Homecoming Memories

The idea of homecoming is sure to conjure up all sorts of high school memories.  The huge mums, I saw some at a store recently and couldn’t believe that they have actually become that big; the garters, I think they have become as big as mums used to be, that awkward high school dance, and of course the football game.  But wait, wasn’t it supposed to be about all the recent graduates coming back and reliving for just a brief amount of time all that they had just left.  I don’t remember seeing any of that, and I sure didn’t go back the year after I graduated.

This is the 29th #ArchiTalks post and this months subject – Homecoming – was brought to you by none other than this brain-child’s creator himself, Bob Borson.  ArchiTalks is a monthly blog posting by different people all in the architecture profession talking about a single subject.  None of us know exactly what the others will write about and how different, or eerily similar they will be.

Did I miss a chance to see the things I had previously been experiencing from a more mature and experienced point of view?  Ok probably not likely dealing with a high school football game, but looking back on some of the different milestones in an architectural career, hey who knows.

College Days

I’ve said it before that architecture has basically been the only career I have ever been interested in.  That should have made starting college and all of those requirements pretty easy right?  Well…..  High school days were over, teachers making sure you got your work done and succeeded were gone with it.  It was time to be a lot more self sufficient, and honestly, I wasn’t ready.  After a couple of semesters, grades slipped and along with it went the chance to stay in architecture school.  I had to buckle down and do some actual class work.  A few classes at the local junior college later I was back and it was nothing but A’s and B’s from that point on.  It was a straight shot from that point to graduation.

Getting Licensed

Getting to know more and more people I have learned that there is no singular path to getting your license.  Some people get it done in what seems like no time at all, some might never get past the first hurdle.  I decided when I first got serious about the whole process I was going to work on one step at a time.  I worked on the experience part first.  Being an intern is not always, ok most of the time, a very glamorous time, but if you listen, you will take things that will last you your entire career.  Ok, experience portion done, now it’s time to start working on the actual tests.  One down, two down, three…. fail.  Oh boy!  Now what, do I wait and do that one again, do I move onto the next?  Ok, a few too many months have gone by, it’s time to take another test no matter which one it is.  Pass, pass, fail.  Geez, I’m noticing a trend here.  Oh don’t forget about actually working, paying rent, etc., etc.  Looking at the calendar I’m starting to see a big deadline heading straight at me.  If I don’t get these things finished, I could end up losing on of my passes.  Let’s start scheduling these things.  Pass, Pass, Pass, Pass.  I think you get the idea here.  Tests done!  When am I getting that piece of paper in the mail?!?!?

Looking Back/Forward

I can’t change anything that happened back then.  Life weaved it’s way in and out of my career path and has been doing it ever since.  What I can do is look back at some of these events and try and figure out what was the cause of the setback and what was the cure.  I think I was just expecting some of these things to just happen and fall into place.  They didn’t!  They didn’t start to come to fruition till I got my butt in gear and started working for it.  I think that is the biggest lesson I have learned from all of this.  Somehow I ended up in this amazing group of architects sharing what they are experiencing with the world.  Thanks Andrew, thanks Bob!  And it has led me to a place I never could have expected.  Now I better just keep reminding myself that nothing is going to just get handed to me, I have to keep it up, and probably step it up.  No one is going to do it for me.

To see what all the other amazing architects are writing about, check out the links below.

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Matthew Stanfield – FiELD9: architecture (@FiELD9arch)
Coming Home to Architecture

Lee Calisti, AIA – Think Architect (@LeeCalisti)
looking back i wonder

Lora Teagarden – L² Design, LLC (@L2DesignLLC)
Coming home as an architect

Eric T. Faulkner – Rock Talk (@wishingrockhome)
9-11 — A Look Back

Michael Riscica AIA – Young Architect (@YoungArchitxPDX)
Homecoming & Looking Back

Emily Grandstaff-Rice – Emily Grandstaff-Rice FAIA (@egrfaia)
Letter to a Younger Me

Drew Paul Bell – Drew Paul Bell (@DrewPaulBell)
Looking Back…Was Architecture Worth It?

Kyu Young Kim – J&K Atelier (@sokokyu)
Homecoming, in 3 Parts

Nisha Kandiah – ArchiDragon (@ArchiDragon)
Just give me a reason : Homecoming

Jim Mehaffey – Yeoman Architect (@jamesmehaffey)
Is It a Homecoming If You Never Left?

Mark Stephens – Mark Stephens Architects (@architectmark)
Homecoming

Gabriela Baierle-Atwood – Gabriela Baierle-Atwood (@gabrielabaierle)
My Ode to Fargo

Jane Vorbrodt – Kuno Architecture (@janevorbrodt)
Looking Back Through the Pages