Celebrate the Holidays at the Depot!

Celebrate the Holidays at the Depot!

by | Nov 20, 2023 | community, First Friday

It’s once again the time of year when the cold begins to creep onto your windows and as you peer outside, your breath fogs over the glass. The smell of spices and holiday pine greenery begin to fill the air. There’s a tease of snow on the horizon. … You get the picture.

At the Depot, we’re already in the holiday spirit, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! On Friday, December 1st, join us at the Depot for a special Holiday Party and First Friday event filled with artists galore, craft vendors, refreshments, community, music, an appearance by Santa himself, and more!

Artists featured on the second floor will be Randy Harman, showing his poured acrylic work; author Russ Eanes with copies of his newest book available for sale and signing; Wood and Wool, needle felting and woodturning for sale by Lynn and Phil Adams; and David Sutton of Port Farm, selling his hand-turned woodwork. This is the perfect time to buy local, handmade gifts for the holidays. Also, don’t miss a group from Red Wing Academy who will grace us with their appearance as they fill the space with music.

This is a free and kid-friendly event, and everyone is welcome and invited to join. A special thanks to our neighbors R.S. Monger and Sons Inc. and Herr & Co. for co-hosting this community event. RSVP for the event on Facebook here.

Christmas tree and decorations. Christmas decorations.
Invitation to Holiday Party and First Friday Event on December 1, 2023.
Finding Balance in Architecture School

Finding Balance in Architecture School

by | Nov 10, 2023 | architecture, Leadership, Uncategorized

By Aliyah D. White.

 

Now that I have earned my B.S. in architecture, I want to shed some light on the effect such a rigorous academic program can have on student health and offer some tips that helped me find balance in school. Architecture itself has been shown to have the capacity to positively affect mental health. However, being in school for it is a completely different story. During my time in school, I knew plenty of students who would work themselves sick in sustained periods of barely sleeping and eating, so here is some advice for students (and newbies to the workforce) that can also apply to people outside of the architecture field as well.

I always loved school when I was growing up, but when I became an architecture student, I found unexpected challenges in and out of the classroom. I was involved in multiple student organizations, doing research with professors, and working 2-3 jobs by my junior and senior years. Luckily for me, putting my physical and mental wellness high on my priorities list has become second nature after over ten years of practice. This is not the case for everyone. It is incredibly easy to fall victim to the unhealthy work culture that permeates architecture schools. Finding a good work-life balance is vital.

The most important thing I can say when it comes to work-life balance is this: GET SOME SLEEP. In my experience, all-nighters are not worth it, and there’s an abundance of evidence that lack of sleep, in whatever amount, is detrimental to your health. During my time in school, I only pulled two all-nighters. The first was in the fall of my second year at the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown. It was also one of my first semesters learning how to use Rhino and Adobe Illustrator for architecture – and it was while I was home with my parents. It turned out to be harder and more time-consuming than I expected. I sat in my little corner of my mom’s home office and worked from 6 pm the night before my review to 8 am the next morning. By the end I had a project that has not seen the light of day since — and hopefully never will.

Avoiding all-nighters ended up being very beneficial for both my studies and my health. Making a schedule to track all of my assignments in and out of the classroom allowed me to efficiently meet deadlines, avoid overworking myself, and successfully complete my tasks. I kept strict boundaries for myself such as not letting what reviewers had to say about my work — whether negative or positive — affect me too much, avoiding comparing myself to my peers, not staying at my studio desk past 8 pm (a rule that I admittedly broke more often than I would have liked), and waking up before 9 am every day. Waking up early incentivized me to go to bed early as well, so most nights I got plenty of sleep. I avoided becoming obsessive over my schoolwork because I had other passions that needed taking care of. I personally do not operate well when there is only one activity, project, or interest occupying my mind.

Aliyah pointing at screen, defending undergraduate thesis.

Other than being sure to get plenty of sleep to fuel my studies and extracurriculars, I also found time to just exist. Studies show that the mind is the most creative when it is idle. However, finding stillness during a busy day is not easy. If you struggle to find time to do nothing, you can try my method. After classes and during work sessions I would simply look out of a window for five to fifteen minutes (there’s a great article, here, about the benefits of this). In semesters that I would get lucky with the location of my studio, my desk was in front of humongous two-story bay windows, so I would look outside while listening to music or the commotion of frantic architecture students around me. I wouldn’t think about my work or my responsibilities, I would just exist and idly people watch. The art of observing was, and still is, my favorite form of relaxation. I have been fortunate enough to be assigned a desk at work in front of a big window with a view of mountains, trees, and cars passing by. In truth, this is something I have done since I was little and before I knew of the potential benefits, so I have always enjoyed taking my little “window breaks”.

View through office window at Luxor, our Charlottesville office location.

Another important part of finding balance in school was a method my mom taught me when I was young — which I still credit for my healthy work-life balance today. It is the 8 Dimensions of Wellness model, conceptualized by Dr. Peggy Swarbrick of the School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. She defines wellness as, “A conscious, deliberate process that requires a person to become aware of and make choices for a more satisfying lifestyle.” I suggest that people of all personal backgrounds keep an updated priorities list that covers their physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, occupational, financial, and environmental health. There is a comprehensive guide towards using the wellness model co-written by Dr. Swarbrick, here. Now that I am out of school, I mainly work towards physical, emotional, environmental, and occupational wellness on a day-to-day basis, but am sure to give attention to all 8 long-term to maintain my overall wellness.

Making it through the hustle and bustle of architecture school is rough but doable. If I did not find a groove that worked well for me, I never would have made it, so find what works best for you. It is worth it.

The Importance of Mentorship

The Importance of Mentorship

by | Oct 27, 2023 | Leadership, Local Leaders

On today, National Mentoring Day, Aliyah shares about the importance of mentorship and her experience.

 

When I was in high school, my mom convinced me to join a dual-enrollment vocational program that would allow me to spend half of the school day learning drafting skills. I spent my junior year in engineering design as a prerequisite for the architectural design class I took in my senior year. Both classes were taught by a Black architect. It was the first and last time I had a Black teacher in my architectural education. At the time I did not take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the road ahead of me, and though I am not one for regrets, I do wish that I had.

I did not make meaningful connections with Black mentors or professors until my final year of undergrad at UVA.  I ran into some difficulty with my undergraduate design thesis, which aimed to design a Black student center for the school. I was in desperate need of extra opinions on my work from people who understood where I came from.  Fortunately, there were three Black faculty members at the time that I could talk to outside of class.

I am not the best when it comes to networking. However, this is not because I am not good at talking to and connecting with people. It’s because I generally prefer to be on my own, so my people skills often only come out when they must. Learning to depend on others has been an important part of my journey and takes work every day. The time I spent talking to those people in school affirmed my experiences and encouraged me to continue doing my best despite the obstacles I was facing. They helped equip me with tools to defend myself and the conditions I set for my project.

When I finally had the opportunity to talk with Black advisors, I realized how much easier my time in undergrad could have been. It changed my outlook on my future as a designer and storyteller for the better. Finding people who have gained wisdom from being in the positions that you want to be in is invaluable. They can point you in the right direction for ideas, inspiration, and solutions. Mentorship is a major key to success and using the knowledge of those who came before you can prevent a lot of heartache and headaches.

Aliyah with her teacher in highschool. She holds a poster while winning third in a high school design competition.

Pictured, Aliyah with her high school teacher after she placed 3rd in a regional design competition during her senior year.

First Friday Artist: Joe Fitzgerald

First Friday Artist: Joe Fitzgerald

by | Oct 24, 2023 | artwork, community, First Friday

On Friday, November 3rd from 5:00pm-7:00pm, we are thrilled to host a First Fridays Gallery Opening at The Depot featuring the talented photographer Joe Fitzgerald! Join us to view Joe’s exhibition, “Sense of Place,” and to enjoy food, refreshments, and community. Get to know more about Joe and his art below and RSVP on Facebook here.

First Friday artist Joe Fitzgerald's headshot

Biography:

I’ve been a newspaper editor, Harrisonburg mayor, political hack, reporter, writer, programmer, photographer, webmaster, tech writer, and a night clerk in a 7-Eleven. Not all at the same time. I’m retired now, so I’m only doing two of those – photos and writing – and only when I want to. Like everybody else, I’m trying to keep my cool while the world doesn’t. I’m married to Deb, economics professor at BRCC and the only person I know of to chair both the city’s School Board and its Planning Commission. She spots photos for me, tells me when I’ve processed one too much, suggests which ones to print, and helps me hang them. I do the rest, including pointing the camera, choosing the f-stop, and taking the credit.

Artist Statement:

“Sense of Place,” photos by Joe Fitzgerald. “We travel, and Deb says, “Look over there,” and I have a camera with me. Beyond that, the photos have to speak for themselves, even if I’m never sure what they’re saying.”

photograph of mountains by Joe Fitzgerald
photograph entitled, "Mosco Street"

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there! See the event page and RSVP here.

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot! We will have food and drink available!

Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon 2023: “It Takes Little to Be Big”

Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon 2023: “It Takes Little to Be Big”

by | Oct 23, 2023 | citizen architect, community, Local Leaders

Last Thursday our Harrisonburg team attended the Big Brothers Big Sisters luncheon, “Bigger Together: A Community Celebration of Mentoring.” It was a wonderful time to meet other leaders in the community and hear from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) mentors. Speakers shared about their time mentoring youth in the community, and a theme that came through was that mentors were pleasantly surprised to be greatly impacted by the youth that they were paired with. Often, their relationships last past the program with a great respect for each other and a want to continue making meaningful connections. 

Harrisonburg team members at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Luncheon.
Big Brothers Big Sisters sponsorship sign at the luncheon.

A central theme of the luncheon was “It Takes Little to Be Big.” This simple fact was a good reminder and impactful to our team members. The speaker emphasized that it’s often not the grandiose or “big” moments that are impactful, but the seemingly small actions. A high-five, laugh together, 15 minutes supporting studying, cheering each other on, providing a listening ear, and the list goes on. Asha reflected, “I am often surprised to be going about my day and have a little voice of something someone said once go through my head. These small things impact me greatly, sometimes in negative ways, but often in positive ways. Or at least they provide me with a laugh. I was glad to be reminded of all the small things that we do that we may never know positively impact each other.”

It is always a pleasure to support such an incredible organization, and we are so grateful for all that they do to bring the community together and support youth. Consider joining the mentorship program or volunteering in other ways. Remember that you don’t have to commit to doing something huge, because sometimes it only takes a little to be big. To read more about the programs through BBBS, visit: https://www.bbbshr.org/programs/.