Studying architecture and aspiring to attain a bachelor’s degree is an achievement in itself, I would say. It takes protracted 5 years, 60 months and1825 days for an individual to call herself/himself an architect. These five years consist of 4.5 years of study and 6 months of an internship. I, as an architecture student, have always been quite inquisitive and have always looked forward to my internship. But many students including me (initially at a point)don’t know what exactly we should expect from the six months internship program included in the Bachelors of Architecture degree course. I would be obliged to share my thoughts and my idea of an internship.
Studying architecture, as I said earlier is not everyone’s cup of tea and is not a lenient path to follow. It is the relentless efforts for four big years and then you earn an opportunity to bring into life and practice what you’ve learned with so much endeavor. So it is often seen and is natural to have that sense of excitement and nervousness at the same point. It is you that is standing at the edge where your part as a student is about to end and you have this huge opportunity to prove and have your mark in this world as an architect, sounds interesting, isn’t it?
So for any architecture student, this once in a lifetime opportunity to learn and experience life as a student and a professional as well as a big deal! Around 90% of people face a dilemma and are quite confused about the place where they aim to work. It takes a lot of clearance and study for one to decide the location. I would suggest starting from the base itself, whether what side of architecture you need to explore, your interests, and whether you want to work in a big or a small firm, and what exactly do you want from this experience? Numerous aspects have to be studied before the big step – The Internship.
The basic problem as I’ve enlisted above is whether to go for well-established bug firms or a small-scale budding firm. It’s completely an individual choice. Some people prefer big firms to join them and work with them and to the contrary, some people prefer joining small firms and be a part of their process of emerging out as a big firm. Both may be appropriate as a choice. It’s completely up to you.
As I said the internship is quite a big deal for we architecture students, so it is also to be decided what experience one wants to gather via the internship. Some people decide the office first i.e. the architect to work with and then there is a set of people who decide the city first, the location where they want to practice. So it is quite a basic step, to decide what experience is anticipated.
Once you get started with the internship, there will be a lot of learning. I may say, “You learn about architecture while studying but you learn architecture while working.” How things work, what exactly is it, etc but the most important thing according to me and the thought of which makes me happy is that you see the structures you design take form in reality, which I may dare say is the most beautiful feeling any architect may experience. Along with this, the internship gives you clearance, liberation to think about how and what you need to do about your life, the most crucial phase it is. You get a mole of time along with working to plan about how things will have to be in the future. Surely, you’ll experience a life where it’ll all be stable yet exciting, you’ll look forward to every day, you will seize the moment surely!
I would say, live it off. The days you spend as an intern, a learner is the best phase of your life. It will offer you a lot, you’re going to love and live every part of it. Just meet things, glow, be open to opportunities, explore a lot of stuff. Traveling will be a great deal then, while you’re interning travel a lot. After these 6 months, it’s all going to change, no more a student but an architect is what you’ll be. Loads of responsibilities and different life, but until then laugh, live and seize every day, every moment, and every second of your internship. Learn a lot, absorb a lot, think a lot, and give a lot. The internship will leave you a gunny bag full of memories that you’ll cherish forever and ever! Make the most of it and expect nothing but the best and live the remarkable phase of your life and celebrate architecture and your journey while becoming one!
