By Sam Williams
New Beginnings
I’ve experienced two major life events within the last two months. I graduated from the University of Colorado Denver with my Masters of Architecture and started a full time position with Path21 Architecture. At the same time my wife and I had our first baby, Charlotte Grace Williams. During architectural school, staying up all night building models and drafting floor plans happened frequently. When I was an undergraduate, one of my classmates even built a small room with a mattress under his desk. In graduate school, we progressed to sleeping on the 7-foot couch in the student lounge. I thought I knew the meaning of sleepless nights; boy, was I wrong.
December 2015 marked the culmination of six years in architecture school. It’s satisfying to know that graduate school is now behind me, and the hard work has paid off. Graduation has finally come and gone! Throughout my master’s degree, I worked as a student intern with Path21 Architecture and it’s been an honor to be welcomed onto the team as a full time employee. I’ve enjoyed getting the opportunity to work on a variety of projects including residential, commercial and healthcare projects, pharmacies, breweries, and even a church. I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to work hard through school and be able to work in a field I’m passionate about. Even though I’ve only been working full-time for a month, I’m happy I can now have more of an influential role in projects.
As a student of architecture I like to organize spaces, be in control, and I like to create an overall plan for my life. Graduation plus baby has meant adapting to a whole new normal and new routine. Welcoming Charlotte has brought the awe and wonder of new life, but with it the absence of organization and planning. One morning particularly stands out. I was attempting to leave the house on time. I changed Charlotte’s diaper and thought I was in the clear only to be suddenly disappointed. Moments after the new diaper was on, Charlotte smiled and I realized I needed to change her diaper again. Thinking the worst was over, I picked her up only to have her vomit all over her clean onesie. The three-minute task had quickly turned into a time consuming ordeal. Despite all the disorder and growing pile of laundry, it was nice to leave my wife with a clean, happy baby before I left the house.
I am a new dad figuring out life, and an architectural intern figuring out my new role. It’s a steep learning curve. It will be a while before I get the hang of things both at home and in the office, but I’m looking forward to the adventure. Also, I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep.
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