Last night I was flipping through my sketchbook, trying to pick a page to work on, and I came upon this half done page. It was just a little collage that I’d made using an Architecture 101 assignment from when I was a TA (I kinda wish you could read it better- it’s pure craziness, but in a good way) and some images I’d cut out of some architecture magazine (both of which came from my paper stash that I talked about a few weeks ago.) It got me thinking about my major and what I got out of it and how it helps me in my day to day life. So I decided to keep working on it a little this morning.
A lot of times when I tell people that I majored in architecture and now am doing web design, they say something about that not being very related. And while the product is not always related, and the connection isn’t visible to others, my major definitely shaped the way I think.
The most important thing that I learned was a process. I can’t sum it up for you here because it took four years to sink into my brain, and I’m sure I didn’t even get the whole thing. But there’s definitely something there. Which is why today I had fun just drawing lines and making little spaces, and wondering whether I was drawing plans or sections. It wasn’t about up or down or what furniture goes where, but rather the spaces my lines were making on my page. And those little spaces in between.
What was (or is) your major in college? Do you use it now? I’d love to hear about it, I think it’s so interesting!
Similar to you – interior design.
At first I told myself it wasn’t related to what I do now (marketing for a technology company), but like you, I quickly learned that my training allowed me to create project plans, helped me learn to be very organized in communicating my thoughts, and fuels my creativity. I’ve learned that I know how to approach things “outside the box” versus getting too caught up in fluff. I know I wouldn’t be half as good at my job if I didn’t have that design background.
I can totally see that! I think what you do sounds really interesting, so I can imagine how it all relates :)
I actually wanted to major in architecture. I always say if I could do it over I’d be an architect. Nonetheless, I don’t think you strayed that far from your major. Architecture + web design are both forms of design & I believe having an in depth knowledge of architecture should make web layouts & wireframes a BREEZE for you lol.
I actually started as a Pharmacy major at the University of Connecticut before deciding to leave my senior year to transfer to the School of Visual Arts in NYC. I majored in Graphic Design & now work as a Interactive Designer, but in the future I am looking to get more into Interior + Event Design than anything!
L.
@thelprovidence
That’s so cool! Can we just switch- it sounds like we’d both be set! ;)
I find it interesting how different the US university system is from here in the UK. Here we pick a degree ‘title’ and we HAVE to take modules in that department to fill up all of our credits – we’re generally not allowed to pick modules from other departments or disciplines. In some ways its good because everything we do it directly related to our degree programme, but in other ways I think it must be really nice to just pick something completely different that you want to try out or that seems interesting!
Yeah, it is an interesting difference. On the one hand, I feel like it’s hard to pick what you want to do for the rest of your life at such a young age, but on the other hand, I left school feeling like I wasn’t completely ready to do any one profession!
It is, so so hard. Especially because so many of the degrees here have subjects that you HAVE to have taken at A Level – and you have to pick those subjects at 16! So young! Little secret? I’ve nearly finished my degree and I still don’t feel ready to do one profession, haha!
Awesome seeing some other interior design/architecture buddies around here! ;)
I have a degree in piano and in interior architecture. Kinda random, but music and design are my two greatest loves, so I’m content with that. I’ve been doing piano gigs for some 10-12 years now, so I suppose I put that degree to good use. ;) And the interiors one… trying to find work in the field to finally get myself a ‘big girl’ job. ;) So I hope to eventually (soon, please!!) be putting both degrees to good use!
That’s so awesome! I’m jealous of your piano skills :)
Oy. I think about this daily. In my late twenties I’m on my second career in community management and social marketing. My degree is a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and even putting it on a resume these days seems laughable. But while a piece of paper, tests I took, and hours in the studio I logged may have zero to do with what my career is now, the varied skill set and work ethic I developed along the way have everything to do with where I am now. The ability to take direction, think creatively, and focus on minute detail is exactly what I do all day. Just with words not movement.
I totally think that it’s all about the journey (wow, that sounds cheesy.) But if that’s what it took to get you to where you are today, then so be it! I think a degree in dance performance sounds pretty awesome :)
I majored in multimedia, which included creative writing, game design, computer science, and web design. But before I even chose that major, I majored in bio and computer science! Imagine if I stuck with bio and still ended up doing web design… that would be quite a leap. More so than architecture to web design, which I can definitely see as having things in common!
That’s so funny! I’m allergic to science, so I’m impressed that you considered being a bio major!
Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking. I only stayed with bio for 1 semester. haha.
I’m majoring in biology and French (and almost done, hallelujah!), and it has definitely been an interesting experience. I really love that the subjects are completely unrelated; I think they balance each other out pretty well. plus it’s especially nice in semesters where I’ve had really tough science classes that I have these language classes that really don’t require much effort on my part.
That’s cool! One of my college roommates was a psychology and French major, and I think her experience was similar to the one you describe. It’s funny how seemingly unrelated things can compliment each other.
How cool is this page? Love the layers and your crafty-awesomeness. I was a psychology major! I am still pretty involved in that, since I’m planning to go to grad school + eventually teach psychology + do research at a college. :) I’m absolutely in love with my major and though I occasionally have doubts I always come back to psych and know that I’m making the right choice. xoxo! eliza p.s. I saw your comment on Betsy’s vlog that you’re getting back in to running? I am too! Starting on Friday after my sister goes home. Maybe we could keep each other accountable? I’m really looking for something to keep me on track!
Thanks Eliza! YES, I am- let’s do it! I just downloaded the Nike+ app yesterday, so I pretty much want to go on all the runs right now. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, I highly recommend it :)
My first two years of college I was a political science and history major. I decided about halfway through that I was no longer interested in being a teacher, so I changed my major to Integrated Marketing Communications, essentially PR and Advertising. It definitely applies to my job, but even better, it applies to my blogging as well. I haven’t implemented as much of a plan as I would like but hopefully I’ll be doing that soon!
I can totally see that! I find myself wishing that I’d been able to take some marketing classes in college- it sounds useful!
I majored in political science, so no. My major does not relate to my job at all, really. But, it relates to life in general I guess. Also, I focused on law, which does have some sort of relation…if anything, it taught me that I love law (I love law, SO much), but that I just don’t want it to be my career. I’m too creative for that.
I can definitely see you being an architecture major though. I think that it does relate, in a weird sort of way, especially if it taught you how to think!
I think colleges put too much pressure on students to pick a major, really. Very few people I know actually want to have a career that relates to their major. I think college is more for the life education than anything :)
xoxo,
Joelle
I totally agree! I wavered on my major halfway through, but at that point there weren’t really any other options that appealed to me at my school, and I definitely wasn’t going to transfer. But yeah, I also grew in ways that weren’t just academic in college.
I am envious of your ability to focus on a process! After majoring in and working as a paralegal, I realized I needed something more creative so I transferred to Columbia College Chicago for Marketing Communications. I love how much ‘out of the box’ thinking we got to do but I am looking to get back to the structured way of working in law and be creative as an expansion of that structure.
This was a cool post – I think creativity overlaps in so many different ways! Very cool that this was dug up and you were able to see how one inspired the other.
Isn’t That Charming.