Second Year of Architecture School: A Zine

Hello again! This is a short zine to encapsulate my second year of architecture school. It’s optional but if you’d like to read in order, here is my 2019 First Year of Architecture School zine, and prior to that I tested the waters with my 2018 Senior Year (of high school) zine. Following this 2020 zine will be some reflection on my process and the school year in general.

Here are some thoughts on the zine and my improvement from my previous zines:

• As compared to my previous years, this zine was drawn roughly on paper, scanned, drawn panel by panel on firealpaca (free drawing software I’ve used since 2017), then imported onto adobe indesign (wow fancy, thanks college for ‘free’ adobe products). I think it’s easier to have ideas flow kind of messily on paper and then reorganize digitally. I also like the crisp panels made in indesign.
• I maintained the color scheme and drawing style of the first year zine just for continuity sake. Except I changed the eyes from dots to lines and the color shade is a bit different because I am ~adventurous~ and take risks (wow).
• Maybe it’s just because I stare at it for too long, but even though I know my lettering is getting better I still feel like it varies a lot in spacing or size which looks sorta weird. As an experiment I made a font from my handwriting but I think that isn’t great since some letters flow differently when next to each other which doesn’t happen in the font, so everything is lettered individually.
• The cover this time is also consistent with my first year zine, though I think I like the first year pose better, it’s more dynamic. I am standing in front of my fall 2019 final pin-up (because the spring 2020 final was online as you are aware).

Second year had unique challenges as compared to first year. I think part of it is that of course more is expected of you, but we are still very new and are learning a lot (at least I feel that way).

My summer class has gone well! I am also part of the orientation staff for this year’s upcoming freshmen, though it’s going to be severely altered due to the current pandemic. Also still keeping up with my animal crossing island daily- hit me up if you want to be friends, I only have one at the moment!

The current struggle is figuring out whether or not it is worth it to return to campus since all of my instruction will likely be online and then I will *maybe* have part of my design class in person. I am also from a state that it is necessary to quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival, but if they don’t let me quarantine in the dorm I have no where to stay. At the moment it sounds like they aren’t going to let us quarantine in the dorms, we need to do it somewhere in New York before coming to campus. Makes me so frustrated. It’s a whole mess.

I know my ability to focus is worse at home, I’ve also grown weary of my housemates (read: parents), and I am looking forward to seeing my new roommate again, however in reality I’d be stuck in half of a dorm room for most of the time (since the social contract is saying we are only allowed to leave for groceries), and if I do get sick I will be forcibly removed from my dorm and relocated, and thus be all alone. And who knows if I will have my campus job again or not, since printing isn’t really necessary when everything is virtual. Not sure what to do. I am somewhat thankful though that my degree is 5 years long so I hopefully will have more time to explore the city and everything again someday.

Uncertainties aside, I hope you have enjoyed and thanks for reading! Stay safe out there.

Let me know what you think in the comments or on instagram (@ elclapp)!