As the academic year wraps up, I’ve found myself reflecting on how much has changed in my work, my mindset, and the way I approach design. It’s been a year of sketching, experimenting, presenting, failing, learning, and often surprising myself! Each semester brought its own rhythm and challenges, and together they’ve helped shape a more grounded, confident version of the designer I’m becoming.
In the first semester, I set myself a clear goal, to draw better! Not just technically, but in how they communicate. I didn’t want to just explain my ideas; I wanted to express them. One of the moments that stuck with me most was when I created a comic strip for my studio project. It was a new kind of challenge: thinking through frames, pacing, atmosphere, and humour, all while still delivering architectural content. That experiment taught me that drawings can be more than diagrams; they can tell stories, evoke feeling, and make complex ideas feel accessible. It also shifted how I thought about representation in general, and soon every drawing was an opportunity to say something meaningful.
The second semester brought a different kind of challenge, and pace. I had the chance to work on a commissioned model of the Castlefield Conservation Area. It was high-pressure and detail-heavy but incredibly rewarding. Unlike most uni projects, this one had a life beyond the studio. Knowing it would be used outside our course gave the work a sense of purpose, and definitely raised the stakes with how far I could push a Rhino site model! At the same time, as part of the student reps team, I helped organise three student exhibitions. That experience was one of the highlights of the year. It pushed me into a more collaborative, public-facing role, though curating work, setting up spaces, and getting to speak to visitors about what we do. Even better, we got to engage with the communities of Stockport and Castlefield. Hearing their stories and reactions reminded me that design doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it lives in conversation with real places and people.
Now, with summer finally here, I’m looking forward to slowing down a little. After months of deadlines and late nights, I’m giving myself space to rest and reconnect with family. But I also see this break as a chance to grow, just at a gentler pace. I’m planning to explore a few new design tools I didn’t have time for during term, and to read up on architectural theory that’s been sitting untouched on my shelf.
If this year has taught me anything, it’s that growth often happens in quiet moments, a new drawing style unfolding from a mis-click, or a conversation with a passer-by while pinning up work. It’s not always about big wins or perfect projects. Sometimes it’s just about showing up, trying something unfamiliar, and seeing where it takes you.
So, here’s to a summer of good rest, and staying curious, ready to bring everything I’ve learned back with me next year.
