She Was Beat

When I first arrived on campus in 2000 as an Architecture student, we were greeted by the professors of the College of Design. Mostly men, all Caucasian. They stood before the class and advised us that this wasn't going to be easy. We weren't going to have a normal college student life. We would spend most of our lives in the studio. One guy in particular scared the crap out of me. He said,

"if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend break up with them, if you have a job quit, if you have anything going on other than your curriculum in Architecture you will not make it. Don't even make plans to get married or have kids for the next 5 years. Look around the room, most of you people will not be here by the end of the first semester"

He was right, I didn't see a lot of people after the first semester. And two years later I too was gone. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to be an architecture student. I worked two jobs to be able to pay my bills and pay for supplies for my projects. I didn't get much sleep and on many occasions I worked on projects from the time sun went down until it came up. I even took naps in my car in between classes.

After we got our welcome talk, if that's what you want to call it. A very tall slim well dressed lady walked in with spiked heels. She was one of the only female professors...or was she a counselor?I know she was also an Architect. I can't remember. But she was very smart, very professional and very stylish. When I laid eyes on her I could see that being me. The fashion, the whit, the career. I don't remember her name but I do remember she was beat. It's crazy many years from now she's still somewhat of an inspiration.