Busywork

At this stage of the (educational) game, I’ve figured out how to excel in school. This has given me a definite advantage in architecture school, where the workload is much more grueling than I expected—I thought I’d work part-time (no way!). One thing I’ve noticed I’m good at discerning now is work that is inherently pointless versus work that can have a lasting impact for me in the long run. I guess at the end of the day, this is a subjective categorization. However, it’s important to spend time on things that matter and less of it on tasks that may not have long-term or even immediate benefit aside from getting a slightly better grade. I think ultimately where I’m going with this post is that the GPA in architecture school is not very important: it’s really about the portfolio and the ability to consistently turn out high-quality, impactful work in the Studio. This is in stark contrast to the previous healthcare life I once inhabited, where high GPA and test scores matter like life and death. The disadvantage of that form of education is the need to constantly subscribe to a check-the-box lifestyle that can feel monotonous and pointless. Thankfully, there’s little of that in architecture, a much more creation-driven form of learning.