When I chose to study architecture, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. What I did know was that I wanted to chose something I would love doing. Growing up I enjoyed math, art, and music in school. I liked being creative and drawing had allowed me to express my thoughts onto paper. At first architecture was a way of expressing ideas that I had in my head. Now, I also see it as way to serve people and to better their lives in any way, shape, or form. Having survived five rigorous years of school, my next step in life would be to find an internships in various cities where I can grow as a designer.

To me, architecture is many things. It's not only about 'making buildings,' its about design, art, engineering, history, psychology, nature, and so much more. Architecture is about people and the spaces that we create. 

One of my worst memories was in my sophomore year of fall semester. This was technically our first architecture studio and it had felt like being thrown into the deep end of the pool. During that semester I was overwhelmed with the heavy work load and quick turn-around for production of drawings. The week before our final project was due, I was very stressed with finding the right solution for my project. I had stayed up late several nights in a row which ultimately led to me crashing the night before, and waking up with only a few hours before my review! I was so embarrassed that I didn't finish, but my professor calmed me down and I presented what I had. Looking back, I realize that failing to finish a project was not the end of the world. It's okay to fail sometimes, because by failing you are given a chance to learn from your mistakes and grow as a designer.

I have never been to Copenhagen, but it is one of the cities I would love to visit. It is one of the places where I believe urban design can greatly be observed and studied. People like Jan Gehl and Jane Jacobs have made observations and written books on cities that motivate me to learn more about what I can do as a designer to develop better and smarter cities.

In college I took an interest in history classes, some of which covered architectural history, landscape history, and city planning history. I pursued getting a minor in landscape architecture by the end of my fourth year in school. I like finding out about urban issues and case studies that people have done. "I'm intrigued by how people use urban spaces and how we can improve them for society." I believe that by learning what has happened in the past, we are able to move forward and come up with innovative ideas for the future.

As a recent graduate, I love being able to share my ideas with people and expressing them in built form. "I chose this profession because I believe I can make a positive impact on giving back to society while also having the ability to think creatively and innovatively."

I love using Micron for ink drawing. For pencils, I like sketching with soft leads, somewhere between 6b and 8b. I love putting down heavy strokes down on paper. They are more expressive and flow freely than hard leads.

During school, I participated in the university marching band for 4 years. Band was a big commitment - it consisted of weekly practices, football games, and occasionally school events during the fall. Music in general had been a huge passion of mine growing up in school and I was adamant in wanting to continue that while I pursued other interests of mine. Architecture school alone was a heavy workload - with lectures, studios, and most times working before, during, and after class. While participating in marching band was a fun experience that I would not change, I believe it also forced me to manage my time and use it wisely.

Nowadays, there are so many computer programs that firms are beginning to use in their offices. As a recent graduate, I have had opportunities to learn new programs and add them onto my list of technical skills on my resume. However, I believe hand drawing is overlooked and can actually be valuable in the long run. If there comes a situation where a computer cannot be used, communicating to your client with hand-drawn sketches would be the next best thing. Also, sketching on-site can be more memorable than taking a picture. 

Pictured below: I was sketching the Cheekwood Mansion, which is part of the Cheekwood Boranical Gardens and Museum of Art. It was designed by landscape architect, Bryant Fleming.