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Why the UK, Oxford, and Architecture: Decisions at a Crossroads

"Sometimes, the thing you love goes against your family or the world. In those moments, you have to explain if you can, and ignore if you must."

This article is also available in [Burmese]

(Read Time: 20 Minutes)

When I first chose Architecture, the first places that came to mind were the countries of Europe. But the real world doesn’t always align with your imagination. The diploma I had was a Canadian high school diploma (OSSD). Most of the students from my school who studied Computer Science went to Canada. The number of us who chose Architecture and took Visual Arts could be counted on one hand. So, it wasn’t surprising that my first destination of choice was Canada.

But not every decision in life is made with complete freedom. When what you want to study, what you’re preparing for, and what your family expects are all different things, anyone would feel stressed. I’m only human, after all. After applying to about three universities in Canada and six in the UK, I eventually chose the UK as my path. Why?

Part 1: The Inherited Dream

My educational background is complicated. I attended an international curriculum school in my youth, then switched to a Burmese state school in 8th grade. However, my academic journey came to a halt just before my final high school exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent political coup. If I had made different choices in between, or chosen another path, things would surely be different.

The Path Laid Out by My Family: An Engineer in Singapore

If I had followed the original path laid out for me, with the financial support my family could provide, the furthest I could have gone was Singapore. The plan was to pass the Burmese matriculation exam and become an engineer at a university in Singapore. In our community, this is like a formula for success. It’s safe, prestigious, and seen as a guarantee for the future.

Looking back now, it’s a joke! To think that a Burmese matriculation certificate could easily get you into a world-class university was a childish dream.

The Unexpected “Gap Year”

That one or two-year period when I was disconnected from my studies was both the darkest and most valuable time for me. The boy who only knew school and home was finally exposed to the real world and its people. I had the chance to experiment and discover what genuinely interested me and made me happy. You could say I learned how to “fit in with people.” If I had gone abroad immediately without those experiences, I would have faced far greater difficulties.

And so, I no longer wanted to spend 3-4 years on an IGCSE program. I decided to pursue the OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma) because it was shorter and better suited to my qualifications.

Part 2: Choosing a Country - Filtering the Possibilities

Once I had the OSSD diploma, I had to choose a country. My family had hoped for me to major in Engineering in an English-speaking country. So, I had to filter my options one by one.

Australia: At the time, the visa situation was not favourable, so this option was the first to be eliminated.
USA: It was too expensive for me, considering my significant living costs.
Europe (Non-English speaking countries): Countries like Finland and Poland often require proficiency in their native language. Although English-speaking courses are available, language remains a significant barrier to job opportunities and societal integration.
Asia (Japan, Korea, Thailand): The situation is similar. The struggle of learning a new language from scratch is not small. And besides, I didn’t want to study in an Asian country.

In the end, I was left with only two choices: Canada or the UK.

Part 3: Choosing a Major - The Mental Battle

This was one of the most difficult times of my life. I started school in September 2022. I was asked to choose my major in November 2022. I hadn’t even been in school for three months, and I was being pressured to choose a major that could define my entire career. I was genuinely stressed.

The Conflict Between Passion and Pragmatism

I’ll admit it. I don’t love Architecture. I don’t love any major. I'm looking for a project related to the arts that's also practical. I’m thrilled cooking for myself, playing sports, shooting videos, taking photos, or just doodling with a pencil.

But my family and the school were pushing for Computer Science, which they saw as having more potential. It’s not that I couldn’t do CS. But I couldn’t stomach the idea of a life spent coding as a daily job.

When these pressures became too much, I reached a point where I thought, “If it comes to this, I’ll just go to Thailand and study whatever major I can get into,” or even, “I’m just going to drop out of this school.”

Why Architecture?

After all this mental struggle, an answer finally emerged: “Architecture.”

This wasn’t a choice made out of my greatest passion. It was my “strategic compromise.” It was a bridge that could connect my love for the arts and design with the professional skill set needed to survive in the real world.

I even had to choose between Interior Architecture and Architecture. In the end, I chose the broader field of Architecture.

Part 4: A Philosophy for Choosing Your Path

Choosing a major is not a simple process. It’s a negotiation between your heart, your brain, and the realities of life.

First, consider your passion (The Heart): What makes you happy? What is it that makes you lose track of time?
Second, consider the viability of this major (The Brain): Does it offer job opportunities both abroad and in Myanmar?
Third, consider the practicalities (The Reality): Can your family afford the costs?

An education consultant who helped me a lot once said, “Ask yourself if you would still do this job if you had to be married to it for the rest of your life.” When you ask that, your options narrow down considerably.

Something to Support Your Passion

Whatever you’re passionate about, you need a practical foundation to support it in the long run. Let’s say I love to dance and take photos. But if I can’t make a living from those things alone, I need a foundation that can support me. For me, that foundation became Architecture.

In this era, a single subject doesn’t have to define you for life. Many people with architecture degrees are working in other fields or who are pursuing two majors side-by-side.

Conclusion

Sometimes, the thing you love goes against the path set by your family or the world. In those moments, you have to explain if you can, ignore if you must, and keep walking your oath. And in doing so, you will eventually find a place that is right for you.

Even those of us who were like children in Yangon, who couldn’t cook or clean, can learn to survive and thrive like adults after struggling for a while in a foreign land. I am the same. And so will you be.