Internship Week 2 Wrap-Up

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So far, my second week of internship at gsn+p architecture studio has been going great. I have finally started feeling comfortable with the environment especially with the people around me. My held-back attitude finally waned and words come out much more easily compared to last week. I figured that the real learning will only start once I decide to break that invisible wall separating me from them, and I did just that after several exchange of conversation with some of the staff. I learned that most of them are all too willing and happy to entertain my queries and help out on things I don’t know much about. It really changed my view of them as compared to last week. Before, I only see them as ‘just’ officemates/co-workers that needed to finish loads of things to be done, but now I completely view them as a living, breathing humans faced with different situations and struggles of doing the best they can on a given task. Observing also that most of them are devout Christians made a big impact on finally breaking the wall I had. It was a common ground I could settle with and be comfortable about. That may as well explain some of the Christians songs that break the silence in the workplace and the diligent attitude of everyone while working.

Well, aside from all that, some of the highlights of this week may have been also the knowledge I gained on the computer software/tools that are used along with design. With the availability of some of the computers for most of the week, my thirst to review my lessons in AutoCADD and to learn the basics of SketchUp and PhotoShop, was surely quenched. If not exploring the sample swatches inside the storage room, studying the details in some of the working drawings, or helping out on some small task, I was in front of an available computer tinkering with those useful tools. (The renderers’ works, by the way, are truly inspiring).

In the end, one of the most important lessons I learned this week was to open my mouth and ask whatever I’m curious about. I heard this from Architect Gene on our orientation with him from last week and a couple of times as well from those in the office, but it is only now that it has finally sunk in. And paraphrasing from one of the staff that taught me about ‘creative procrastination’: ‘in learning, the teacher is only ready when the student is.’