Last year, I had a very hectic weekend around my 24th birthday, going from spending hours scarfing down KBBQ on one night to passing my final architecture exam two days later. Why am I sharing this with you? Because I feel that this specific weekend represents a lot about me: my love of movies, my craving for KBBQ, my drive for architecture, and some bad time management. Like why the hell did I schedule my Architecture Exam two days after my birthday? I had complete control over when I could take the exam, but I chose to do it that day. I guess I just like the challenge, or I am a masochist. But, if you are in the architecture field, then you are a masochist. Anyways, I hope you enjoy my anecdote.
Saturday, November 5 – Turning 24
It was a Saturday, and it happened to be my 24th Birthday. Usually on Saturdays, you can enjoy the entire day because the next day is Sunday, so there is nothing to worry about. Except, I had a really, really, important exam coming up that decided whether I become an architect or not. I should have been studying hard that whole weekend to prep myself as best as possible. So, how did I spend my birthday?
By doing the most important thing first: go watch a movie. I spent the afternoon going to my favorite movie theater, the Alamo Drafthouse on Dekalb Avenue at City Point Brooklyn, where I watched a superbly well-made Korean film called Decision to Leave (highly recommend). It was disappointing that the movie did not get any recognition at the Oscars, but that kind of stuff always happens. At the Alamo Drafthouse, they serve top-notch food and drinks, not that Lunchables nachos plastic. I think I got the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with a sweet, delicious Vanilla Shake. I treated myself well.
Then, I spent the night getting delicious KBBQ & Hot Pot with some friends (two of my roommates and my good college friend Jake). We went to Brooklyn’s Chinatown (yes Brooklyn has their own Chinatown) and ate at a place called 99 Favor Taste, and we strategically picked this restaurant because the price was free for birthday people (with a valid ID, of course). Luckily for me, it was my birthday, so I got to splurge on MEATS!!! We also drank a good amount of Soju to keep it interesting, whatever that means. Also, the restaurant brought out a monkey mascot person that clapped awkwardly as the servers brought out a cup of ice cream for the birthday boy (that’s me!!!). The monkey man was the highlight of my birthday.
Sunday, November 6 – Last Minute Studying
So, I decided to pursue my architects license in California. You must pick a state. There are six national exams that every state requires licensure candidates to pass, known as the Architecture Registration Exam (or AREs for short), and I already passed them all back in July. In most states, I would have already completed my licensure requirements. But NOPE!
California is special because it has one little extra architecture exam called the California Supplemental Exam (CSE for short). By this point, I kept pushing my exam date back and back, but then I put my foot down and committed to taking the exam on Monday, November 7th! Well, silly me, that was the next day. And I spent all yesterday celebrating my birthday. Whoops.
I went into the office the prior weekend to study, and Bjarke was there doing a project design review. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him again, but he was not here this time. Just a couple people here and there, and the legend Kai Uwe-Bergmann (one of the firm partners), who was either working diligently or watching funny YouTube videos. I could not tell. He was thinking I was working diligently, or that I liked being in the office. Anyways, I sat at my desk reviewing everything I could, for six hours straight. I remembered to drink plenty of fluids to keep my mental power strong. Once I got all the reviewing I needed, it was time to go back to my apartment and get a good night’s sleep.
Monday, November 7 – The Final Exam
Outside of California, the number of testing centers that administer CSE were sparse. Although New York has plenty of testing centers, the closest one to me that administered the CSE was the PSI Testing Center found on 34 Marconi Street in the Bronx, about a 1 hour 20-minute ride by public transit from my Brooklyn apartment. Along the trip, I stopped by a USPS mailbox to drop my 2022 Election Ballot for the County of Los Angeles because democracy is important. I then transferred over to the 6-Train to embark on my journey.
It was bizarre being so far out of the city, away from the skyscrapers of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The outskirts of New York felt like Irvine, a sprawling suburbia (basically home for me). I was able to find the testing center, located in a generic two-story building, and I got mentally prepared. This was it. If I passed, I would become an Architect. If not, I would have to wait three more months before retaking it. Also, a side note, for the CSE, they give you an 11×17 hard copy booklet for the case study portion of the exam. Pretty old school if you ask me.
So, three hours later, I finished answering all the test items with an hour to spare. But I will never get that hour back, so I spent that hour just reviewing my answers over and over. I even took a potty break because I could. I finally clicked “end exam” on the computer screen and answered some pedestrian survey questions, such as “Did you have a good experience at your testing center.” As I stepped out of the testing area, the proctor outside exclaimed to me “Congratulations! You passed!” It was that quick. It was so incredibly relieving. That is the magic of the CSE, you know your results instantly. She printed out my license registration form that I eventually filled out and mailed it a couple of days later.
When I exited the building, I immediately called my dad and told him that I was going to be an architect, like my father before me (that is a Luke Skywalker reference). Honestly, it was probably the proudest he’s ever been for me, and I cannot blame him, as I felt the same. I then texted a whole bunch of other people afterwards, including my mom, brother, and Christopher Tron. Whose Christopher Tron? If you know, you know. I then told my four roommates about the news as they had consistently supported me on my journey to licensure, even though they have really no idea what architecture is about. I have no idea what physical therapy is about, which is what they are all studying. No one really knows anything. But we all support each other because that is what friends do.
To celebrate for the second time in three days, we had a nice family-like dinner at a nearby restaurant Dino KBBQ. Stuff happened and I returned to work the next day as an almost architect. I’m not sure what the lesson was here. Study hard? Celebrate your accomplishments? Or maybe it was having fun with dudes in monkey costumes.
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