Another week of school about to wrap up. How time flies.... I handed in my first project of the semester yesterday and it was good to finish it. Now that the first project has been completed I am back into "work" mode. The first project is always the hardest because you are getting back in the swing of things. You want to delay reality as long as possible. You procrastinate as long as you can until there is just no way of denying it anymore. Now that reality has set in it is easier to get started on my other projects and except the fact that I am officially back in school.

first projects

The start of another week of school. I cannot believe that it is only the second week, I feel as though I have been here for at least a month. This feeling is good however. It means that I am back in the groove of things and I am ready to work. My brain has been shut off all summer and now I am ready to challenge myself and create amazing designs.

We have already been assigned two projects. Even though they are both my studio class projects, they are completely different. In my first studio we have to renovate my professor's office building. We have to design it in such a fashion as to create pathways that direct traffic in the right way. What I have enjoyed so far about this project is that the space is real. A couple of my classmates and I actually went to his office and took pictures of it. It was really important to see it because the space, in reality, is a lot smaller than it looks on the floor plan. Also, it was good to see how I moved around in the space and what I could add or subtract from the space to make it more accessible.

The second project, I enjoy even more. In this project we are to create our own office. There are no boundaries when it comes to materials, location, or even the function. The only limitation is the amount of space. To explain further, my office space has a place where I can do my work, relax, meditate and go outside. The space is supposed to define how you as a designer functions. I am looking forward as to how my design will alter as the project progresses.

The first day of school is done and over with. A very stressful day, but also exciting. I had my first classes down in our new building, The Warehouse. It was sad leaving our home at Smith, (our studio on campus) but I am looking forward to new adventures.

The space is very open in the warehouse. At Smith we had separate studios. There are going to be some problems that we face with this open space, for example, the level of noise. However, now instead of being isolated from the different years (sophomore. junior, seniors) we are all together. This will allow us to be able to look at work from our fellow design majors. It allows easy access to the upperclassmen if there are question about a project when the professors are not around. Now students will not be as hesitant to ask upperclassman as they were in years prior.

To continue talking about the space, it is pretty bare a.k.a. it has potential. Students are already starting to bring their own flavor to their studio desks. We are design students the possibilities for this space are endless. I know the final result of our studio will amaze me.

One thing I am really looking for in this semester is our emphasis on sustainability. When we moved to the warehouse we did not take our materials library with us. Instead we are starting from scratch and only using sustainable materials. Over the past years, sustainability has really struck my interest. I am very excited to explore the endless ideas of green design.

While on the topic of green design, our new work shop at the warehouse is made from recycled materials. It is just one of the many steps we are taking as a program to make a difference. It is inspirational to students as well. When you are surrounded by sustainable designs it shows you the reality of it. It is not just a fantasy and it challenges you as a student to think outside the box and create something you never deemed possible.

Now to step away from the academic side for a moment, my practices for softball are about to being this week. I truly love being on a sports team at Syracuse. In being a design major it is very difficult but I look at this challenge as an aid for reality. There will be very stressful times and there will be a struggle to meet due dates, however pushing through these times will assist my growth as a designer. Being on a sports team obliges me to manage my time wisely. It does not always happen but I sincerely try my best. Well thats all so far. I can only imagine what the rest of this week has in store. Until then