hard things suck

So the past few weeks I have slowly been adjusting to my graduate program and it has been pretty hard. Its very different than my undergrad. They expect a lot more and they aren't afraid to tell you your work sucks. This can be very uncomfortable at first and for the first while I was just convinced I was so awful I would have to quit. That was until I realized that this was happening to everyone not just me.

They really are working our butts off to see who can hack it. So far I have been fine with exception of a few days where I was totally stressed out which was partly due to moving, quitting my job, and school loan issues. This all happened in the same week so it was a little rough. One of the things we do at school that is pretty insane is lots and lots of drawings. Today we were working with charcoal. They will say ok you have 5 minutes to draw this and it needs to be shaded...go. Then they hang all the work up and talk about whose is the best and which ones suck. It is serious anxiety. Plus there are many in the program that have degrees in fine art. They also do this with the computer. They will give you 5 minutes to create a brochure layout and then we look at them all. The good part is that everyone of us has a strong point and weak points. Plus we have all bonded very well and there isnt an environment of competition or hostility between us. If a teacher is ripping something we did apart almost always someone will stand up for you and make you seem fabulous.

One of the hardest parts has been the lack of explanation. They don't explain how to accomplish something they just tell you what they want and you are left to your own creativity. This is hard because it causes initial anxiety. I have never made a architectural model in my life and one day we are told to create models by the next day. Wow, ok. I came home and just looked at every material I had and came up with something. The good thing though is they value the idea not the workmanship, but you have to be able to explain everything you did and why.

Here are pictures of some of the things I have been doing and some moving pictures. Pictures of the inside will come in time ;)