Done and Done

I have been struggling this last week with the issue of graduate school. Should I do it, should I not do it. Frankly it has been driving me nuts, I would change my mind every other day because I would get nervous. Most of the nervousness came from the simple fact that I dread feeling stressed out...which I likely would if I pursue this. The last year of mine and Marc's undergrad was simply a nightmare. Marc's physics and math degrees were very intense the last year and I spent even more time than he did on my projects. We were trucking through the day with hardly any sleep and we weren't eating that well either. It was hard and those memories are still a little fresh in my memory as we are about to embark on something that seems much worse.

However, yesterday I spent two hours up at the U trying to figure out exactly what I was getting myself into. I spent an hour with the director. He gave me a good idea about how the program works, we can customize our program to what we are interested in. Also there are several studies outside the country etc. We also talked about how the program works with having a personal life. I listened but knew I would have to talk to actual students to get the real scoop on this. He was very nice and it seems like some of the students are married (although none are women that are married). The program seems so exciting. We build homes on reservations and I could focus on sustainable design since that is what I really am interested in. The first summer is like hell-week for football. Its an intensive summer to get us (who aren't architectural majors) caught up with everyone else. You can't work the first summer and first full year...its just too crazy. The last two years are the years you can pick your classes, study abroads, etc and they are much easier.

Talking to the students was great and just what I needed. Once I walked into the workspace I knew I was a goner. You could almost feel the creativity as walked in. I love that feeling. I got so excited seeing that huge room full of young people pursuing their dreams, I can only describe it as what the inside of a beehive must look like. It was incredible. Each student gets some workspace consisting of about 10 linear feet of desk to spread out. Then there lots of work tables. However, you couldn't see the tops of any of the desks they were covered in sketches, books, computers with multiple monitors, models, building materials, papers, pepsi, chips, and all manner of creative people nonsense. Each student must provide there own computer to work on and they usually leave them there for all 3 years unless its a laptop. For a creative person this was like heaven. The students were SOOO nice. They were happy to chat with me. They are usually up at the school from 7am-5pm until crunch time in the semester and then it gets a little crazy sometimes 4am-12am. I just won't think about that part yet.

They love the program. Its more creative than technical, meaning you are mostly building creative building models instead of just drafting construction plans. The teachers make you explain every reason for your design (this is something I will struggle with I have a problem with: I have designed this to mimic the feeling of falling in outerspace and landing on a starburst)Its just weird. Anyways. None of the girls had makeup on or her hair done, so there are low expectations which is good. About 85% men 15% women. They do lots of model building. They have a laser cutter for wood to make the models. Also I would have to learn to weld, and build simple furniture. The director claims the graduate students aren't there very late because by now they have learned how to be efficient students, some of that is true but I bet by that point you go home because you can't handle it anymore.

After I got home I emailed my wonderful father in-law who Marc and I trust with all of our big decisions. He gave me some great advice and now I'm ready to go for it.

Overall I am very excited. I woke up this morning so excited and already designing cardboard models in my mind. What I'm basically saying is that I have turned in my application and heaven help us we are going to go for a wild ride I'm sure!