Kelsey Kupish, Alliance Architects’ newest registered interior designer, sits down with me and shares her experiences on re-acquainting herself with study habits, balancing a full schedule while cramming for one of the biggest tests of her lifetime, and why she chose interior design.
With regard to the test, what was the most difficult thing to overcome?
For me, getting back into studying was somewhat of a challenge. It had been a few years since I had to study for any type of test, so re-teaching myself how to study was half the battle. Not having a study partner the in the spring was also a challenge I had to overcome, since finding the motivation was not easy. Luckily, my co-worker April joined me in the fall, which really helped to have someone else to discuss the exams content.
How did you stay on track with studying? Balancing work life/home life, etc.
At the beginning I was very “gung-ho” to start studying. I was okay with the fact that most of my evenings would be occupied by studying. Sadly, this go-get-it attitude didn’t last the entire four month period it took to study. Actually, the ‘studying all night every night’ approach got tiring rather quickly. When this happened, I shifted my studying to everyday at lunch and a couple mornings per week, which opened up the evening for something more fun.
What advice would you give to fellow test takers?
The most important thing that I had to keep telling myself while studying was “work your butt off studying for a short time rather than putting in half the effort for a much longer amount of time.” In the grand scheme of things, I would much rather have had no life for a couple months and become a licensed designer than the opposite situation.
What interested you to pursue this career?
Shortly after starting my interior design classes at Kansas State I realized there was so much more to interior design than most people think, including myself. Our professors taught us that making spaces as efficient as possible while protecting the health, safety and welfare of the users was really the backbone to interior design. After learning that valuable lesson, I paid more attention when entering spaces, especially places I often visited, such as classrooms, libraries, grocery stores and my apartment. I realized how much more efficient and improved all of these places could be. From that point on, I knew I had entered the correct career in order to help improve the lives of people by improving the spaces they spend their time in.
What would you like to see more of in the design industry?
I would like to see more sustainable work within the design industry. So much of what we all use in our everyday lives goes to waste into landfills. If more recycled products are produced and can be used in the construction, I think this industry could help make a stance in the sustainability world.
