New season, new job!

Hi Internet!

My university broke up for summer 3 weeks ago, my brother finishes his GCSEs on Monday, and this can only mean that summer has officially arrived! For some people, summer is the opportunity to relax, and for others, it's a time to experience something new - in my case, a new job.

Doing architecture at uni, experience is emphasized greatly. Seeing how the business works and getting to know people is invaluable when finishing a degree. I had never done work experience before, unlike some other people on my course, and was really eager to get some before finishing my degree. In the current 'employment market' there are a lot of jobs out there, but not as many jobs as there are people, and this scared me a lot when putting myself out there in front of companies for possible rejection.

Since I wasn't sure how to go about applying for a job in the field, I'm hoping that by reading my story, it will reassure people who are in the same situation!

Employment background...

My first job was at my local pub almost 4 years ago, where I still do the occasional shift. I wasn't totally immersed in looking for a job at the time, but we drove past, and they had a sign outside, so my parents pushed me to take the opportunity. If I hadn't done that, I don't know how I would've began working. For 2 summers, whilst working at the pub, I also worked at the college I went to, so it was familiar territory. Starting work at 16 gave me the opportunity to build up references on my CV, and also gave me so much confidence!  

How did I go about applying?

I started applying to LOADS of architect firms around my area by emailing a normal CV, and found this wasn't working. I wanted to know why, so whilst loosing hope, I tried the employment and CV help at uni. This is where I found the power of a cover letter and an 'architecture CV'. I also got access to jobs advertised on the uni website, which seemed a lot less daunting than applying to those not advertised and e-mailing them out of the blue. 

The interview...

Bearing in mind I must have sent out my CV to 20 companies, I heard back from 1, with the chance to go to an interview at their office. I rang them straight away to accept this offer, despite having an operation a week earlier where my face was still a bit swollen! 

When I arrived at the interview, there were 6 other people to be interviewed at the same time, 5 of them graduating this summer with their Part 1 from Portsmouth, and one being a 5th year. Being the youngest made it slightly more daunting, but I think it's the confidence, and just being chatty that somehow worked. 

The questions they asked were picked out from my CV, where they picked out things to 'grill' me on, and I also showed them a collection of my work, like a 'mini portfolio' I brought in on an iPad. I made this up of 1st and 2nd year work, the narrative being how my skills have developed and how willing I am to try out new software (the company used Vectorworks, and I'd always worked on Revit). I got the chance to see the 3rd years' portfolios, and it was basically a smaller version of what we hand in at the end of the year, lacking a narrative. Even if nothing came out of the interview though, I got the chance to experience an interview at a firm, and also see portfolios from other students, so I could develop myself.

First day...

They let me know whether I was successful or not the morning after the interview, receiving an email, and then an official letter the day later.

Prior to my first day, I didn't feel like I needed to prepare myself, but just come with a notepad and pen ready to learn! I didn't however receive an email stating a time I had to show up on Monday, so I e-mailed and got a very swift response, showing I was eager to start!

I was introduced to everyone as soon as I arrived on Monday morning, and was sat in the middle of the office, where everyone was really friendly. I had the chance to talk to everyone as well, making it easier to integrate myself into the office, finding out I wasn't the only new one, 2 people having joined in the 2 weeks before me. 

2 weeks in...

I feel like I'm learning so much already. I've got the hang of Vectorworks by using Youtube tutorials and asking people questions in the office, and have worked on two residential projects doing fire strategies, finishes and bathroom tiling layouts. Even though it doesn't sound interesting, if I'm going to learn all of these things, I might as well learn them at the beginning of my career!

I'm working at this firm until the end of summer, getting in a solid 12 weeks of experience whilst getting paid. Though I was in a sea of doubt 6 months ago, waiting and persistence paid off, and finally I'm beginning my career.

If I can find a job a year away from graduating from my Part 1, there really is hope for anyone. Any opportunity that rises is worth something, it may take you half way around the world, or you may meet a person who plays an important part in your life. 

and this is mine!

Thanks for reading :)

What To Do In Copenhagen: Day 1

In February we had a reading week, basically a week with no lectures, and I took this time to visit Copenhagen with my uni course. I wasn't sure what to expect when we went to Copenhagen, but after visiting, I understand why it was one of the travel choices. If you're thinking of going somewhere to look at design, Copenhagen has so much to offer. 

We had 4 days to do everything, and this is what we got up to! 

We arrived into Copenhagen Airport around midday, and made our way to our hostel in Kongens Nytorv. We made our way to our accomodation, Generator Hostel, really easy to find, and would recommend for students like us who don't mind bunking together! 

Down the road from the hostel is Nyhavn, with lots of restaurants with set menus. Lit up at night it looks beautiful!

We then wandered down Strøget, the main shopping street in Copenhagen. Apart from being filled with lots of shops, there was one building which caught our eye, seen in the picture below.

The Lego shop! Denmark being the home of Lego, makes the shop a must-see, with its massive models.

Various pictures of wandering around Rådhuspladsen

The Danish Design Centre, where they had a fashion exhibition made out of lots of straws! 

This is where we begin to look at the architecture...

The Crystal & The Cloud, by Schmidt Hammer Lassen (2010-2011)

This building is amazing to take pictures of when the sun is out and no one else is around!

We weren't able to go inside, but instead, go underneath the building.

First sight of The Black Diamond, by Schmidt Hammer Lassen (1999)

You wouldn't think The Black Diamond was built in 1999, it was truly ahead of its time!

Architecture photographer at his best!!

The Black Diamond is a public library, and if in small groups, they allow you inside. 

If you can make it to the top floor, you get to experience this view!

The front of the Danish Jewish Museum, unfortunately we didn't get to go in!

Making our way to the Danish Architecture Centre

Dinner for the first night at Skipperkroen down Nyhavn. One of the cheaper places down Nyhavn, quite fancy, but wasn't busy when we went!

That draws a close to our first day of exploring -

Be prepared for more walking, and lots more architecture! 

Sunday Hauling

SUNDAY WANDERING: POUNDLAND

Poundland had a great voucher which I found on the internet, £2 or a £12 purchase.

So guess what I did; went and bought 12 things of course!

Some people would argue that I didn't save at all, because I had to spend in the first place. However I would argue that if these were things that I would eventually have to purchase in another shop, I will have saved in the long run!

This is a break down of what I went in for and the impulse purchases.

WHAT I WENT IN FOR:

CRISPS x2

Would have been: ASDA have 3x 6 Packs for £4

What I bought: 2x 5 Packs for £2

Deodorant

Would have been: £2

What I bought: 1x for £1

Listerine Mouth Wash

Would have been: £1.50 (Asda)

Kleenex Mini Packs

Would have been 6x £1

Got 8x for £1

IMPULSE BUYS:

Heart Fairy Lights

£1

Note: they are only around meter long, ones from Primark might be more of a bargin!

Lauren Conrad 'Sugar and Spice: L.A Candy' Hardcover

Would have been £12.99

Detol Surface Cleaner

Would have been £2

(Thumbs up for the fancy cleaning photography)

Creme Eggs

At the moment Asda have 12 eggs for £4

...so works out the same

Rimmel Nail Polish

Would have been £3.99 in Superdrug

Scent Diffuser Scents

Mango & Papaya

Vanilla

Fresh Linen

Unsure of the prices, but thought I'd test out the scents for only being a pound.

There was one last thing I bought, but I'm not sure what it was. Must have been really useful! So overall I saved around £19. Definitely something to be proud of!

When I went in they also had a lot of beauty products such as the Sinful Colour nail polishes, Calvin Klein creme shadows/liners, Rimmel lip liners. I recommend going into Poundland if it's near you before checking out Boots or Superdrug for a impulse beauty purchase.

For people that have never been to Poundland, you're missing out!! 

All 'would have been' prices referenced from ASDA on the 29/01/2014 except for where stated otherwise

Roll In The New Year!

2014 HAS ARRIVED

Everyone seems so surprised as to where 2013 went, but to be honest, I'm just shocked at how fast Christmas flew by. We've had 3 weeks off of university for a 'break', and the last weekend has come too quickly. Not that I needed the break, but for the fact that I had so much work to do (and pub work to go to), that today has been the first day where I have stayed in and actually started to feel relaxed... and maybe a bit bored, but there's always something to do!

My Christmas was spent at the pub working, but everyone's festive and having a good time, so it doesn't really feel like work. Our family don't really celebrate on Christmas day, but instead of Christmas eve. Having lived in Norway for 8 years, we discovered this tradition and have carried it on the past 4 Christmases we have been back in the UK. I have more recently found out that this tradition is common in a lot more countries than I thought, but I assume this is due to different religions around the world. 

Then New Years Eve hit, and I spent it with my family, not having spent much time with them over Christmas. We watched Now You See Me, a really interesting movie which I managed to stay awake through the whole film (very rare!!), played some Wii, watched the fireworks and ate lots! 

As we said goodbye to 2013, I was looking back over the past year, and then into the future, and thinking 'I'm only going to be a teenager for another 6 months!'. The teenage years really seem to me, the best time of anyone's life. 

They're where you figure out who you want (or don't want) to be. 

They either build you up or tear you down. 

If anything I feel like I will come out with a strong sense of being. 

One of my friends posted online the other day, 'I feel like I'm finally in control of my decisions,' and if anything, that's not only what I want to get out of 2014, but also out of being a teenager. I'm not much of a resolution maker, but that seems like the next step!

Making decisions isn't difficult for me, I just like to know what decisions I'm going to be brought up against, so I can prepare for them. So in a way I don't like decisions... contradicting myself completely!

So much for profound rambling, I just want to make more of an effort in certain parts of my life, like keeping in contact with people, or knowing what I want, or even restraining myself sometimes. 

AND keeping up with this blog.

Using it as an out-let though, (both creative, educational and personal) might be the best way to decide what 2014 will bring!

Thanks for listening to my life!

Review Time: How To Be Prepared

REVIEW TIME


For a majority of the architecture students at my uni, the last week was a grueling, stressful nightmare, fighting time to finish our projects. Studying architecture, for every project we have a final review and for those who don't know, this is when our studio tutors critique our response to a brief which the whole year is given. I found that I coped pretty well with the deadline, but I know that people using computers to draw up their designs struggled, especially when they were new to the software.

Throughout the reviews you could definitely tell who struggled and who was prepared, and I'm not going to lie, my mind got a bit sidetracked and started thinking how people could have avoided this. I know that being organized isn't as simple for some than it is others, but I feel that by reminding myself of certain things I need to do, people in similar positions might benefit (maybe somewhat?!).

Things I do to prepare myself, usually in this order are...

1) Write a list of things I need to do 
You can never have enough scrap paper set aside for lists

2) Set reasonable achievements
If you think something will take a certain time, add some more time, it'll usually take longer with procrastination and all

3) Keep up with your course mates
Living with other architect students who all work at different paces, I find that knowing I'm at the same level as someone else re-assures me that I will finish in time

4) Tick things off of your list!
When I see how much I've achieved I feel really good about myself

5) Eat healthy (and don't stop taking vitamins!)
If a deadline is approaching, you don't need to be ill and spending a day in bed, getting more stressed about the work you need to do

6) Get a good nights sleep & get some me-time
When we're tired, we don't want to make decisions, we just want to sleep. Also, you don't want to present your project zombie-style


Those are the things which I have found keep me sane when coming up to a review or an important deadline, and I know everyone works different and these are probably things people have said before, but they really do work!! 

If all else fails, at least be proud and confident about the end result, then you can fool anyone.

Simples!

Instagram of Final Review Layout