Spreads

This is my 2nd year. Fourth semester.

My university timetable for this semester isn't too bad. 6 weeks in now, and I've learnt a fair bit, gained a few new skills in drawing, a few more insights in all sorts of design philosophies as well as the intricate analysis of stresses in various objects.

I truely do love this Double Degree that i'm undertaking at Monash. I'm receiving all the joys and excitement from the world of Industrial Design. Manipulating form, applying emotions, speed and various other verbs to completely inanimate objects. On the other hand, I'm getting all the explanations into the wonderful book of practical laws. Learning about how things fit together, how things are work in terms of maximizing it's strength without comprising the constant constraint of minimum cost.

All these things are good and well, but these days I've begun to doubt. I see the brilliant mathematical and analytical minds from the Engineering Department. They throw out these extremely elegant solutions and precise calculation from their concise knowledge and understanding of mechanics. Then I see the wonderful, fluid designs full of thought, deep process and profound philosophies. The amount of work that goes into a simple design is most admirable and fascinating.

Then there's me, doing this double degree. Who's torn between the thought processes of both. Engineering for maximum practicability, Designing for the most appealing aesthetics. My fellow double-degree-rs do just fine though. And probably don' share the same insecurities of being spread too thin, and being handicapped in this course (in comparison to those doing the vanilla courses).

Earlier this year, I ran into a fellow doing his Industrial Design at Monash. I found out that he was also a graduate of the same double degree that I was doing. I asked him, "As I'm taking more Engineering units, and gaining more knowledge in that area, I find that...the Industrial Design side just feels so superficial, frail and just fake." He chuckles and replies, "You're feeling that it's bullshit now? Oh man, it only get's worse from here."

That stuck with me.

Actually, he further went on and explained the course outline, and how it's inevitable for you to feel that way. Since you'll be always taking engineering units a level ahead of the units taken under the Design Faculty. Essentially, your course will dictate that you're knowledge in practicality will be so much more advanced in comparison to your skills in controlling aesthetics.

TL;DR: I think I'm spreading myself too thin, and I'm feeling like everything that I know is half-arsed. I'm complaining that the work load means that I don't have enough time and energy in the day to invest general knowledge and research into either degree properly.

"Jack of all trades, Master of None."

Solution: Work harder, be more efficient