24Hr Studios, Good or Bad?

Should university’s have a responsibility towards a student’s well-being? Or is it on the individual to know their limitations and decide to go home at 12am for sleep?

The answer to this question is largely based on the amount of work that we are given throughout the year.

A part of me can see the benefits of being able to access the studio 24/7, particular if you don’t conform to the typical sleep cycles or your creativity comes to you at 11pm. However there is a culture and belief among architecture students, that you are only committed and passionate if you stay up for days on end, and practically kill yourself with McDonalds and caffeine. Most students that over work themselves do reap the benefits, however the university, or more-so the school, needs to address this culture and start to change it.

However, there are two sides to the coin ..

The school could always adjust it's programme to suit the requirements of the working environment. Speaking from experience, the amount of detail that goes into our submissions at university level compared to the working environment, does not correspond with one another. Students are over worked and bombarded with nearly impossible deadlines, hence I felt like I was on holiday when I was busy with my in-service training last year.

On the other hand .. over-working students and pushing us beyond barriers insures us, that as a student entering the real world, we are well equipped to take on any task that is thrown at us.