hand. 

From my experience, a lot of students will spend class time hanging out, grabbing some food, and chill, but not really using the time to get some work done. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t need to be glued down to your computer the whole time. Grab food with friends and take a break, but don’t spend 5 hours goofing off, because this is valuable time to be productive and get feedback from your professors while they are in class! 

When you tend to go to studio after class hours, everyone will probably be hanging out as well. I think it is important to maintain some self control, discipline and make sure to take time to get your work done. 

#3 BE CONFIDENT

At the beginning of the post I gave a small breakdown of course structure and what to expect in your main design class [studio]. You will be constantly having to share your ideas in front of your class and professors, which can be intimidating.

It is SUPER important to have confidence in yourself and what you are sharing with your peers. I know that may seem hard to do at first, considering no one really knows what they are doing lol! But trust yourself and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. I guarantee you everyone else is feeling the same things and doubting themselves, you are not alone! You are all learning and it is all about experimenting with new ideas and designs.

If you present yourself and your ideas with confidence, other people are going to look at it through that lens and take you more seriously. You know your project and your designs better than anyone else. You put your blood, sweat and tears into it, so make sure to show everyone else how developed and thoughtful your design is! HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF! 

#4 ALWAYS COME TO STUDIO PREPARED

Whether you are coming in for a desk crit, a pin-up, midterm review, or final review… ALWAYS COME PREPARED. For desk crits and pin-ups, it is honestly such a waste of the limited and valuable time you have with your professor to get their feedback and design help. You most likely are going to only have like 10-20 minutes to meet one on one with your professors, so make every second count!

It is so important to always come into class with some progress, models, sketches, ideas, any sort of development and portrayal of your ideas to share with them to review and direct you on how to make it better. It is also such a bad look to come in without anything, or to come in and put a bunch of random things together. Just because it is school, doesn’t mean you are not developing a professional reputation for yourself, I will talk about this more later. [#6]

As for midterm and final presentations, if public speaking is not really your thing [I hate speaking in front of people], then hear me out. I used to be sooo scared before every single presentation, but the thing that always brought me comfort and calmness is the fact that I know my project INSIDE AND OUT. Think of it as show and tell! You are simply sharing your thoughts and ideas with a few people, and honestly, your classmates are most likely not even paying attention to you… [half of them are asleep in their chair, on their phones, or freaking out about their own presentation]. 

BONUS: PRESENTATION TIPS

If you come into a final review prepared and well-rested, then your rate for success is super high! Have your drawings done and printed the day before [DON’T be scrambling the morning-of trying to finish a drawing or model or trying to print… it is EXTREMELY stressful and things always tend to go wrong], write yourself a script or some bullet points in your sketchbook and practice giving your presentation.

I would always hold my sketchbook while I present and glance at it to make sure I don’t forget to mention anything I wanted to talk about. Lastly, be confident in yourself! You worked so hard all semester on this project, give yourself the credit you deserve and be proud of yourself and what you accomplished!! 

#5 DON’T TAKE THINGS TOO PERSONALLY

You are going to be getting A LOT of opinions throughout your 4-5 years of architecture school. You’re constantly getting opinions from professors in desk crits and pin-ups, from classmates working in the studio, and from outside professionals during midterm and final reviews. 

Always remember: DESIGN IS SUBJECTIVE!

Do not take it personally! Not everyone is going to like your ideas or designs, and that is okay. I know it really stinks to have someone try to discredit or pick apart ideas that you might have been super excited about, but don’t let it discourage you! 

You don’t always have to listen to what your peers or professors might tell you to do with your project, but it is important to not get offended or take it as an attack. Everyone has their own style and thought processes, and design conversations are a critical part of growing as a professional and will continue to be important as you enter the workforce. 

Some people are seriously just not going to get you and that is ok. I had a few professors that really crushed me at the time, even though I was pouring my heart and soul into the work. At the end of the day, all you can do is try to explain your thought process and reasoning for why you did what you did, and move on. It is just their opinion and does not mean your work is awful. 

#6 TREAT STUDIO LIKE A WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is something I have grown to realize as I am reflecting on my time in college after I graduated. You are dealing with a lot of professionals and architects everyday in class, it is critical to present yourself as someone who would be a great potential future hire. Because you just might end up getting a job through one of these professors. 

Many students will come to class late, unprepared, exhausted, wearing pajamas or sweatpants, and just looking to socialize with classmates. Your professors will notice this, and this will become their impression of you for the semester. 

Be professional.

Carry yourself with confidence, maturity, and professionalism, this will get you very far in your college experience and you will get recognized more for your successes and work ethic. It is perfectly fine to socialize and have fun in studio, but when your professor is there during class hours, make the most of the time you have during your desk crit and stay focused on getting work done so you aren’t staying up late at night trying to get things done because you were messing around all class.

#7 SAVE TIME FOR YOURSELF

Avoid burnout, schedule times for breaks to eat, shower and sleep, and time to do NOTHING. 

You can easily work nonstop and never be finished with your projects because it is design… there is never a solution. 

My suggestion is to wake up a decent hour and work throughout the day and use the night time to rest – hang with friends, watch a movie etc because once it hits 10pm, you start to get slower and lose focus. 

I know it is tempting to just take a nap in between your other classes, but use the time to work and you’re 10pm self will be thanking you. 

#8 I HIGHLY DISCOURAGE ALL-NIGHTERS

A lot of people are going to be spending all night working on projects in the studio, but a big reason why they are stuck in studio working throughout the night is because they didn’t manage their time well. 

If it happens a few times I get it, it is hard to manage the other classes and other personal things and if you have a job etc, but try your best to be productive IN STUDIO TIME vs using that time to hang out with classmates.

Some people believe that they work best at night, but in all honesty, I found that it takes about 3x as long to do something that would likely take you 30 minutes with a full nights rest…

#9 USE YOUR PROFESSORS AS A RESOURCE

I know this seems self explanatory, but people often forget that your professors have real life experience at architecture and design firms, and many of them probably have their own firms.

They are such a valuable resource as an aspiring professional and do not take that for granted. Each semester you get to build relationships with new professors! You may not get along with all of them or agree with their design ideas or teaching styles, which is okay.. You cant win them all! But I guarantee there will be at least a few that you really develop a connection with. These are great contacts to maintain throughout your studies and even into your professional career! I still talk to some of my professors, and I graduated 2 years ago! 

You don’t only have to talk to them about your projects/coursework. Pick their brains about their experiences in architecture school, life post-grad, any tips they have for getting a job… anything! 

Not only are they a useful resource as you are growing and learning as a designer, but they literally might be your ticket into getting a job or internship! Don’t be afraid to ask if they have any opportunities for work, OR if they know of anyone who is looking for students to work for them. These people have A LOT of contacts and friends in the industry! 

I have found TWO jobs through my college professors.

My first job right out of college was at the SAME firm my final semester professor worked! I mentioned my intention to find a job after graduation and he was able to get me an interview, and I got hired! I worked there for a year, and was struggling to find anything. I reached out to my FIRST YEAR, FIRST SEMESTER professor, and she connected me with one of her friends who worked at a firm that was hiring… and I got the job! 

TRUST ME! 

#10 TRUST YOURSELF

I know I have listed many of the things that make architecture school seem scary and daunting, but trust me, it is the most rewarding experience! Although it may seem incredibly stressful and a ton of work [which it is – at times], it is super important to love what you are doing. 

It is going to be super challenging at times, the curriculum is literally designed to wean out the “weak”, but push through! This experience is definitely a shift and a learning curve from high school, but don’t underestimate yourself. You are capable of a lot more than you give yourself credit for. Give yourself a chance to adjust, adapt your schedules and routines to get into a flow that works for you.

Don’t force it 

If you’re going through your first year and you just aren’t really feeling like this is the major for you, then do NOT force yourself. This is not a major that you can just coast through, not put in the effort, or not enjoy doing. I’m the last person to try to deter you from sticking with architecture [I am biased because I love it so much], but if you feel in your gut that this is not the field for you, then find something else. 

don’t give up so easily

BUT if you are considering quitting because you are overwhelmed with the work, I would STRONGLY encourage you to give yourself time to adjust and re-evaluate yourself. Are you actually giving yourself time to put in the effort required for the work? Use these 10 tips for surviving architecture school for the rest of the semester and re-assess! 

At the end of the day, you know yourself best. Trust yourself and your instincts… you got this! I promise you this is such a fun and rewarding journey and it will push you to become a better version of yourself! 

Follow these 10 tips for surviving architecture school to succeed!