I just want to know.

Why does making a study of architecture = staring at a computer all day?

Why does it mean placing your entire life, your relationships, your friendships, your hobbies, your meals, your sleeping, your sanity, everything on hold?

My classmates stay up most of the night, every night, staring like zombies at their computer screens, contorting their spines into curious shapes in order to accomodate the low-to-the-desk screens of their laptops. Everyone looks pale and sick. We all look like hell.

I am on Day Two of my boycott against the insanity.

You know what I did instead?

I went outside. Gasp! Into the sunlight and fresh air!

And then later I delighted myself by taking photographs of beautiful old brick buildings here in Boston.

And then later I pleasured myself by paging through a book about tree houses around the world!

Oh architecture, I still love you. I continued to be fascinated by you and your ways. I still want to learn to speak your language so that I can utter your terribly beautiful poetry.

But this pedagogy is making me lose my mind!

The other day, I was describing our current project to my boyfriend.

He asked, “But, aren’t you supposed to be designing something *real*?”

His comment frustrated me.

It frustrated me because I agree with him. I think we should be doing “something real.” I think we should be outside building. Talking to people. Seeing how we can improve their lives. We should be talking to real architects. We should be going to planning and zoning meetings. We should be out in the community gaining first hand experience. Changing lives. Being brilliant. You know, all the things we came here to do.

Instead, all of our hours are filled with staring at our computer screens, cut off from humanity, working in a state of exhaustion, frustration, and panic.

Is this the best way to teach the next generation of architects? Really?

(Is this why our school goes by the name Graduate School of Divorce?)

(And is this why so many people who get a degree in architecture go into another field altogether after graduation?)

I just want to know.