I once saw a quote that said life is one big gigantic test followed by one big

gigantic lesson. It wasn’t until I began my education in architecture that I truly

understood the meaning. I came from an average background and as a student was very
successful in academics and my artistic endeavors. When I came to college it was a rough
awakening, as it is for many students, but I thought then that I was pushing myself and
my abilities. However, my entire outlook on my own personal capabilities was changed
in the first week of my studio experience.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect, the few introductory architecture classes
had laid little groundwork for the studio culture I was entering. My first year of studio
was comprised of a constant stream of abstractness; a new way of thinking that combined
logical rationale, human experience, and such a transcendent and seemingly obscure
foundation. I was learning the tools of trade but also a new sociological outlook with each
iteration I attempted. It was being pushed into the deep end without knowing how to
swim; learn fast or you’re never going to make it. I pushed my mind, body, ambition, self
confidence, emotional toughness, and social realizations beyond any point I could have
even fathomed. Was I the best? No, but I believe that fact only made the experience more
worthwhile.

I entered a small program, which means early on I was able to learn just the type
of people surrounding me. I was a student who had attended public school and had
chosen architecture because of a passion for art and a skill for math, a great interest in
history, and a dream that my designs could impact and benefit society. I was competing
with students of a rigorous private school background, extraordinary testing abilities,
advanced training in drafting, modeling, and design, or even a family history of
architectural experience. I will be a first generation college graduate in my family, and
the first of my generation to pursue a graduate degree, and eventually a Ph. D. I had no
experience, no familiarity, and no training, but I became determined to not let that be an
excuse. I would learn faster, work harder, and endure longer until I had achieved success.

I had never been taught a computer program that served as an architectural tool,
so I immediately began to teach myself everything I could. I adapted my hand drawing
skills into a more precise method of drafting and learned quickly how to model my
designs. I researched everything, from a common residential window dimension to Tadao
Ando’s use of light. I searched for internships and applied at seventeen firms before one
gave me a chance. Attentively, I listened to all the advice and guidance the members of
that firm gave me, and began to use new tools in a practical sense. I was building an
education and gaining momentum in my work, and I believe it was because of my
determination.
 By the beginning of my second year of studio I had built a foundation of skills,
knowledge, and logic for myself. I finally had the solid fundamentals that would allow
me to experiment with medium and style, incorporating the artistic aspects that originally
drove me to this path. It was a monumental step in my architectural education, and one
that I realize was both liberating and satisfying. I had worked hard and it had paid off; I
was developing my own style. The professor I had at this time told me she not only saw
my work become more refined but my level of confidence increase significantly,
validating my sense that I had grown as both a student and a designer.

My grades are not the strongest, but I am still proud of what they reflect in both
my experiences and in myself. I could have written this essay about my interpretation of
what architecture is, but in truth, I am still learning. Every building I pass and every book
I open, I am still learning the social implications, environmental impacts, economic
concerns, and aesthetic values of architecture today. I have learned more in a year and
half in this field than I could have expected or even imagined, but I am positive I am just
beginning my architectural education. I am applying to Princeton’s graduate school
because I believe your emphasis on imagination, inquiry, and experimentation is exactly
what I want and need to push myself even farther and encompass the creativity and
innovation I know I have in me. I write this intimidated by the prestige of your program,
but confident in my capabilities. I walked into architecture blind, and grew in both ideas
and performance. I will enter graduate school not only with a more sophisticated
creativity and a solid foundation, but with an absolute excitement to learn and grow as a
student, as a designer, and as an individual.

My plan for the future is develop my education in graduate school, then

employment experience. I will immediately start working towards my licensing, and hope
to return for a Ph. D when possible. Currently my interest lies in adaptive reuse, but I
remain open minded to various paths of architecture. Based on sustainability concerns
and the current economy, I feel adaptive reuse is a field that needs to be considered more
seriously. I believe the most sustainable building is the one that is already built and if we
can find a way to promote these ideals and cut down on demolition and construction, the
benefits far outweigh the concerns. Conservation of land and materials could make a
huge impact on the environmental issues of architecture. If possible, I hope to explore
this topic within my graduate education at Princeton University. The idea that Princeton
aims to equip students with the tools to invent new practices for the new century drives to
the very core of my ambition and my ultimate professional goals.