How to Pull an All Nighter

7/27/2019 How to Pull an All Nighter

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How to Pull an All Nighter

Steps

1. 1Do your work. Plenty of times, you get sidetracked. Avoid this by setting a constant pacefor yourself: 50 minutes of work, and a 10 minute break. Besides, keeping your mindoccupied will make it easier to stay awake.

2. 2Move! Dance! Stretch! Not so often that it becomes a distraction; just while taking thathourly 10 minute break.

3. 3Avoid caffeine, if possible. See warnings for reasons why. Drink two brimming glasses ofice cold water every 30 minutes. Not only will the cold keep you awake, but you'll need to

urinate very often. It's difficult to sleep on the toilet.

4. 4Play (softly, if you have a roommate) hardcore metal music . You may enjoy it, but itmust be, at all costs, harsh and a bit arrhythmic. Try to stick to instrumental music, which

is less distracting. This will keep you from being lulled to sleep.

5. 5Work with windows open: cold air will keep you awake. Warm air knocks you out. If youfind the cold air is effective in keeping you awake, you can even go to the bathroom and

wash your face with cold water. Only wash your face if you are getting tired, you don't

want to waste studying time.

6. 6Set your computer screen to a lower setting, (duller and darker) so as not to strain youreyes. See warnings for why not to.

7. 7Turn off instant messengers, your cellphone, the TV, and do not surf the internet, editwikiHow, read, draw, etc. In fact, pinch yourself if you do. This can distract you very easily.

8. 8Do not work in bed, on a couch, or on the floor. If you work in any other place than acold, hard table and chair, you will feel very tempted to sleep. If possible, work

somewhere far away from your room/bed, so it's a pain to go back and sleep. Try to be

around some other people, too, so you do not feel comfortable sleeping in your chair.

9. 9Set a timer, if you're going to nap. Don't nap for more than 20 minutes, and stay half-awake. Avoid napping at all costs, though. "Just 20 minutes of relaxation" will more likely

involve you waking up past your class the next day.

10.10Rotate subjects every hour, if applicable. You'll quickly mentally wear out on one topic.11.11Work through it all. If you have time at the end, pack up your stuff, lay out your clothes,

then set your alarm as late as possible, to achieve the most possible sleep.

12.12Try sitting in different places around the room.13.13Remember: if you are tired and are completely slumping over your work, sit up straight.

It could immediately make you feel more awake. Yes, it sounds stupid, but try it.

14.14Eat protein-rich foods like sandwiches, cheese, and other dairy products. Sugary foodsmay make you feel awake for a little while, but can eventually make you feel drowsy.

Apples or apple juice also help, especially if you eat cheese with it. Apples keep your bloodsugar stable so you're able to stay awake longer, some say they're better than caffeine!

15.15Think positively. Thoughts such as: "I am almost done," "This is actually not too bad," "Iwill get to see the sunrise," "I will get a good grade" can definitely help.

16.16Get scared. Sure, it sounds silly, but do it. Watch a horror movie or read somethingfrightening. You'll be too scared to fall asleep. This is best used when you're at the end of

the night and need to get through that last little bit, and make sure the movie goes
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straight to the action, it's easy to fall asleep in dull moments. Do not do this if there is

work to be finished, though!

17.17Note: if you are tired and bored of studying the same thing over and over again, remainpositive. You can even try to make a game out of it so studying won't be so strenuous and

dull. (It sometimes helps to time how fast you get math problems done, and try to beat

that time.)

18.18Tap your feet! It may seem weird, but it helps for some people to consistently tap theirfeet. If it becomes a habit, it might just save you from falling asleep at those final dire

moments.

19.19Chew gum. Like tapping your feet, it keeps you awake without being distracting!20.20Squeeze and massage your ears. There are acupoints on your ears, and when

stimulated, send electrical signals into your brain. You'll feel buzzed immediately.

21.21Don't eat granola, milk, lemons, or turkey. These are all foods that will make you tiredand sleepy.

22.22Always have the light on. It's hard to stay awake when you're in a nice, dark room.23.23Don't think about anything luxurious, such as being in a mansion or in a hot tub, you

will feel relaxed.

24.24Don't write poetry or quietly sing songs, draw, or even play with your hair while daydreaming. This will calm you.

25.25Don't yawn. You're yawning because you are taking in less oxygen, and that means yourbreathing is steady, light, and slow. You don't want that.

26.26Laughing a lot helps keeps you busy and entertains you.27.27If you have an energy drink or coffee, take 1 SMALL sip every 30 minutes. It keeps you

awake without the crash. If you feel like you are going to really fall asleep, close your eyes

and put an icecube on them. You will feel awake immediately!

Tips

Realize if you are "hitting the wall" and you can't even remember what you just read oryou are nodding off involuntarily. Sometimes it's better to get four hours of sleep and

cram what you can in the morning rather than be in a complete dreamworld for the test.

If you wear contacts, take them out before you start so you're not distracted by rubbingthem all the time.

Keep a notepad by you when studying to jot down any things you may think of instead ofgetting distracted. If you're prone to thinking of things you have to do when you're busy

this way you can keep track of what comes into your mind (such as what to study, other

chores or things you have to do) without interrupting your studying.

Set an alarm on your phone for every 20 minutes or so, this is great if you start dozing off. Avoid coffee or soda until just before the test. If you drink a lot of it while studying, you

will completely crash a few hours later. But if you really must, your best bet is to take asmall gulp then sip an energy drink through out the night. It will wake you up then keep

you up. Side note, energy drinks have ingredients in them that actually aid memory

retention. Also, think about what time you want to go to sleep. Stop drinking about a hour

before this time. This will make sure you die down a little so you can actually go to sleep.

It's a really good idea to have two cans on hand. One can for the night and another if you

need a kick before the test or throughout the day.


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Spicy food is a great way to keep yourself awake. If you're pretty resistant to spicy food,try some extra spicy Asian Noodle Dishes or Burrito with Habenyaro Hot Sauce. I doubt

you'll be able to fall asleep while you're panting and glugging down all that ice water.

Before you leave for the test, jump around, do push-ups, and get pumped up and awake.Be ready to do well on the test. You worked hard for it, and you probably know a lot more

than you think.

If you feel your eyelids drooping: pinch yourself, rub your face with a piece of ice, standup, run in place, and do a few jumping jacks to get an adrenaline rush, or, if at worst, take

a ten minute nap. Be careful with naps! (See below for how to nap in an all-nighter.)

Napping: Take them for about ten minutes. Set a loud timer to wake you up, and stay half-awake. Short naps refresh you. Anything longer and you'll fall into a deep stage of sleep,

which will leave you groggy when you are forced awake.

Taking a cold shower can be very refreshing. Also, cold air keeps you awake and so doescold water or ice.

Work with good lighting. You don't want anything too bright, but too dim and you'll doze. Don't nap! Eat high-protein foods on an infrequent basis through the night: smoothies,

cheese, a sandwich, a plate of stew will all keep your energy levels as high as they are

during the daytime. If you are using Microsoft Word, you can set the screen to blue with white text in the

Tools > Options > General menu. This helps reduce eye strain.

If you are using Emacs you can change the background color with M-x set-background-color. This helps reduce eye strain.

If it can be helped, never pull an all nighter. Avoid this by keeping up with your studyschedule ahead of time.

Never do one alone. Staying up and doing the work with "responsible" friends makes iteasier. (These are friends who are responsible now that the paper and/or project is due.)

They will help you stay on track so not only can you stay awake but you can all get your

assignments done.

Watch your time. It will not do to work on the project all night only to miss your class.Don't rush. You have all night, but also don't procrastinate any further. Neither will have a

good grade outcome.

Have a good time! As hard as this sounds, you need to notwant to go to bed! Instead ofnapping, take those ten minutes to put on your favorite music and dance around. You'll be

exhausted bodily, but your mind will be completely refreshed. If you're doing this with

friends, keep each other motivated and laughing. If you're all by yourself, and have

comedy tapes, put those on. Avoid movies, however, or things with plot. You won't be

able to concentrate on your work if you are trying to follow the intricacies of "The Usual

Suspects".

Music channels and news channels work very well because they don't demand yourattention all of the time, and yet are interesting enough to keep your attention and keep

you awake. They may be somewhat of a distraction, but if it's just books you're poring

over for hours and hours, it'd be a lot harder to keep going.

This sounds like a joke, but it actually works. Buy some Mentholatum (it comes in a smallgreen pot) from your pharmacist. Apply a small layer right below your eyes like a football

player. The vapors may sting a bit, but will give you a burst of alertness. Burt's beeswax

works well also, but be careful not to put it on too close to your eyes or they'll hurt and

start watering.

Go for a mid-study run, it will wake you up.


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This is gonna sound really weird, listen to music from musicals every once in a while singand dance a long. Just listen on your breaks or when you feel sleepy just sing and dance a

long for a whole song.

Organize your work, you're more likely to do it if your book is already on the right pageand the worksheet you need done is already out.

If you have to go into an exam, try eating bananas, they kill off part of the zombie effectthat too much caffeine can give you and they help to keep you focused with a sustained

amount of carbs and potassium. One every half hour/question works if you're really in

bits.

If you are in the position where you are going to be unable to sleep for several days due towork load, it is important to look at the situation realistically. For example, if you have to

learn 5 chapters of chemistry, it may be better to learn 3 chapters really well and just skim

over the rest and get a few hours of sleep before the exam.

Also, do not use too much stimulants. Having too much in your system can lead to testtaking anxiety.

On second and third sequential all nighters you may find 45 minutes of moderate exercisehelps you think (endorphins).

If you are prone to feeling depressed when working alone at night, you may find that"harsh instrumental music" will only get you so far. If you need lyrics in your music to keep

you going, make sure that they are upbeat and fairly simple or nonsensical so that your

mind isn't sent wandering. A few good examples: Owl City, Basshunter, and Mika. Music

with lyrics in languages you don't understand works just as well. That way, you can hear a

voice, but not be distracted.

If you feel yourself drifting off, look into a bright light for short periods of time. Make sure that you make a sandwich to keep you occupied. Go on the internet and surf

the web for things to do. Draw, play games, and watch romantic films if you cry easily.

When you cry it is easier to stay awake because you can't cry when you are sleeping. Paint

your nails or do a buff maincure and pedicure and you will have some more things to do.

Good Luck!!

Warnings

*Caffeine and Sugar: Both, while giving you a temporary high, will induce a "crash" which will only

make you more tired. These are both to be avoided, as they'll screw up any chance of performing

life-like in class or work the next day. If you are used to coffee, know what it does to you and feel

you can get it all done by the time you "crash", it may be worth it.

Eye-strain: This is caused by excessive tiredness, reading in bad light, or staring atcomputer screens for long times. Take a break at reading or computers every ten minutes,

simply by turning your head and looking around the room for a few seconds.

Pulling multiple all nighters within a week can really take its toll on anyone. Pills - While there are a range available, the more innocuous might appear to be caffeine

pills. These can make you so alert, you'll be thinking you spotted little green men running

by your window - no one needs to be thatalert.

Be careful about driving and operating machinery after an all-nighter. Take a shower and freshen up every so often.


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If you are going to be pulling sequential all nighters, It is not recommended you use ofstimulants. It is easy to get addicted if they are being used on a regular basis.

Try to avoid pulling all-nighters if you can, for your body needs sleep, and staying up allnight can be quite unhealthy.

Don't drive when pulling an all-nighter. Being severely drowsy behind the wheel orunsettled from all the caffeine is a recipe for disaster.

Make sure if you are going to pull an all-nighter, you know what you're doing. Make sureyou leave all bedroom doors open because if you get too tried you could walk straight into

them. Also, try your hardest not to pull an all-nighter because your body and cells and

systems need you to sleep unless you could get sick. We wouldn't want this to happen.

Please be careful.

Pulling an all-nighter may be counter-productive. If you are very tired during an exam, youwill not be alert, and you will not do your best.

Pulling an all-nighter might not be worth it. By that point, you either know the material, oryou don't. Cramming so much information in such a short amount of time will not help --

your brain will not absorb it, and you might not be able to recall it by the time you take the

test. It might be best to get a good nights sleep, so that you will be alert and at your most

productive.

Things You Should Invest In But May Not Know It

In Studio there are many things to buy and spend money onbut there are also some things

that you may overlook. Sure, they are luxury items but sometimes they really do makeyour life better. Here are some not so obvious items you should spend your summer

cash on:

1 - A Comfortable Mouse - you think itd be obvious since you use the computer everyday

(especially later years) that you should invest in a good mouse. You would not believe themice that some kids usetiny ones that cramp your handscrappy ones that dont allow

precise movementetc. I own a Logitech and Im pretty sure I used it more than my ipod

and I obviously used it as much as my laptop so yeatreat yourself to a good mouse

2 - A Good Studio Chair - your gonna use this more than your bed and its probably

gonna be your bed at some point. Where I went the chairs were good but not the best,unfortunately I never got to buy one but I envied the kids who did. Buy a nice chair and a

lock to chain it to your desk cause trust mepeople are gonna borrow it all the time. \

3 - A Nice Big Coffee Maker - This, for obvious reasons but there are also some more

benefits that are not so obvious. Everyone who drinks it, you can make chip in, and your

doing other people a favor for something you were gonna do anywaynever know when

that favor will come back at ya!


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4 - A Piece of Carpet or Rug - Obviously you would be in studio more often than your

apartment or dorm. So instead of planting your bare feet on the cold studio floor or wearing

your shoes all night, a nice carpet can do wonders. Similar to what John Mclane did in Die

Hard, dig your toes into the fibers and feel at home.. even though youre in hell.

None of these are necessary but can make your life better in studio which is always a goodthing. You guys got any more suggestions?

5 - Noise Cancelling Headphones - HOW COULD I FORGET THIS!!! Yea so buy a nicepair of noise cancelling headphones. Your studio friends are the best but can also lead to

your downfall when it comes toprocrastinationthis will cut you off from the world and

keep you working. Splurge on this item, your gonna use it.

6 - Mini Fridge - Leaving studio to eat is a waste of time and can throw you off your

groove. Now, I always encourage a little break but sometimes you cant afford itbring in

your food for the day (and prob the next lol) so refreshments and food are right at yourfingertipsoh, and remember, beer needs to stay cold too

7 - Band Aids - Just buy them and youll find out if you dont know already

Keep on giving us more suggestions, I plan to make a back to school list and post itdepending on the amount of feedback that is given

The Most Important Things You Learn From Taking Design

1 - No One Is God - This is the hardest and longest lesson to learn as many people do

not figure this out until the end of their schooling career. Everyone has the same chance to

get an A once you figure out how to play the game. Studio is a game and once you figureout the rules and what you can get away withthe rest is just hard work. The studio

gods (A students) just figured out the game early on.

2 - How Hard You Can Work - It was once told to me that the greatest lesson ever

learned from studio is that you find your limit and endurance when it comes to your work.

Now, you dont wanna work this hard everyday of your life, but its really helpful to knowyou can do it. Knowing this will help you succeed in every thing you do

3 - Public Speaking - Self explanatoryeveryone should be comfortable, at some level,

doing this

4 - Dealing With Others - Many times in your life you will have to deal with peopleyou truly hate on an everyday basis. Studio allows you to experience this earlier than most

and helps you figure ways to deal with it. Everyone has at least one kid in their year that

sucksbut you gotta live with it.

5 - Taking Criticism - No one wants to hear all the bad aspects of their own project

after all the hard work they have put inbut its necessary. Finding out flaws in anything


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makes it better, just think of it as good advice no matter how much of a dick the critic is.

Also it is important to be able to pick and choose which criticism is worth taking.

Everyone has opinions, not all are good.

6 - Titles Dont Mean ShitKind of - Building off of #1, your professor (or whoever

else is above you) is not always right. Just because they say something or have an opinionon something, does not mean it is the right one. The students I have most respect for are

the ones that defy their professor and come out with a good project. If you believe your

way is better, DO ITbut make sure youre ready to prove it or ready to get burned.

7 - How To Bullshit - In architecture bullshit is keyIn life bullshit is key. Learn how

to sell anything you do because in the end it doesnt matter who is better, all that matters iswho wins (In most cases lol)

8 - All Nighters Dont Pay Off - Three hours minimum is the required amount of sleep

to get each night and still be productive. Anyone will tell you the same, no sleep equals noproductivity.

9 - Friend People Who Can Help You - It sounds mean but it is so true. Need

something lasercut after hours, or something printed after the lab is closedwould sure be

helpful to have a friend who works at either. Now Im not saying you should use people

but being nice to them wont hurt. And if theyre cool, get tight with them and hang outsome time. The old phrase: its not what you know, its who you know applies in all

terms of life.

10 - Hard Work Doesnt Always Get You Far - It is sad but true. As many of you

realized architecture isnt the greatest ofmajors when it comes to your career. You will

most likely not be rich of any kind, will have to work really hardharder than most, and ifyou do get successful - say goodbye to any kind of personal life. Compared to most majors

we are one of the hardest with one of the littlest payoffs. Majors such as pharmacy,

nursing, law, and engineering are examples of majors that work just as hard as us but getpayed a lot better coming out of school. This is important because it brings people to areality of life where everything doesnt always work out. But dont be discouraged, many

other great things are brought upon you when going through with architecture.

Not For School But For Life


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10 tricks to the trade

theallnighter:

Here are some tips submitted byformativecant say I fully agree with everything but as

a whole its on point

10 Tricks to the trade ive learned from the past 4 years:

1. when youre caught in that moment where your brain is literally making a buzzing noise

in your head because youve been up so long and class starts in a couple hours and youre

desperate for a couple hours of sleep AND you know that you WILL NOT wake up no

matter how loud is your alarm is heres the trick: Sleep on the floor. Lets face it, youreknow youre at the point youre going to sleep no matter what angle youre sleeping in, just

sleep in a really really uncomfortable spot so that youll wake up, if not by the 6+ alarms

you have than through the shear pain the floor is impacting on your hips.

2. If you dont want to work, you simply wont work. Your mind says go but your body just

wont do it. Dont force it- might as well as get a good few hours in instead of 40 hours, ofwhich 80% of it was spent on facebook. Besides architects work best under deadlines

3. deactivate your facebook account. The creepy thing about it is, is that you can neveractually delete your account. Just fall off the face of the earth so no facebook message will

ever distract you, then you can retrieve it whenever youd like.

4. never look at the clock. Why the hell do you think casinos dont have clocks?

5. laugh. Putting on a funny movie while you work will always keep you up. Just gets youexcited.

6. Never use hot glue. That stuff is used for people who glue fuzzy pipe wire things on to

paper plates. We are architects goddamit. Hot glue are marks of a first year.

7. Also pretty against foam core as well. Theres nothing as nauseating of seeing a model

where you can tell your blade hasnt been switched so it does this thing where it catches on

to the foam and tears up the rest of the foam core.

8. You know you fancy when you make your whole model out of plexi glass. (almost as

fancy as 3d printing a huge model)

9. Have wet wipes and nail polish remover at your desk. Nothing uglier than finding finger

prints on museum board. or places where youve clearly have gotten your finger stuck fromthe super glue
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10. Models have a life span. Dont expect models to move very far nor take a car ride

without some damage. Have a tool belt with such supplies as: Super glue, small slab of

extra materials, and an xacto. Also if you are going to move stuff, save stuff like people and

trees to put on AT the site of your presentation.

If you composed a list of Do's and Don'ts for physical model making what might be

included?

studiofriends-area15

Dos

1. Clean burnt edges of laser cut material. All that ash can pile up and the last thing u wantare black edges and ashy fingers.

2. Never us a plastic straight edge when using an exacto. I have seen kids use a piece ofaluminum angle iron as a finger protector. Do not use this because your cut will not come

out perpendicular. Instead weld two pieces of angle iron to form an upside down t and

put cork underneath ur hybrid. This will protect ur fingers and create a perpendicular cut.

3. When making solid models out of layers always make a jig. The more complex the solid

form the more likely you need a jig. Keep in mind that after a thousand layers of chipboardand glue this would create an excess of thickness. For example if your expected form is 5

high, odds are it might turn out half an inch taller. So think ahead.

4. When making thousands of the same model piece, think What would how its made do

it? Watching hours of mass manufacturing random ass shit on cable television can actually

give you time saving ideas.

5. Wear latex gloves or constantly clean your hands when gluing. Dont fucking eat while

your making a model.

6. Clamps and weights of all sizes and shapes are fucking money.

7. Use a very sharp edge like an old exacto to clean of excess glue. Even wiping excess

glue with a slighty wet paper towel would prevent the shine caused by left over glue

8. Use a glue with a lesser moisture content. I think tacky original white is the shit.
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9. Minimal super glues, crazy glues, gorilla glues and quick setting agents. Too much

makes your model smell like Charlie Sheens hotel room after a four day chemical bender

minus the bodily fluids.

10. Materials on a model are very important so make sure you chose them wisely. Since a

model is a representation of a something, the materials are toodont just make a modelout of plexi cause it looks sweet, you will get torn apart for it

Dont

1. Do not make an over detailed model if you werent asked to or it does not propel the

overall idea of your project. Crafts nice but I dont need to buy tiny LED lights of fuckingmodel the grout between bricks.

2. Do not ask for help unless it is a class site model. Only one person should have their eyesand hands on a model.

3. Do not use foam core as a model material. That shit is only for making simple molds andinitial massing models.

4. Do not use hot glue. Just dont fucking use it.

5. Do not use an acrylic blade for acrylic unless the piece isbigger than 8.5x11

6. Do not over use solderbecause you think it might strengthen your model. Just dont

suck at soldering.

7. Never Fucking use scissors to cut materialsever!

8. Do not use tape for models except for early study model, it looks like shit

9 Dont make a model that shows the exact same information as your drawings, this will

be a huge waste of time. Make sure your model shows something newlike form or light

for example.

10. Dont obsess over craft. In my experience, a finished model thats gets the idea across

is always better than a half finished beauty. It took me a long time to figure this out but just

find the easiest way to make the thing and go. This is especially true in later years whenyour drawings will do most of the talking.

Thats all I can think of for now. Im going home.


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Heres a tip for final presentations (also interviews) that always helps me: Chamomile Tea. As an

architecture student, you are permanently wired and probably have twice the legal limit of

caffeine in you at all times, so you dont have to worry about it putting you to sleep. Chamomile

Tea is thought to be an herbal beta-blocker, which means that it diminishes the effects of

adrenaline in your system, which is what triggers the fight-or-flight/nervous-as-shit thing. Have

some before the review and be sipping on a power mug with 2 or 3 bags in it right before (or as)

you present. It never made my drawings look any better, but it definitely helped me calm down

and not look (as much) like a nervous wreck. Also: if you are a girl, wearing a scarf makes you look


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defensive and weak. Boys and girls: If you can pull it off, sitting down makes you look in calm and

on par with the critics. And: dont go up there with a Moleskine. Youre not going to write anything

down (be honest), and it just makes your gesticulations look awkward. Oh, and: be yourself! If that

is totally impossible, just try not to pee yourself or throw up on your models before youve

photographed them.


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Tips On Playing The Game Of Studio

As I mentioned in the passed, studio is a game and the good students know how to play it.For me, like most, Ive been on both sides. I started off struggling to get that B, took a

year off (personal reasons), came back knowing how to play and became a A student by

doing less work. Here is what I believe are tips to make the game easier.

1 - Strong Start - when taking design studio, it is crucial that you start off strong with your

work. Many students take the beginning of studio as an opportunity to party and relax as

they brace themselves for a tough semester. This is usually do to the rather easy workwhich assigned at the start. Saying this, you should take this as an opportunity to blow

away these slackers by doing some good work. You dont even have to work that hard asmost of the time this work deals with research, site analysis, and precedent studies. This

sets up a great base for the rest of the semester and allows you take it easy at some points

when you actually need it (ie. to catch up on other classes).


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2 - Teachers Pet - ok, everyone hates a kiss ass but there is something to be gained from

it. Now you dont have to be a total brown noser but at the very least you NEED to have

your professor like youor at least respect you. Along with starting strong you need to

dedicate the first month in making sure you are on the professors good side. Why is thisimportant? When it comes down to it, studio is graded as a competition based on hard

work and how much your professor likes your project. Having your Professor like you cansway his/her opinion no matter how tough they are. And even if it doesnt help with thegrades, being friendly with professors help you later on when it comes down to

recommendations and independent studies.

3 - Know What You Can Get Away With - everyone knows that the constant work asked

for in studio can become ridiculous. This is why you have to know your professor and

know what you can get away with. If you try and please the requirements, you will only

burn yourself out, pleasing your professor is USUALLY easier. Having done steps 1 and2 make this much easierit only sucks when your professor is also the project coordinator.

4 - Stay Strong, Move On - everyone has bad days but dont let that freak you out. Dont

be one of those kids who decides to change his/her project by starting over because of one

bad desk crit. Keep doing what youve been doing as long as its been working for you. In

the end, a finished, well worked out project prevails and gets the better grade. This isespecially true after the mid semester mark, it is more impressive to see a project develop

over the term rather than drastically change over and over again.

5 - Abuse Your Strong Points - this simply means to do what your good at. If your better

with computers then use the computer. Ifyoure a model person, build a shit ton of

modelswhatever makes your idea come across the best way. Just remember, some waysrequire more work than others

6 - Clarity Is Key - many times when I would come up with a brilliant idea, I would tryand explain it and totally butcher it rendering my concept shit. When you have an idea that

you are really passionate about, do the work to show that you are serious about it. Make

sure it is thought out, and that it is presentable to someone who has never seen your projectbefore, that way it will be clear. Ive seen great projects that have been torn apart because

the kid just couldnt explain it. One great tool for this is good DIAGRAMS!!!!!!

7 - Always Have Something To Show, Even If Its Nothing - like I said before, having

good work everyday is impossible. If youre stuck with your project dont show up to a

desk crit with nothingor at least dont make it look like that. Best things that works in

my opinion for these days are:

a)Take out a bunch of books from the library and have key phrases and/or sections of the

book that you can point too. This takes about an hour tops, just find a picture and a quoteor too, the rest is bullshit

b)Sketch! sketching is very important for the design phase and doesnt take long at all, use

this to your advantage


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c)Render past 3D models in different materials. This can spark up some convos and you

can do it while you sleep

d)Quick study models have the same affect as sketching but can be more appreciated

e)Addressing old redlining problems such as fixing the line weights on drawingsshowsyou did something

Things not to do include: showing websites (not as affective as books by any means), tryingto just talk with no work, or recycling old work (unless your professor is forgetful)

8 - 3D Modeling - BE GOOD AT 3D MODELING SOFTWARES!!!! This will cut your

work in half! One 3D model is your drawings, physical models, and renderings all in one.

This especially works well when paired with a lasercutter and/or 3D printer. I personally

love Rhino 4.0 but other programs include: 3D autocad, 3DS Max, Maya, and Revit (thereare probably more). I see many A students drop in grades because they dont switch over

well to the computerdoing everything by hand just takes so much longer.

9 - Be Aware Of The Competition - like Ive mentioned before, studio is a competition.

Now you should always strive to do your best but just keep in mind your studio mates.

The stronger your studio is, the harder you have to work.

10 - Work Hard, Party Hard - its my lifes motto and it worked out well so far. For how

hard we work, you need to let loose sometimes! The best students (in my opinion) are thehappy ones, and the happy ones usually have a crazy story on what they did Friday night.

Now dont forget the work hard part as this part is the most of the week part lol. Even if

you dont party, take a day and a night off each week at least! Dont get burnt out.well at

least not too much lol

Tips On Playing The Game Of Studio

As I mentioned in the passed, studio is a game and the good students know how to play it.

For me, like most, Ive been on both sides. I started off struggling to get that B, took ayear off (personal reasons), came back knowing how to play and became a A student by

doing less work. Here is what I believe are tips to make the game easier.

1 - Strong Start - when taking design studio, it is crucial that you start off strong with your

work. Many students take the beginning of studio as an opportunity to party and relax as

they brace themselves for a tough semester. This is usually do to the rather easy workwhich assigned at the start. Saying this, you should take this as an opportunity to blow

away these slackers by doing some good work. You dont even have to work that hard as

most of the time this work deals with research, site analysis, and precedent studies. This


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sets up a great base for the rest of the semester and allows you take it easy at some points

when you actually need it (ie. to catch up on other classes).

2 - Teachers Pet - ok, everyone hates a kiss ass but there is something to be gained from

it. Now you dont have to be a total brown noser but at the very least you NEED to have

your professor like youor at least respect you. Along with starting strong you need todedicate the first month in making sure you are on the professors good side. Why is this

important? When it comes down to it, studio is graded as a competition based on hard

work and how much your professor likes your project. Having your Professor like you can

sway his/her opinion no matter how tough they are. And even if it doesnt help with thegrades, being friendly with professors help you later on when it comes down to

recommendations and independent studies.

3 - Know What You Can Get Away With - everyone knows that the constant work asked

for in studio can become ridiculous. This is why you have to know your professor and

know what you can get away with. If you try and please the requirements, you will onlyburn yourself out, pleasing your professor is USUALLY easier. Having done steps 1 and

2 make this much easierit only sucks when your professor is also the project coordinator.

4 - Stay Strong, Move On - everyone has bad days but dont let that freak you out. Dont

be one of those kids who decides to change his/her project by starting over because of one

bad desk crit. Keep doing what youve been doing as long as its been working for you. Inthe end, a finished, well worked out project prevails and gets the better grade. This is

especially true after the mid semester mark, it is more impressive to see a project develop

over the term rather than drastically change over and over again.

5 - Abuse Your Strong Points - this simply means to do what your good at. If your better

with computers then use the computer. If youre a model person, build a shit ton of

modelswhatever makes your idea come across the best way. Just remember, some waysrequire more work than others

6 - Clarity Is Key - many times when I would come up with a brilliant idea, I would tryand explain it and totally butcher it rendering my concept shit. When you have an idea that

you are really passionate about, do the work to show that you are serious about it. Make

sure it is thought out, and that it is presentable to someone who has never seen your projectbefore, that way it will be clear. Ive seen great projects that have been torn apart because

the kid just couldnt explain it. One great tool for this is good DIAGRAMS!!!!!!

7 - Always Have Something To Show, Even If Its Nothing - like I said before, having

good work everyday is impossible. If youre stuck with your project dont show up to a

desk crit with nothingor at least dont make it look like that. Best things that works in

my opinion for these days are:

a)Take out a bunch of books from the library and have key phrases and/or sections of thebook that you can point too. This takes about an hour tops, just find a picture and a quote

or too, the rest is bullshit


17/25

b)Sketch! sketching is very important for the design phase and doesnt take long at all, use

this to your advantage

c)Render past 3D models in different materials. This can spark up some convos and you

can do it while you sleep

d)Quick study models have the same affect as sketching but can be more appreciated

e)Addressing old redlining problems such as fixing the line weights on drawingsshowsyou did something

Things not to do include: showing websites (not as affective as books by any means), trying

to just talk with no work, or recycling old work (unless your professor is forgetful)

8 - 3D Modeling - BE GOOD AT 3D MODELING SOFTWARES!!!! This will cut your

work in half! One 3D model is your drawings, physical models, and renderings all in one.

This especially works well when paired with a lasercutter and/or 3D printer. I personallylove Rhino 4.0 but other programs include: 3D autocad, 3DS Max, Maya, and Revit (thereare probably more). I see many A students drop in grades because they dont switch over

well to the computerdoing everything by hand just takes so much longer.

9 - Be Aware Of The Competition - like Ive mentioned before, studio is a competition.

Now you should always strive to do your best but just keep in mind your studio mates.

The stronger your studio is, the harder you have to work.

10 - Work Hard, Party Hard - its my lifes motto and it worked out well so far. For how

hard we work, you need to let loose sometimes! The best students (in my opinion) are thehappy ones, and the happy ones usually have a crazy story on what they did Friday night.

Now dont forget the work hard part as this part is the most of the week part lol. Even if

you dont party, take a day and a night off each week at least! Dont get burnt out.well atleast not too much lol


18/25


19/25

How Are You Branding Yourself?

As a young designer it's incredibly important to begin to establish some sort of identity. Why? Because when going

after internships and entry-level jobs this identityis what will set you apart from the competition. When I was in

college I remember at the end of a project during pin-ups I could always tell which project belonged to whom

without even looking at the name. This is because as you go through school and various design studios you begin todevelop your own style and your own point-of-view and you get to know that of your peers as well. Now the

question is how do you effectively display this point-of-view that you've developed in school to potential employers?

The answer is through branding! The AMA -American M arketing Association- defines a brandas "a name, term,

symbol, design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller and differentiate

them from other sellers." When you're looking for work you are essentially trying to sell yourself and your

services to a potential employer so it is important that when marketing yourself you make certain that everything

you put out there is engaging, clear, cohesive, and is showcasing your uniqueness and your talent!

Let's break it down to the six pieces of marketing collateral that you'll need while on the hunt for internships and

entry-level jobs and how you can use these tools to begin to develop your brand:

1. Cover Letter - The cover letter and resume should work hand-in-hand. I know a lot of people who use a

standard blank Microsoft Word document for writing cover letters and I'll admit I use to do that too! One day

something just clicked (I think it was the economy) and I decided to put as much effort in actually designing my

cover letter than I did when I designed my resume and portfolio. Guess what? After graphically designing mycover letter to compliment my (well-designed) resume & portfolio I saw a huge spike in the number of call backs

for interviews then when I was using the standard "blank" document.

2. Resume - I don't think it needs to be said that if you're a Designer then this document shouldbe well designed.

I'll just reiterate point number one and that is to make sure that it is in sync with the design of your cover letter.This can be done by doing simple things like using the same fonts, colors, and graphics. *QuickTip:Set up yourresume and cover letter document as one file using Adobe InDesign and export that file as one pdf document when you're

ready to send it off. That way you limit the amount of attachments you send out to each employer and it shows that you'rethinking about the two documents in tandem.

3. Work Sample - Most employers will ask you to send work samples along with your resume. So it's a good idea to

already have this document set up, again the layout of your work sample should be coherent with the design of

your resume and cover letter. *QuickTip:Always send relevant work samples, you can show your diversity in yourportfolio on the actual interview, but if you're applying for an internship or job with a firm specializing in traditional

architecture don't send samples of your zany "not in this lifetime" student projects.

4. Print Portfolio - Now comes the fun part. As a student or young designer it's okay to have a diverse portfolio but

as you grow and become more experienced employers are going to expect this document to be a little more focused.

While the work in your portfolio may be diverse for now; be sure that the general outline of the book itself is

keeping with the theme of the rest of your documents. Try going with the same color scheme or doing something

cool (yet clear and professional) with your name in Illustrator and use that as a logo to put on all your documents.

5. Digital Portfolio - Do you have your own personal space on the web yet? If not you'd better get one! If you

don't have the tools to develop your own personal website check out this article about other options forsetting up

an online portfolio. Again, if an employer views your work on the web and then receives a hard copy of your

resume in the mail later through effective personal branding they should be able to make the connection from one

document to the next and know that each submission is from the same individual.

6. Personal Business Cards - It is so important to have personal business cards on hand nowadays because you just

never know who you will run into! Plus they are so inexpensive and accessible that there is no reason for any

young professional to be walking around without one. You can create customized business cards onwww.moo.com

for as little as $22! Again consistency is key in the details of this small yet largely important document.

All the items listed above are essential when it comes to marketing and developing your personal brand. The key is

just to be consistent all across the board when showcasing your uniqueness.
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20/25

Build Your Portfolio While Still in

Architecture School

Hoping to land a drafting or architecture job straight out of college? Don't wait until you've

completed yourart or design degreebefore building a portfolio. It's certainly true that

employers are interested in your coursework and the strength of the program you attended. But

they will want to see how well you integrate your learning with practical--as well as innovative--

projects and renderings.

More than a dozen top architecture firms weighed in on a portfolio survey conducted by non-

profit Archinet, and their responses on what makes a solid design portfolio revealed common

threads:

Keep the presentation brief Show a wide range of work Demonstrate creativity and intelligence Show you know how to use design software

Combining School Projects and Previous Work in the Portfolio

Design firms participating in the survey agreed that previous work samples--even if the project

was created during a non-paying internship--can contribute to the overall strength of the portfolio.

Employers typically look for examples of client presentations, broad or detailed designs, and

writing skills, as well as hand and computer-generated sketches.

They also typically want strong evidence that you know how to render designs and sketches in

CAD 2D and 3D formats. Some firms also may seek presentations that illustrate both overall design

concept renderings as well as technical detail work. The scope of your work, as well as its

consistent high quality, can be critical components in the portfolio.

Depending on the prospective employer, you may want to include work created in illustration or

photo rendering software as well as physical models. Photographs on a disc may also be

acceptable.

Know Your Audience

Remember, a professional design-firm audience is traditionally different from an art school crowd.

While some employers may look for so-called "out-of-the-box" creativity, many firms are

traditional and may not accept overt, "artsy" presentations. Do your homework before submitting

anywhere.

The presentation of your portfolio can be as important as its modular contents. Find out ahead of

time whether your prospective firm accepts hard copy or digital portfolios, or both. Some may
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even allow you to send in a PDF file via email.

Several firms agreed that presenting a venture from concept to execution is critical in showing that

you know how to complete all the steps in an architectural project. Haphazard organization and

poor writing (cover letters, resumes, and design-concept documentation) can ruin an otherwise

good portfolio.

Architectural Model Making Advice For

Students

Let me explain first of all that I am writing this from the perspective of someone who hashad personal experience of having to make architectural models with limited resources.

Although I am now a professional model maker I was once a student at the Welsh Schoolof Architecture where they viewed models as an important part of the design process.

Through my three years on the course and subsequent many years in the model making

profession I have seen, or made myself, most of the common mistakes people make whensetting out to produce an architectural model. Hopefully I can help you avoid these errors

and save you a lot of wasted time and effort.

Planning your architectural model

The first and most important step for any architectural model making project is to establisha clear goal for the model. In other words, what is the model for, what is its purpose, what

does it need to communicate? Very few people have the budget and resources to make a

model that shows everything about their project. It is more realistic to choose an aspect ofyour design that the model can show well.

For example, if you are designing a building in a sensitive area, a monochrome massingmodel can show the overall form and layout of your design and how it sits in its context.

This will give viewers an instant general understanding of your project. The colours,

materials and any other detailed elements can be explained through additional drawings,

photographs, swatches, etc.

Another approach is to let your drawings show the general overview of your project anduse an architectural model to illustrate one of the detailed aspects. For example you could

make a part-model of a particularly interesting area of the building; an entrance feature

perhaps or a decorative elevation. Or you could make a sectional model that slices through

the building to show the internal spatial organization.


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The important thing is to start with a clear purpose for your architectural model and then

work out what sort of model will best achieve your goals.

What scale should the architectural model be?

Once you have decided what your model needs to illustrate, the next step is choose themost appropriate scale. This decision is affected by two things; how big an area you need to

model and how much detail you want to show. If you need to show a big area, perhaps for a

site context model, you would have to choose a smaller scale, say 1:500 or even 1:1000.This is to avoid the model becoming too big to be practical. But at these smaller scales you

need to be aware that is not really possible to show much in the way of detail.

If the purpose of the model is to show just the building itself you could consider 1:200 or

even 1:100 scale. At these scales you can show windows, doors, balconies, etc. However, if

your goal is to illustrate a particular area or detailed element of the building you may well

need to go bigger again, say 1:50 scale or even 1:20 scale.

Whatever the purpose of your model, being able to understand scales will enable you towork out practical, achievable options for your particular project. Many students will

already have a clear understanding of scales and those who have can skip this next bit, but

if you are a little unclear on the subject it is probably worth reading.

Scales are actually very simple. The scale of architectural models is a ratio - in other words,

the relative size of the model to the real thing. For example, 1:1 scale (we would say it as"one to one") would be a life size model. Whereas, 1:10 scale ("one to ten" or "one tenth

scale") would be one tenth of actual size. Likewise, 1:100 would be one hundredth of actual

size, and so on. The larger the scale indicator number, the smaller the model, which means

less detail can be shown.

Another useful way to think about scales is to work out how many millimetres represent

one metre at the particular scale you're considering. We do this by dividing 1000 by thescale indicator number. For example, for 1:200 scale, divide 1000 by 200 and you get the

answer 5. Which tells you that one metre in real life will be represented by 5mm on the

model. So if the area you need to model is 100 metres x 100 metres square, your 1:200scale model would be 500mm x 500mm (100 x 5mm).

For particularly large sites you will need to use a much smaller scale, say, 1:1000. At thisscale the architectural model will be one thousandth of the actual size. To work out how

many millimetres will represent a metre we redo the sum we did above, 1000 divided by

the scale indicator number (in this case also 1000). The answer is obviously 1, meaning that

one metre on site will be represented by 1 millimetre on the model. A square site 1000metres x 1000 metres would therefore be 1000 millimetres square as a 1:1000 scale model.

Architectural model making methods and materials


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For the purposes of this general guide I will not go into a lot of specific detail on

architectural model making techniques and materials as this is a very broad area and will be

covered in a separate article. Here are some basic rules to follow though.

Be realistic about what you can achieve with the time, materials and facilities available to

you. Don't try and make the model show every detail of your design or you just won't finishit. Very often it is students with good model making skills that do not finish their

architectural model, simply because their enthusiasm has got the better of them and they

have tried to show too much. Or, the model does get finished but it has taken up so much of

their time and energy that other important parts of their presentation have to be rushed or donot get done at all.

It is tricky to get the balance right but it is better to be a little less ambitious with the model

and focus on submitting a coordinated, fully realized overall presentation.

The use of colour is another area where models can go wrong. Sometimes it's safer to keepthings monochrome (white, for example, can look quite "architectural" and stylish) unless

you're very confident with colour or it's a vital part of what your model is trying to show.

Always present your model on a good, solid base with a clean edge finish - this acts almost

like a picture frame and enhances the general appearance of your model.

As far as materials are concerned, unless you have easy access to a workshop and a

reasonable level of experience with machinery, it would be best to work with card or foam-board or similar, easy-to-cut materials such as Balsa or Lime wood. In other words,

anything that you can cut with either a sharp blade or junior hack saw and stick together

with conventional shop bought glues.

And when you are cutting, if possible, try to use a square, especially if you are cutting out

floor plates or elevations. Keeping everything square is crucial if you want to achieve a

neat, crisp finish for your building. It is also worth investing in a metal ruler as you willfind a plastic or wooden ruler will get damaged very quickly.

Whether you are cutting with a craft knife or a scalpel, it's better to use several light passes

rather than trying to cut all the way through with one go. You will get a cleaner cut and you

are less likely to slip and cut your finger.

Sourcing materials can be difficult, but your best bet is to investigate your local Art & Craft

shop and check also if there is a hobbyist model shop in the area. These shops will usually

have a good range of materials but do get what you need early. It is surprising how quicklya group of students all working on a similar design brief can empty the shelves of all the

best materials.

If you cannot get what you need locally there are several model making supplies companies

with on-line catalogues who provide a good mail order service. Visit my web site

www.modelmakers-uk.co.ukand click on Links at the top right hand side of the page where
http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/


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you will find a list of useful links for architectural model making supplies. Or use a search

engine and see what that turns up.

Good luck with building yourarchitectural models. If there is only one thing you remember

from this information make it this - it will take twice as long as you think it will.

Surviving Architecture School

Going through architecture school can be both a stressful and rewarding experience. Here

are three things every architecture student should know before embarking on that very first

project!

1. Understanding Time Management.

Many people going through architecture school may be lead to believe that pulling all-

nighters on a daily basis is the price you pay for enrolling into such a rigorous program.

This couldn't be further from the truth. It's actually good practice while in school tounderstand that when you practice architecture in the "real world" clients won't have

exorbitant budgets for you to spend endless hours working on a single project. So, when

you're given an assignment instead of immediately sketching ideas and coming up with

concepts, get into Project Management mode!

First, know your deadline; plan on finishing your work before that date, this leaves time forcontingencies. Second, to avoid becoming overwhelmed take time to fully understand what

needs to be accomplished for that deadline. Lastly, write a simple 'to do' list to help

organize your thoughts, then begin to prioritize, and estimate how much time you think it

will take to complete each task. This is a sure-fire way not to show up burnt out in yourpajamas come presentation day!

2. Start Conceptualizing!

Now comes the fun part. Designing! Once you have gotten an idea of deadlines and

timelines, start sketching! Always be original - remember this is architecture school so noidea is too zany! If you're having trouble getting started the best thing to do is start pulling

together precedents to help give you ideas and inspiration.

3. sell, Sell, SELL!

I've witnessed first hand how students can become so enthralled in their ideas, the

architecture, and the design that they never set enough time away for presentation,

marketing, and selling their idea to the jurors. This last piece of information is of theutmost importance because even if you have a strong solid concept and design if jurors
http://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/architectural-modelshttp://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/architectural-modelshttp://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/architectural-modelshttp://www.modelmakers-uk.co.uk/architectural-models


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can't see that in the presentation - it won't matter. Take graphic design courses and become

extremely proficient in graphic programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign

(Having knowledge of these programs also comes in handy when seeking design

internships because for most firms knowing these programs is a necessity!). Make sure youset aside an appropriate amount of time to pull together your presentation. Think about it!

Everything in your presentation from images, to fonts, to the color palette should supportyour concept. This will make your idea easier to sell if you don't have the gift of gab!

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