Architecture is a field which requires a lot of multi-tasking. As architecture students have a pretty hectic schedule and a syllabus with theory as well as practical subjects, there is hardly any time left for the students to pursue any other activities, hobbies or rather do anything other than study.
I think we all have been at that stage at least once, where we have wanted to quit architecture and take up something else just because of how exhausting it was. I know I have!
However, now that I look back, I have the fondest memories about my time as an architecture student. I met some of the most amazing people and a few of my closest friends there. Most importantly we learnt so much from each other. Each one of us was exhausted from the lack of sleep yet almost every morning we greeted each other with a smile or joke.
In the first year, we were these doe-eyed babies looking at everything with awe and trying our best to impress the professors and make friends. We had the most insane tasks to do like make cubes until our hands stopped working. I think it was while making those cubes that I questioned all my decisions.
I think through these five years of rigour we all found something we love, may it be architecture or any other parallel fields which may or may not be related to architecture. We all grew up in a lot of ways and became truly independent.
Looking back, one incident which has stayed on my mind, which I find funny now is when we were new to the whole cutting mat and cutter concept. In the first year, we had a workshop going on and we were all trying our best to cut some hexagons for the task.
However, a classmate of mine ended up cutting herself. *trigger warning* So a large chunk of her flesh was separated from her finger and fell down which freaked her out. She started bleeding profusely and before anyone could understand what had happened she was bawling her eyes out.
All of us found it hilarious and started laughing which frustrated her. We took her to get the bleeding to stop and put some band-aid. Well, you might ask what is funny about that, well here it comes. While my friends were trying to get the bleeding to stop, she, in between sobs, obviously asked them if her finger would look the same or would there be a permanent slant on her finger.
Can you imagine an 18-year-old who has studied science asking if her finger would grow back? Well, I’m choosing to believe this happens with everyone at least once or you have one friend like her who loses her common sense once in a while. Well if you ask me now, since then she and I have always been super careful to not cut ourselves.
The R.S.P.(study tours/ site visits), the excitement of visiting new places with your friends, working on-site and meeting new people and understanding their way of life was something I personally looked forward to.
I think one incident which I look back to, and which always makes me laugh is the time during the final submissions. The stress of completing and submitting on time and the chaos around you that is enough to drive any sane person insane.
Some finish on time and rush home just to stress those around, even more, some who ask for an extension at the beginning of the day itself, wonder if its self-confidence or self-doubt, those who loiter around the whole day and still manage to submit on time and are rewarded with sceptical glances from the ones struggling.
And the opposite of these people; those who don’t waste a minute but still don’t submit on time; these guys have something to write or draw until the last moment. Even while taking the submission to the submission room these guys are still trying to finish up. I don’t know if one must cry or laugh at their fate.
Oh! And then there are these group projects filled with people of all kinds, the one who wants to get good marks, one who wants to finish up on time, one who is forever absent, one who is daydreaming, one who wastes a lot of time but still manages to work, one who is always in some other group. Getting these different types of people together is a task for the ‘leader’ of the group. The situation is opposite from the times in school, no one wants to take the responsibilities of these semi-adults in college.
Alas! These days do come to an end and I treasure them so much now. They never fail to make me laugh. I had not realized until now how much I looked forward to going to college. I waited for the day it would get over; for the FIVE YEARS OF TORTURE or ARCHITORTURE as it’s so fondly called, to get over with but when I reminisce I only look back with a smile or laugh.
