Days (or rather, nights) before the deadline, the studio becomes a haven for all those students madly rendering, photoshopping, and printing the last pieces of their presentation, using the adrenaline of the deadline for motivation. While it's common for people to disagree even on the true definition of an all-nighter—is it classed as working until the sun rises, being awake for a period of over 24 hours, or even working right through to bedtime the following evening?—students often unhealthily boast about how many they have survived.
People’s true personalities begin to blossom in the early hours of the morning, and you get to experience the person they truly are. Although many of us have probably experienced such nights, it is luckily a culture that we grow out of throughout architecture school, or at least something we get wise to and begin to reassess our priorities. But the memories of those who suffered through with us will never be forgotten.
The Robot
The robot is usually found sat at their desk with their eyes fixated on the screen for ten hours straight (often longer) as only their hands move to type in commands and move the cursor. Even if the fire alarm were to go off, they would stay glued to their chair, continuously working without respite.
The Perfectionist
No one knows why they are still in the studio as, to human eyes, their work appears complete. Yet there they must stay, furiously rendering and photoshopping until they agree it is perfect.
The Egotist
Having finished hours before everyone else, they relish in everyone else’s pain and suffering. Around 11 pm you can usually find them circulating the studio, boasting to everyone that they are already done and can get a full night of sleep.
The Social Butterfly
Moving from one person to the next, they keep themselves busy chatting away and offering advice on everyone’s project but their own. Whether they are actually interested in other people's work or just using it as a form of procrastination is up for debate.
The Good Samaritan
A more light-hearted version of The Egotist, but without the bragging. They too have annoyingly finished their own work, but remain to offer support and help to anyone and everyone who needs it.
The Adrenaline Junkie
It takes the risk of not finishing in time to motivate this person into being productive and getting all the drawings done. No matter how late they leave it though, they always seem to finish seconds before it’s due.
The Night Owl
Their sleeping pattern has been totally neglected throughout the project and by the end they are wide-eyed in the middle of the night, thriving in the early hours and rarely seen during the day.
The Magician
At the beginning of their night in the studio, they have little-to-no work to show for themselves, yet by using some unknown wizardry they can churn out all the drawings and plans they need by the end of it. How they do it is a closely guarded secret only a select few know.
The Rocket
How they have so much energy at 4 am baffles most people—but it must be said that their technique of star jumps and push-ups to wake themselves up really does work.
The Compulsive Liar
They say they do all-nighters, but no one can remember ever seeing them after 10 pm. While they are living the dream of going to bed at a healthy time, they want to be included in the exclusive group of all-nighter survivors, making the claim that staying until any time after 7 pm counts.
The Complainer
We get it, working all night sucks. But rather than using all their energy to get their project done so they can go to bed, The Complainer instead wastes it on counting how many hours they have gone without sleep and reciting it every half hour to any poor soul in the room.
The Superhuman
Possibly even more annoying than The Egotist, this person seems to be simply inhuman in their ability to work. Besides the 30 drawings they have already produced, they are maintaining a part-time job producing renders for top architects, while still planning to finish more overnight than you thought possible.
The Coffee Addict
While coffee is a habit most architects and students can relate to, the worst addicts are up every twenty minutes to refill their mug with liquid energy for the night ahead.
Images for this article were kindly provided by Andrea Vasquez.
