Professionals don’t work in a vacuum. They (the good ones, at least) work in a rich, symbiotic web of other professionals, organizations, causes, mentors, and clients. The idea that students (especially those studying to become Architectural professionals) would be educated in a vacuum is therefore absurd. The college experience is often flouted as a major and required step toward entrance into the “real world”. But upon arrival, we are greeted with a protective bubble of grade school rituals, lists of dos and don’ts, and projects that often result in the development of a god-complex in ambitious 20-somethings. Inevitably there must be a beginning; a foundation of usable tools has to be laid—but educators and students alike should be wary of prolonging the facade of independence. Skills learned at an individual level must be honed and practiced, but we are constantly compared to and learning from our peers. As we progress through the studios, bigger and more complex individual projects are the norm. The god-complex has set in by this time, and it is increasingly hard to let go of the ubiquitous autonomy that grips even the most humble of us. With no real consequences, we design 30,000 square foot art galleries in exotic locations, applauding each other for such talented feats of architecture. Studio move-in day in the Fall of Fifth Year is fraught with mild anxiety because rumors are spreading that “group work” will be a required item on the agenda—hopefully that doesn’t last long. The young demigods are forced into groups, and told to “collaborate” on a architectural project that will be a capstone to their educational careers. To some this is an exciting prospect, to others, terrifying. Left to our own devices we are often petty, competitive, bickering children that find it hard to agree on door knobs let alone building typologies.