More often than not, people talk about the difficulty of being in architecture school; so what is the value of it? After 5 years at the University of Oklahoma’s College of Architecture, I’ve realized that there is a lot more to architecture school than just staying up late, drawing pretty pictures, and doing construction details.

The architecture program trains students to think critically when it comes to designing a building. A project often has a big concept that questions the students about how architecture or design can affect a community, the environment, a viewer’s experience, etc. The first few years, students will focus more on the overall picture of the concept which will become more technical and practical as the curriculum reaches the final year. The tools that students use can range anywhere from hand drawing, model-making, to architecture and design programs.

As architecture students, we often find ourselves spending the most time in our main classroom which we refer to as “Studio”. We work, play, sleep, eat here. We spend so much time here that there are occasions when our families and friends question whether we are still alive. Other students on campus will be a little surprised if they see us anywhere other than in the architecture building. Yet, Studio is still my favorite class. With so much time spent there with my classmates, we create good memories and a lasting bond that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

To say that we spend lots of time in Studio makes it seem as though we are locked up in one building but the truth is that architecture students will often go on field trips, whether it is a 5-day trip to Chicago or a 4-month study abroad program in Rome. There are also social events such as the progressive dinner, Beaux Arts, the bond fire as well as extracurricular activities such as design workshops and competitions.

Overall, design skills, public speaking skills, computer proficiency, field trips, cocktail parties are only a few things that one can get out of architecture school.

Minh Tran
Architecture
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam