To many architects it is a rite pf passage to pull an all-nighter at some point. This usually happens in architecture school and I've even seen it in the professional world. I am here to tell you poor souls that it is possible to never pull an all-nighter. In my 3 years in graduate school the closest I ever came to an all-nighter was 11pm and that was in my first semester when I had no idea what was going on. I figured it out, after that long evening, how to never come close again.
Many of you will say, oh I don't have time because of work and all my other classes, so I have to do it overnight...to you people I have words to say, but I will refrain.
In architecture graduate school here is the list of activities I participated in one particular semester that turned out to be my very best academically:
Took 5 graduate classes with loads of nightly reading and writing, including comprehensive studio (we all know that the real work happens after this 5 hour-a-day class period)
Taught 2 Friday recitations and attended 2 lecture sessions, including preparing the lessons and grading assignments every week and meeting with students outside class time
Planned my wedding
Worked at Starbucks 20 hours per week beginning at 5:30am
Chaired the Career Fair
Participated in the Graduated Student Senate
Applied for jobs
Kept a decent social life
..the list goes on...
And I never pulled an all-nighter and I maintained over a 3.5 GPA. Not too shabby, huh? I am not trying to brag, but I just want to tell you that it is possible.
Perhaps the key is to have so many things going on you have no choice but to plan and keep a tight schedule?? Maybe.
In school I was fortunate to work with a woman on a number of projects that had 3 children and I figured if she could do it there is no reason I couldn't. I learned a lot about time management and my work habits. Like how I am completely unproductive after about 9pm; my work goes to crap so I might as well go home. In school I could do school work over the weekend and even enjoyed it, but professionally I find it difficult and only do it if I absolutely have to. It's really important to find balance in your life or you might end up hating all of it.
There is something to be said about staying in studio all night long...you can have a good time in your coffee induced, delirious state, but those were the people I saw sleeping during reviews...in case you don't know, that looks really bad!
To those of you who also never pulled an all-nighter: what was your secret? What advice do you have?
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