MLA student, should I stay or should I go?

[TLS]

Hey everyone,

I have currently just started my second year in a 3 year program for an MLA. My undergrad was in Geography. Beginning last year I was having my doubts if this was what I really wanted to do. In the summer I found out I lost my assistantship position, meaning I would have to pay for school (last year I went for free). With that being said, I had to take out a loan, but that was the point where I asked myself “Is it worth it to get into debt for?” I already have a heavy debt from undergrad looming over. So to sum it up I am at a crossroads. I love the academia of it, doing the designs, being creative working with space, (except I hate the engineering part of it), but in a way I dislike the professional aspects of it such as the grim outlook for jobs, low pay and the time it takes to get licensed.

I then began to do research on the state of the profession. What I saw was not pleasant. If anything it persuaded me even more to discontinue the degree. All the horror stories, stats, made this profession’s outlook look very grim. In all honesty I also don’t want to rack up all this debt and put in all this work to work in an industry that people are getting laid off left and right with relatively low pay, and that’s even if I were to find a position in it. My heart is telling me to stay, because I enjoy it, but my brain is telling me to go find something that is creative, doing well and pays well that I would enjoy, maybe not as much.

I wouldn’t call myself an artist per say, but more of a creator. I like being creative, be it writing a story, drawing, designing, basically just creating. So I am looking at other options that use both creativity but are fairly lucrative as well (ie, like Web Design). Web Design is something I am looking into, it’s creative, the industry is booming for it and it pays well. If I get into Web Design I would go into a Master’s program that specializes in it. I am considering an MS program in it which I have seen at various schools. I keep going back and forth. Right now I am only going part-time in my MLA which will set me back but it’s all I can afford right now.

 

Also, just to give everyone an idea where I am coming from. I became unemployed at the end of the school year in May and didn’t get a job until mid July. Then the job I got in summer was minimum wage with few hours. Pretty much that month and half I was horribly broke I had a rude awakening of how money is very important, not so much in the sense that it brings happiness, but it is a part of it included with friends, family, career etc. Before I was like “I love Landscape Architecture, I don’t care about the low pay” but after experiencing that unemployment, I realized that in today’s world your passion isn’t everything, you need to take into consideration a lot of things.

So does anyone have any advice or opinions? I am hoping to make a decision by the end of September. Do I follow my heart and stay? Or my brain and go find something else that will satisfy my heart and brain?

I have talked to family, friends, people in the department, and will begin contacting people in the profession to get advice as well.

[Elizabeth Renton]

It’s hard to create a fair perspective on this question given the circumstances of today’s economy. It would be all too easy to say ‘GO! RUN! GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! THERE ARE NO JOBS!’ But that’s not taking a big-picture view of the situation. Eventually, the economy will recover and there will be jobs again and there will be lots of opportunity. It’s just a matter of, do you love the profession enough to bear with the unpleasantness for the next few years while we’re recovering?

I have many friends who have been laid off, and since they couldn’t find another job at a firm they’ve taken on random odd jobs to tide them over for now….working at a portrait studio, doing marketing at a real estate company, etc. Totally not related to the profession, but it’s what they had to do to survive for now. When jobs starting coming back to life they’ll jump back in the profession. Are you willing to ‘tough it out’ if you have to?

I might also add that in my experience, the ACADEMIC world of landscape architecture is very different from the PROFESSIONAL/ working world of landscape architecture. It’s definitely not the same. My classmates and I were all enthralled with passion during school…bright eyed, bushy tailed, ready to take on the world. Working in a landscape architecture firm is just different from working in the landscape architecture field…. in school you never had to worry about irresponsible office managers, crappy bosses, persnickety clients, demoralizing value engineering, mightier-than-thou architects and engineers running the show. You have to really LOVE the profession in order to cope with the office politics. But I guess that’s true of any profession.

[TLS]

Thanks guys for the suggestions. Also, I am considering maybe finishing the program and at the same time teach myself Web Design and do it as a part time and it could eventually become a career. If I were to pursue a career in Web Design too, and capable of fully designing website through proof of a portfolio, employers might be interested in that I am bring something else, meaning Landscape Architecture in terms of design, to the table.

[Rob Halpern]

It seems to me that to the extent anyone is expecting this whole economic mess to eventually go away and for things to be back the way they were for L.A.s 3 or more years ago…it seems unlikely for a very long time. That building boom and the landscape work it generated will not be repeated anytime soon, IMO. Just like the Dot.com boom will not (and has not) been repeated. The next boom will be something else entirely.

That said, there are too many L.As around now. And there are too many web designers. The two fields that interest you are VERY competitive and will remain that way for a decade or more. That doesn’t mean you ought to avoid either one, of course.
You are going to have to decide where your passion is (landscape architecture? web design? retiring at 45?) and step forward bravely with open eyes, ready to accept the successes and stresses that will come your way.

[Claudia Chalfa]

Landscape architecture is a calling. If you feel called to do this, it won’t matter what the economy looks like. Do what you love and the money will follow.

The nice thing is that with an MLA, you can find work as a planner (as I did), and in many other related sidelines of the profession, and wait out this economic situation. It won’t last forever.

I always remind myself that Thomas Church (one of my design heroes) started his business during the Great Depression.

Honestly, I must say that this recession has probably benefited our profession in one way: Only those who truly love what they do will remain when all is said and done. And that will make our profession better in the long run.

[Author]

Posts