Hi there,
Here I am at my computer working on a tedious project on a gloomy Friday afternoon, to kill the boredom I took a short break and I was checking my social media. And it pops up ‘your memories from 2016’. Just one picture was enough to take me back to that tizzy roller coaster ride of life’s most precious experiences of my Architecture college.
It got me wondering; each architecture college student must have similar amusing tales to share with a world which that world is not aware about, what is likely to be an architecture student for five long years! These stories are exquisite treasures to keep along with you for life. It could be anything from horror jury tales, humorous studio hours, to not so studious study tours and even life at canteen and print shop!
The Studio hours
Architecture studio is a muddled scenario of emotion and students. Studio hours are meant to be learning technicalities in the field but along with that these studio shapes students in a hundred ways. These studio hours are a certain place for most of the blunders and banters.
In lunch breaks, the mandatory ‘potluck’ arrangement is a primary source of exchanging delicious meals and creative ideas together. This potluck is a parameter of bonding between classmates.
Campus. Canteen and creativity
As someone rightly said that ‘’ the real architect is being shaped not only in studio hours but more than in a surrounding campus.’’ I think the architecture college campus is the only campus that allows students to explore and help in their field. Amphitheatre and atrium of college are the places, which provide a platform for budding artists and unofficial yet, friendly ragging. The canteen is that magical space where formal students, professors, forced senior-junior relations to giggle and wiggle. But with giggles, you might never know it will turn out a serious design discussion or debate in a fraction of seconds.
The Jury Scenes
The architecture course is a sufficiently prolonged timespan to change one from a normal person to a mischievous professional. The juries are the most horrifying yet hilarious period one can ever experience in their entire life. The hassle behind printing the sheets on time, the pretentious not so co-operative printing wale bhaiya and as you get the sheets on time; we are always dissatisfied with some or another silly mistake.
After that tedious job, the real hurdle is starting to pin it up. You can see the hustle-bustle on the entire campus. The excitement to put up your work for the first-ever jury gives your weird butterflies in your stomach and an anxious feeling altogether. After the first jury itself, one can get enough confidence to counter any question ahead. Fear of being dishonor in front of juniors is greater than the fear of remarks will be given by the juror.
Orientation Programs and Workshops
The orientation program of college is like a rehearsal for the next five years. The initial not so friendly interactive sessions with seniors, to perform the various tasks asked by seniors to do, just to be sure to get the entry passes for fresher’s party is a mandatory part of the first year.
In architecture college, one can get hands-on experience for a lot of crafts and skills. And these experiences come along with additional humor and entertainment for each semester. I still remember the paper Mache workshop fiasco that happened in my 2nd-year workshop subject. The stinky Mache was a headache for everyone in the entire studio for two days. The wooden furniture workshop is a whole new laborious job story I still remember because of the cuts and pain while making one subtle and functional furniture piece.
The Study Tour
The yearly 10 days study tour is a much-awaited time by every student in college. After all, Hilaire Belloc (British-French Writer and The Most Prolific writers in England) rightly said that “We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.’’
For study tours by trains, carrying those massive drafting tables on the entire journey is an undeclared rule for the juniors. These tours are real witnesses of the actual personality of each student and professor. Once I remember, on a Bhutan tour, We forgot to return the hotel keys after checkout and the annoyance happened to the hotel staff by us.
From architecture student to junior architect
The turbulent life of an architect never settles down after graduation. Making zillions of copies of drawings every day just to be a part of a dream project design team is an ultimate goal for an intern or junior architect in her/his initial days at practice.The printing shop person’s net worth is defiant than the junior architect’s salary.
But it was never only about money, this architecture field is the only field that provides these hilarious moments to cherish for life. It’s the most colorful world which turns one’s black and white imagination into a rainbow of wisdom!
Ah! Still, it’s a Friday and I am in the office but now, not irritated by a zillion copies of drawings, but this time – it’s the ‘AutoCAD not responding!’
