Prompt: What specific experiences (honors or not) in the past year have had the most impact on your personal and professional trajectory? Articulate specific personal and/or professional goals for the next year.

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My junior year was a roller coaster. It was full of very high peaks and very low valleys. One peak and valley in particular defined the whole year and had the biggest impact on both my personal and professional trajectory.

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Let us start with the good stuff. This past year, I was able to go on my second coop experience with bKL architecture in Chicago. It was my first choice of the firms I had applied to, and I was so humbled and happy to get the internship in the first place. It was, on my paper my ideal position at my ideal firm, and in one of my favorite cities in the world, Chicago. I was so excited to work there, and I can say that it truly lived up to all of my expectations. The firm atmosphere and projects were right up my alley, and I loved every second of working there, and of living in Chicago. It almost felt as if I was living what I wanted my future to be post-graduate. It helped me realize what I was looking for with this profession and the kind of career I want to have. And the experience, which was incredible in itself, will help me to get more incredible experiences in my future.

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Unfortunately, like the rest of the world, my plans this year were stunted by the coronavirus. I had planned to spend this summer on my third and final coop, and I had another internship at bKL lined up. I was very excited to work there again and to live in Chicago in the summer. But due to the pandemic and quarantine measures, those plans ended up falling through. Of course, I was devasted – I love to have every aspect of my future planned out, and I definitely did not have “global pandemic” in my schedule of events. But life goes on, and despite some opportunities going by the wayside, there have been some new opportunities that have come out of this. I’m able to spend more time with my family this summer, I can work on more independent design projects, and I have more time to focus on getting applications ready for grad school: the next big step in my professional career. So despite my plans being ruined, there is now room for new and equally as valuable ones.

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My main goal for the next year is to get into a graduate program, so I can continue to work towards earning my architecture license. But to get to that point, I need to continue to work on projects that make me a better designer, and to have a very successful senior year and capstone. After the roller coaster that is junior year, I am ready for what is sure to be an even bigger ride, senior year, and whatever else the future holds.