Standing on the Otherside of the Podium

I took a quick trip down to Baton Rouge (my home town) this past weekend. With all of the new residents from New Orleans, the city is taking on a new urban vibe. I stayed at the newly restored Capital House in a revitalized downtown. My room had amazing views of the Mississippi River. With only 2 full days, my schedule was packed.

View of the Mississippi River and Bridge from my room

I spent Friday at LSU’s college of Design speaking with the students majoring in Interior Design. Returning to my college immersed in an academic environment is something I hope to do more often. Back when I was a student, I vividly remember listening to guest speakers talk about their design work. It’s hard to believe that was just 10 years ago. Time flies by so fast.

It was nice to be on the other side of the podium sharing my story and career experience since graduating. I hope I was able to inspire the students to chase after their dreams. With hard work and passion, they do come true.

After having lunch with the professors, I toured the design studios. As I met with each student, I enjoyed listening to them present their current project.

Later in the day I toured LaHouse (LSU Department of Agriculture’s current project). LaHouse is being built to demonstrate new construction methods which can withstand Hurricanes while also being environmentally conscious. It was a huge learning experience for me to see products that have been invented to ensure the safety of those during a hurricane such as Katrina. To learn more, Copy and Paste their website below to your web browser (especially if you plan to build or remodel in the near future)

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/family_home/home/la_house/

Part of the tour also included the discussion of furniture that will be placed in LaHouse. The focus on the furniture pieces will demonstrate how furniture can also be environmentally conscious and universally designed. I was so impressed with the project that I plan to donate furniture that I will design just for the house. I am very excited to be a part of this educational project.

The LaHouse under construction

With only a day left, I spent quality time with my family and also caught up with some old college friends.

The time flew by and before I knew it, Sunday was here. Most of Sunday was spent in airports and cars making my way back home.

What I realized once I got home is that time flies in various intervals of life. Whether it’s been 10 years since graduation or a quick 2 day trip, you can guage time by the amount of things you learn.