ARCHITECT'S CHRONICLE
He was only a young boy when his unconscious self-got trapped in the world of creative thinking. As years pass by, he grew more creatively strong, yet undefined in the place of purpose.
Debating became his favorite, music became his passion. Yet we couldn’t figure out; what he really wanted.
He was only a boy.
Years later, he eventually completed a necessary phase of his academics. He sat for WAEC/NECO.
Uncertainty of direction increased, neither can we figure out what his choice was.
Here is a creative, enthusiastic, and sound young soul.
But what will he study?
What is the way forward?
He did show interest in agriculture, but no more.
He did say he will love to be a Doctor, but no more.
He’s now saying becoming an engineer will be good.
But will he?
We don’t know either, because he doesn’t know.
What will his result permit him to study? They ask.
Lo and behold!
His WAEC/NECO result was quite fantastic. With it, he could study any of the aforementioned courses without stress.
The confusion increases.
He doesn’t appear set for these.
He is gifted.
He is creative.
He is enthusiastic, but he looks quite unserious; we’re not sure he’s really set to face this.
His un-seriousness became the subject of discussion.
With all these, will this guy ever go to school?
Ho! Yes, he can’t just stay in this house; let him go get a diploma in Biblical Studies.
Why?
Yes, he will have to; because it appears the only thing he’s serious about is the Bible.
Will he go?
It appears like he really doesn’t have a choice, he will have to go.
Yes! He did, two years of training and buildup.
He finally looks serious, now it seems he knows what’s next.
Now purpose speaks.
Finally, two years journey ended, he wrote jamb this time and decided to study Mechanical Engineering, but guess what? Architecture was given.
Will he study this course?
Will he have to consider a change of course?
Will he have to wait another year?
These became subjects of deliberation as he remained in silence.
Who will help us now?
God, you will have to solve this puzzle yourself, everyone is getting pissed up.
I will apply for a change of course he finally responded.
He did, and follow up was given both in cash and kind.
Finally, the last admission was dropped and it must now be Mechanical engineering, he guessed.
Unfortunately, Architecture was given the second time.
It looked like our prayer has been answered. But will you study this course?
Will he even cope? Architecture is such a stressful course; they only admit a few students yearly.
We are not ready to waste our resources they say.
After a while everywhere was clouded with silence.
I will take it, he responded. I will study Architecture, leave the stress, and leave its craziness.
I’ve always admired the course but I never felt I have what it takes to study it, now I have decided to, and I will give it my best.
Wow! That sounds quite interesting, right? But is the puzzle solved?
Let’s see……
Architecture was what we signed up for; eventually, Archi-torture was what the experience presented.”
The campus trip
It was such a bush and an underdeveloped town; access roads are inaccessible because of its bad condition. Potholes make you experience a dancing movement as you approach the campus. Paracetamol could be your friend to ease your trip inflicted pains.
Actually, the trip took a couple of hours but we finally landed here.
What a trip!
Ho! What a town!
Welcome on campus.
After the long trip, we’re finally on campus. The environment and its breeze sing, welcome to the jungle.
Right from the registration point, he started feeling the other side of the campus experience he wasn’t told about.
Finally, all registrations were done with, now he could call himself a student.
First day in the studio
He was actually confused as he stepped into the studio, it looks really different from every other lecture halls.
Welcome to the architectural department, a giant of environmental studies they say.
Here they are fresh students. Little do they know that there is nothing like a fresh architectural student; mindset was just to be a fresh guy, study well, and finish strong.
He had planned how he will spend his cash; he wasn’t told he will have any money for new polys, shoes and to cut hair every two weeks.
He wasn’t told his feeding allowance will be spent doing assignments, while still in debt of materials.
Little did he know that he will only have an apartment outside the school while his place of abode will be the studio? Oh! No!
No one informed him that he will have to sleep on the studio desk several times if he will have to survive as an architectural student.
He wasn’t told that 24hours is enough for everyone but for the architect it will look so small, so, you will have to work day and night.
He wasn’t told he will have to sit in sun for 8–10 hours, working on life drawings, what a trap you’re in he said to himself. You will surely die here; this wasn’t what you signed up for.
Just third day on campus, he was told he was in debt of 3 sheets of drawing already, Oh! No, these people must be joking he said.
I have to face this reality, he said to himself. I hope I survived these.
For weeks, he spent nothing less than 6–8 hours in the sun drawing.
Drawing perspective from a very odd angle can be so stressful and annoying he said.
He didn’t use to drawing like this, this isn’t a Nigeria map, neither is it an African map he used to draw back then in Secondary School.
Several drawings were shirked and disposed of by lectures after so much effort has been put into it.
He wasn’t told he will be emotionally broken down severely because he couldn’t appear good enough even when he had put in his best. He wasn’t told that his creativity will be criticized and rendered useless several. He wasn’t told he will shed tears behind closed doors.
He wasn’t told that it will get to a point he will almost walk away from this course.
Neither was he told that the survival capacity must be built consciously.
The first years were technically war for him, he became thinning like a broom.
After several criticisms, he found hope in himself.
How and why? The more he was criticized, the more he realized that his incapacity to prove his creativity right is a problem. And somehow, he doesn’t know where the strength came from never to give up but he just never did.
He met several resourceful seniors that saw his creativity and are willing to be of help, but guess what; no help can be rendered in a simple way as far as architecture is a concern, it has to be the hard way. It is either you give up or you die trying. The grind was real.
You must just go through the stress, you must make sacrifices. They did help him so much but guess what? He has to be a 13spanal for a whole year.
Finally, he was aware of what he has finally signed up for.
Now, he found joy and happiness in all architecture entails and he survived the five years trip of being an architectural student.
Five years of schooling without really having holidays, because we will always stay back on campus. Our session ends when others are returning from break and we must commence a new semester together.
Isn’t that tough? It is, but that was what he signed up for.
What a journey!
Here is the summary.
Throughout time, architecture has persisted as one of the most profoundly important reflections of culture, and also one of the reasons why people travel to different countries. Architecture also persists through our infrastructures from bridges to public spaces and even the very layout of cities.
Simply put, “our cities and homes are as beautiful as the creativity of architect that designs it”
Studying architecture is one of the best decisions I have ever made after much confusion, he said.
Though, it takes time, effort, discipline, parental guidance, and prayers to come thus far. I am always grateful for every choice he said with a smile.
Studying architecture takes a thousand cups of coffee, hundreds of sleepless nights, emotional and mental trauma which only a few could survive; architecture takes all forms of pleasure and replaces it with music for you. It takes a lot of tears and a huge sum of money for sure.
Architecture will scrutinize your creativity and your capacity for logical reasoning.
Studying architecture successfully simply means you must have study wide; the only course you cannot study successfully without knowing little about every other field is Architecture. I can say it rules the world of creative thinking.
He said, it was tough but we survived it.
Are we now there? No! But we will definitely.
There is still more beyond our first degree, we’re still pushing hard to get our seal and create a legacy that will outlive our years.
We found pleasure in doing this, we know it’s going to take more from us to get to our destination but we are so set for it. We know we will be called Architect all our lives and we must be set for it.
We love our growth and we share our stories that it might inspire someone never to give up today.
You may have gone through the same experience as that of his and might have survived like him, I celebrate your courage.
You may be going through the same now, don’t give up; find your hidden strength to get the best out of yourself. You have to take responsibility for your life and give it some meaning.
Finally, you don’t have to go through the same stress he underwent, you could avoid all of it if you define what you really want out of life on time with readiness to give it your best.
He can be of help throughout the journey. He could provide you some encouragement and practical steps to take as you fight through it.
Have you also studied a course you were given without finding some sense of fulfillment in it? You can DM as well, If you don’t mind, He could be of help.
“Life’s meaning is hidden in purpose”
I was the boy.
I’m WHETO SAMUEL
I am an Architect, Project Manager, Health and Safety Executive, Entrepreneur, Content Writer, Reader, Public Speaker, Leader, Mentor, and a Coach.
Kindly follow the media handles.
IG & Twitter @ Samwheto
Insight Ambassador.
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