#39 Architect!
Good day everyone!
Here I am writing in my safe space after so many months!
WARNING: THIS WILL BE A LONG POST!
I’ve been gone for the past few months because I was preparing for the 2022 Architecture Licensure Examinations (ALE) - one of the most challenging exams I have ever taken. And guess what? I’VE MADE IT! I was so happy because all of my efforts were worth it! Even the others were so happy for me, and I couldn’t wait for what lies ahead in the next chapter of my career!
So how did I prepare for the ALE?
Taking the board exam wasn’t a simple decision for me. It takes a lot of courage to do so and aside from that; being financially ready is a must. In the Philippines, all architecture graduates are required to take a two-year diversified training under the guidance of a seasoned Architect who will be the “mentor”. I finished school in May 2018 and that means I was working as an apprentice since then.
The moment I finished university and landed my first job, the first thing on my mind was to save money for the licensure exams. I was eligible to take the exams around June 2020, but a pandemic hit the world in the same year so I just wanted to focus on my job and survive instead. (Plus, I don’t feel like being an architect yet hahaha!)
I was working at a small design firm, and like most companies at that time, the work days were reduced from five days to three days (it relocated as well). Well, I still considered myself lucky because I still have an income despite the pandemic. But I knew that I had to look for new opportunities because it wasn’t enough to sustain my living…
The uncertainty of the pandemic made me feel that I was too foolish to quit my job (plus the fact that my colleagues became my friends and my employers were kind too). Luckily, I found a company near my parents’ house in October 2021. (Lol, one to two songs away, literally a walking distance XD). It was a construction company that specialized in cabinets and woodwork. Frankly, the scope was really different from my previous job which focuses on the architecture and the design itself. The job offered six days of duty and better benefits but the downside of it? It was only a three-month project-based contract.
During those months, I wanted to become an architect! I told myself that I will work very hard and save money so I can reach my ultimate goal in the coming year. I was working for 10 hours each day, and it was so tiring! But whenever I was thinking of my dream, I am determined to face the day again!
And you know what, I think it was God’s will for me to become an architect because aside from the financial blessings that I was receiving, my employment contract started from October to January, and review classes started during the end of my contract.
Before that, I did not tell my parents that I will be taking a long break from work by studying, and eventually, they knew. Well, I don’t want to feel the intense pressure but they were very supportive!
Long story short, I enrolled in the Joint Pallial Technique Center (JPT) because it was one of the top-performing schools when it comes to Architecture Licensure Exams. It is located near the University of Sto. Tomas by the way! The mode of classes that I took was a combination of online during the weekdays and on-site classes during the weekends. It was an ideal setup for me because if I ever took the “100% online”, it will be so lonely! Just imagine the feeling of being isolated in the same four walls every day! Some people could handle it but I simply just can’t!
My school will upload videos and conduct live sessions and on-site sessions every week and most of them were comprehensive to discuss all the important topics that needed to be covered for the licensure exams, but most videos were lengthy; the setup is ideal for a full-time reviewee instead of a working one.
In the middle of the journey, I questioned my faith… There were many uncertainties because no one could tell the exact questions the examiner will ask given the large scope of the syllabus. But I never let the day pass without studying and practicing quizzes! I was weak in the Building Technology subject. For the entire week, I will spend two to three days on that subject and the rest on the others.
I’m not the most optimistic person so there were moments when I would lock myself in the room and cry! I was so afraid to fail because I chose to be jobless to do this, and I feel like there was no reason for me not to succeed. I was also afraid of what others will think of me if I won’t make it, and similar things like that. Three weeks before the exam, my friends and I went to St. Jude Thaddeus Church, and I surrendered everything to Him! I even paid another visit all by myself another week before the exam because the presence of the church gave me immense comfort.
And oh, I even bought lucky charms and red undies! There was a superstition that says if you wear red undergarments, you will pass. I'm not really a superstitious person but heck, because of the exams, I became one. I even asked for lucky stones and who knows that maybe, it has magic LMAO.
A day before the exam, I stopped studying and relaxed! My Mom and I bought snacks so I won’t be hungry on the day of the exam itself. And guess what? My mind was so focused on answering the questions that I barely ate anything we bought. I never felt tired, or nervous in the examination room! I prayed to God that he will help me think clearly and that he will be with me! Only 30% — 40% of what I studied was asked and the rest was based on actual practice, so future architects, never underestimate your two-year diversified apprenticeship!
The exam was held on the 17th and 19th of June 2022, and the results were released three days later. I was so darn nervous and even shaking while I was finding my name on the list of successful examinees.
My heart was beating so fast as I scrolled and scrolled... AND I FOUND IT. GOSH. I CRIED AND MY MOM TOO (she called my grandparents at that moment!). I am the first architect in our family!
So that’s how everything happened, I can finally call myself an architect! It was a long journey, and it took me 10 years to get the awaited license! I studied architecture in 2012, finished it in 2018, and the rest was history!
My advice to those aspiring architects: never give up on your dreams! It doesn’t matter how difficult the road would be, but with patience, effort, and determination, you will eventually succeed!
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| Graduation photo, c. 2018. |
Sharing some photos during my Architect's journey!
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| I paid my tuition fee! Gosh, I realized how difficult it was for my parents when they paid for my education since I was a child up to college. |
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| Weekend classes at Madison Hotel during comprehensive classes! |
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| Student outfit lol. |
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| Student ID woot woot! XD |
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| Queue on my way home. |
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| Refresher classes at SM Manila during the last weeks of review! |
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| Preparing my bag for the day of my exam! Thank you to those who sharpened my pencils; Engr. Magsangkay, Ar. Zhardei and Ar. Relos! |
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| Room Assignment from PRC. Gosh, I was already nervous when this was released! |
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| I MADE IT! |
Tips for students:
- Surround yourself with positive people. Taking the board exam requires a lot of mental strength, and being with people who will lift you up is very important.
- Know what subject you are weak at. Focus on that first but don't neglect the other subjects.
- Do not just rely on what was discussed in the review center. Be resourceful, and do not just bury your face in books, practice quizzes to assess your knowledge. Aim to be the top notcher as well!
- Sleep well. Believe me, this will help you retain information easier.
- Know what works best for you. As for me, I retained information if I will rewrite it but I find it time-consuming. In the end, I used digital flashcards. Watching construction videos on YouTube also helped with my review! Well, I struggled with cover-to-cover reading my books because I ended up sleeping.
- Write things that you can't remember on Manila paper and put them on your wall. Only write the information that you find difficult to grasp! If you wish to cover your entire wall, it is okay as long as it will be helpful to you. As for me, I tend to stress easily if my wall has so much "stuffs".
- Procure your requirements as early as possible. Trust me, you don't want to see yourself fighting over time because you still have to complete your PRC requirements or there's a calculator that you need to purchase.
- Never let a day pass without reading your notes but allow yourself to rest if you feel tired.
- If you ever find yourself giving up, ask yourself why you are doing it in the first place.
- Pray! Nothing is more comforting that praying to God and surrendering all your worries to Him!