Hey friends! Long time no post, and I am totally sorry about that. But I also figured I would wait until the semester was finished before I wrote about how school has been going. SO! Let’s get into it.
The student life.
Initially I was concerned about what it would be like to be back in school. I didn’t enjoy my undergrad, have always had issues with “authority” (aka anyone who thinks they have power over me because of their title or relative position and acts like an asshole because of it), and I was really worried I would be in class with a bunch of 22 year olds. But it’s been great!
Taking the time off between my undergrad and going back for my masters definitely gave me time to “discover myself”, as cliche as that sounds. At this point in my life I know how I learn best, know how to approach projects and manage my time effectively, and have actually developed a pretty good memory over the years. I feel like the skills I picked up in the work place – particularly those related to dealing with stress and project management – really helped me this semester. I finished most of my projects earlier than expected, or chipped away at them steadily with an early enough start time to reduce my stress. There definitely were times I was stressed (sorry for my new friends who had to see that side of me), but I think it could have been a lot worse.
One thing I am really struggling with is nutrition and keeping myself fed. My cushy desk job allowed me to literally eat all day if I wanted, but class and project work has me so focused I will often go HOURS without eating, and only realize when I am suddenly so hungry I feel sick. I’ve been working on ways to combat this (because losing weight is the last thing I want right now with lifting and maintaining my muscle mass).
The work.
My classes this semester consisted of site design, landscape ecology, planning history & theory, and computer modelling. The assignments and projects in these classes were actually very interesting, including the history class even though it was the most dry to learn. I REALLY enjoyed some projects in particular, like some assignments for ecology and computer modelling. There were times when I would be working away and just be SO HAPPY that I would actually yell “I LOVE SCHOOL” and startle my dog. We also get our own lockers and dedicated workspace in the faculty building which is very nice.
Enjoying the work so much definitely helped with how I felt overall with this semester, since it was A. LOT. OF. WORK. I feel like I was slightly more efficient than others in my class, but still put in probably 60 hours of work most weeks, including class time. But it’s fun! And actually working so hard on something feels so damn good. It definitely puts my past career into perspective with how little effort was actually required for any of my roles.
For my ecology class we actually went on three “field trips” to areas around the city where we could be in nature and observe ecological services and processes in their natural states. It was so sweet.
The faculty.
The faculty itself is pretty awesome – our Dean is very reachable and accessible, student work is showcased in the main foyer, and there are constantly student association social events that I avoid. There’s a fully stocked workshop in the basement (probably my favourite place), open concept studios on the top floor, and all our classes are in one building which is nice so I can avoid the doddlers that fill the university’s halls.
But damn is it expensive.
Need to print a poster for your final project? 9$/basic print.
Need to transfer money to your printing account? 5% surcharge.
Need a program installed for your course? Maybe the license is $30/month, maybe it’s $50/year, who knows!
Overall? It’s AWESOME.
I’m having a great time. Learning a lot. Learning what I want from the program and discovering what direction I want to take my career… kind of. Still working on that one.
I’ve met so many awesome people and there’s not a single person I dislike in my program or classes. I’d like to think I’ve made some new friends.