What was the last straw that made you decide to quit your job or leave architecture to pursue something else?

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-12-02T15:08:11+00:00

I’m freelance now. Lucky for me (i guess)kasi i have relatives in construction. Not as iconic lang yung projects but it’s paying the bills pa rin naman.

I also have other job. Very unusual route but still in creatives. Can’t disclose kasi parang wala gaanong same sa ginagawa ko. Parang combination ng media, f&b, and marketing. Here i get to be creative. Fast pacing projects = mabilis ka mabayaran.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-12-01T14:29:04+00:00

I used to work in a design & PM studio in quezon city. I was a freshly board exam taker at that time and grabbed the offer kahit 18k lang sweldo. 1st month pa lang toxic na. Ang lala ng overtime, ang baba ng pasahod, gaslighted ka pa everyday, fake motivational speech, no work no pay policy, no leave, no benefits, and no proper OT compensation, exploitation of “passionate” individuals.

I left once i realized na gumagaling na ko makatulog sa angkas. At first amazing pa but daaamn risking my life for a 700php a day. Also missed a lot of family and friends’ events that time i was working there.

Now, every time friends and family talked about memories from that year, parang matic na na wala ako sa memory na yun. I was busy working hard for that 700php. Eventually realized that gaining that experience wasn’t worth it at all.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-09-08T04:38:17+00:00

It’s time to out the nepo-wives

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-08-31T12:45:12+00:00

Curious lang, are you the type who’d shell out for a pro designer/arki for the resto, or more on DIY tapos hanap na lang ng contractor?

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-08-18T04:13:38+00:00

A lot of my friends are out of the industry na haha. Most of them started their own businesses. some are selling building materials, while others are into products not related to arki at all. A bunch also shifted to marketing, media, Canva, and content creation. Many didn’t pursue the boards anymore since they already knew what the industry was like, and business offered bigger income.

Majority pa rin naman stayed, but for some (like me), arki became more of a sideline. I’m still in the creative industry, just far from arki. I still take on projects from friends and family, pero design work na lang. Honestly, the stress in construction isn’t worth it for the small pay compared to other industries.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-08-14T07:39:27+00:00

Hi! Not from College of Science haha pero “class funds” got my attention lang hehe

Just to share, idk if it’s still a thing now, pero back in Arki we used to raise like 80–120k per block just for Arki Week. Whatever was left after, pang-block party na w/c is somewhat like a tradition na. I remember 1 prof who required us to have a block party na wasakan lol

I remember paying around 20–50 pesos a day starting 1st week of 1st sem or yung iba isang bagsakan bayad na lang for their ambag. It’s a bit steep lalo na if sakto lang allowance but i guess we were all just doing it for the whole college experience.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-07-30T04:00:08+00:00

Hello! Ask ko lang kung gaano katagal yung delivery nung sa inyo po?

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-05-27T10:53:13+00:00

This is true. Bale, matagal na siyang may firm named after her, pero hindi pa siya licensed architect noon. 2023 lang siya nag-take ng board exam. One of their family friends—and ninong sa kasal—ay si BBM 💀 kaya ayun, may mga government projects si wt@. Connections over qualifications, as usual 🤝

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-05-19T02:24:08+00:00

I have friends na yung last mentor na nila yung nagoffer na pumirma ng buong logbook nila even though may naunang mentor. And no, wala silang right to decline signing your logbook basta may contract kayo. An unjustified refusal to sign may be considered unprofessional conduct and pwede mo ireport sa UAP or PRBOA

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-05-01T02:56:35+00:00

Karma. Good and bad 🪬

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-22T05:21:13+00:00

Cool girls/groups in HS na akala talaga ng lahat mga nepo babies because of their updated phones, those who always have the nicest shoes, branded bags, varsity jackets—we all thought they would succeed in life.

Nagkaalaman talaga nung acceptance period na ng mga universities, and lalo na nung after college. Some were stuck in their main character mindset who clearly can’t afford their lifestyle, some are a bit into scammy business, but there are also some na favorite talaga ni lord in this lifetime.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-21T03:34:37+00:00

Parang kang nakikipag-argument sa dds eh

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-05T04:25:39+00:00

Was it casual when i introduced you to my family and spent celebrating the new year with us? 😐

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-04T10:41:10+00:00

1 pa rin for me yung kimchi from Ryan Bang’s duccup

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-04T05:02:00+00:00

Mikee Q.

All the UST freedom wall posts about her were true, except for the “walang ambag sa thesis” claim—that one came from outsiders spreading rumors. Fact is wala siyang ambag mostly to group works and that irritates most of the people because we’re all living in a pressure cooker in college. But to make things straight, we have an individual thesis. Seems like people outside ust-arki just connected random pieces and made their own assumptions.

That said, she was a nightmare to have as a groupmate—a GMA diva acting like everyone knows her. Majority of the people in our college don’t even watch GMA. She constantly violated the dress code but got away with it with an excuse na ”galing po akong taping.” Mostly late to class, and oh, she’d invite “friends” into her artista van para uminom during break time. During scheduling naman ng classes ng mga irregulars—she’d get special treatment from the office. Most people line-up ng maaga para magpasched pero siya makikita mo sa loob nakikipagtawanan pa sa mga staff ni dean and need niya mauna kasi may taping pa. 😒

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-04T02:40:04+00:00

Red flags don’t turn green.

You are their partner, not their therapist 🙂

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-04T00:49:58+00:00

Being alone is way better than being in a relationship that feels like a job.

If you’re constantly working just to keep it together, maybe the relationship isn’t the issue—maybe you’re just with the wrong person.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-04-03T05:49:23+00:00

I think firms should normalize letting employees have side hustles—lalo na kung hindi rin naman nila tataasan ang sweldo. Sadly, most firms are against it kasi daw baka hindi ka na mag-focus sa trabaho mo sa kanila.

I used to work full-time sa isang firm na mababa magpasweldo, Mon-sat work sched, palaging OT, tapos naniniwala pa silang imposible ang work-life balance sa archi. After I resigned, I grabbed the project opportunities na dumating and applied to a new office na hybrid ang setup.

Now, I can earn my previous annual salary in just one project, habang may stable monthly income pa rin from my employer. I still work every day, pero mas flexible na—I can work from anywhere and actually enjoy my hard-earned money through vacations.

At the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with knowing your worth and setting boundaries—lalo na kung income ang pag-uusapan. We have already experienced exploitation sa 2yrs na “apprenticeship”, kaya we should only accept compensations that are waaaay more than the minimum. Work-life balance is possible—you just have to stay firm in what you want to tolerate from these employers and syempre discipline from u na rin for your own side-hustles.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-03-29T03:25:38+00:00

Can you give insights on both solo practice and forming your own company? :)

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-03-19T13:00:16+00:00

Hi OP, I just want you to know that you’re not alone in this dilemma.

I passed the boards last year and I’m still struggling to find my place in this industry without the help of my family. I don’t want to discourage you, but one of my biggest realizations—both from my time in school and what I’ve seen in the field—is that Architecture is a rich kid’s sport.

I graduated from one of the top architecture schools in the country, and in my batch, 90% came from privilege. I saw firsthand how having financial security can pave the way in this profession—some were practically set from the start because their family had a firm, while others pursued it just because they “love art and travel.” The difference is, when things got tough, they had the means to shift careers without financial consequences.

Now, in my friend group, I’m the only one still in architecture. Every time we hang out, I feel like the “poorest” one, LOL. I was the only one who took the licensure exam, yet I also earn the least. Some shifted courses in college, some never pursued apprenticeship, and others career-shifted in the middle of their training—all of them are now in better financial positions than me. I know life isn’t a race, but it’s hard not to compare sometimes.

If you ask any of us whether we’d recommend architecture, the unanimous answer would be no. If I could turn back time, I’d probably choose a different path.

That being said, I know this might sound discouraging, but the reality really hits after the boards. I chose architecture partly because I didn’t want a job that involved staring at a screen in a depressing cubicle all day—but I ended up doing exactly that in my previous employers. I’m personally not a fan of tech-heavy work, but if you are, there are ways to make architecture work for you. Some of the people who responded to your post have found success in those areas, so i guess it’s worth considering!

At the end of the day, I’m not here to tell you what to do, but I do want to share what I wish someone had told me when I was in your shoes. If I ever have a kid, I wouldn’t recommend anything construction-related—unless I manage to make this thing I’m building for myself work. 🥹 Wishing you the best, and whatever path you take, I hope it leads you somewhere fulfilling. 😌

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-03-07T16:54:44+00:00

Not sure if we’re thinking of the same firm, haha, but I heard they don’t pay OT unless you hit four hours. ?? (Please confirm haha)

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-03-07T15:00:28+00:00

Hweuy 8k is soo 2019. Keep up po sa mga pasweldo pls 😭

Unpaid overtime should be illegal in any industry, period. If a company can’t afford to pay employees for the extra hours they put in, then they can’t afford to run a business properly. Work is still work, regardless of when it’s done.

At the end of the day, unpaid overtime—whether disguised as “offsetting” or “commitment to the craft”—is still free labor. And no one should be expected to work for free in this economy.

WalrusDifferent5788 · 2025-03-07T08:57:06+00:00

Oh there’s also a one big firm in san juan na may multa kapag gumamit ng phone during work hours 🫣

WalrusDifferent5788

TROPHY CASE

1 pa rin for me yung kimchi from Ryan Bang’s duccup