A process to progress
Congratulations on making it to third year!
You have become accustomed to the ways of university life that it simply doesn’t faze you as much. But I’m sure you are slowly coming to the realisation that you are soon coming to a close on this first chapter of architectural studies. You have learnt a lot about yourself in these last three years. You have gotten past second year the supposedly hardest year out of the three but, you have seen what you are capable of and have yet to surpass your own expectations in the future.
Older third years have already told you that this year is going to be tough. The majority of the modules you will do this year count towards your final grade. You make promises to yourself - like submitting all your assignments on time without excuses but most importantly you want to build a portfolio that is a gate way for progressing into the professional world (if that is the path you choose to take). You want to build a portfolio that demonstrates who you are are by showcasing all the skills and work you have created over this short period of time.
There may be something else on your mind too.
That maybe you aren’t as good as the rest of your peers. You may find yourself at the beginning and most definitely during the year questioning your place in third year. It is going to put strain on you creatively but you must push through this because often things seem harder to do when you haven’t done them yet. So try, try to do the things that make you the least comfortable especially the skills that you lack in, you won’t get feedback like this for a long time on them. You never know, it may be the skill that you develop the most and end up actually enjoying. This doesn’t mean that you forget the strengths you have too. To put it simply, do whatever feels right to you, explore your ideas in ways that only feel right to you.
And when you get stuck. Without a shadow of doubt you will get stuck at some point, yes even if you are a third year student, that always happens. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and ask for feedback too, from your peers just as much as your tutors. You can learn so much from the people you surround yourself with. There really isn’t competition, trust me your friends, especially if they are doing the same degree want you to do well just as much as you do for yourself.
Sometimes your tutors will make statements that may leave you degraded or confused. Those moments are rough. You must realise that you’ll never really know everything and that is okay. In those moments you need to remember that even if you are a third year you are still a student, and you are here to learn just as much as any other year group. It is a learning environment that you are bound to make some mistakes in.
You will do great things, because by now you know what you are good at and in the long scheme of things - it is a lot more than what you had realised. You’ll figure this out when you have to update (or write) your CV. Or when you talk to your friends outside of the circle of friends you have made at uni.
Really give it your all. Not because you want to but because you full of creative potential. You may even win awards. Even if you don’t, don’t despair sometimes your work won’t be to everyone’s taste. You can’t impress or make everyone like you. You were never here to do that. Progression takes time, sometimes longer for some than others. You may only come to understand this once you have completed your last hand-in. As long as you doing your best that is you can ask for.
Remove any judgement, this year is a new page.
Take a deep breathe. Help others when you can. You know a lot more than you think, and you are more than ready to take on what will come your way. Even if you don’t see it. You are growing and there is no limit, only what you limit yourself to be.
Everyone is rooting for you.
Keep you chin up, you’ve got this.