She’s ALIVE! And offers GIFs.

April 24th, 2012 § 2 comments § permalink

As of tomorrow, April 25, 2012, 2.30pm, my 2nd year as a UBC student will officially have finished.

Wow.

Cue the “This year just flew by”s and the “I’m gonna be a 3rd year next year?!”s. The end of the year is always a time of mixed feelings, a huge pile of feelings that are settling in my tummy, and ones I am trying to figure out.

2nd year is difficult, more so than 1st year. Like any year, ups and downs were there, but due to personal circumstances I admittedly went through more downs than usual. I will not lie- my feelings are still in the dumps, but the hope is there. There is motivation, and though I am sad, I feel so inspired at the same time. More on this in the next two days- I have a couple more posts coming up- one with more reflection and pictures, another with a lot of reflection on New York, but this post is different. This post is supposed to be my funny one.

Because it’s the sequel to my smash hit of a post from last year, My 1st Year UBC Experience in GIFs, in which I attempt, once more, to express the trials and triumphs of the past year through that subtle art form, the GIF image.

Here we go- for your enjoyment! Warning that they might load slowly.

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Study music: paper-writing edition.

October 23rd, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink

My background music, when I write a paper, can vary. Mainly depending on the course itself, or on which part of the writing process I’m in (either the AHHHHH-I-don’t-know-how-to-start, I’m-just-writing-whatever-at-this-point, BAM-I-AM-SO-OWNING-THIS, or I-AM-DOOMED-I’VE-ONLY-WRITTEN-500-WORDS-AND-IT’S-DUE-TOMORROW phase).

Here’s the music that’ll be on my playlist as my paper-writing season commences:


Is there anything more epic than starting that POLI 220 10-page essay with Hans Zimmer in the background? I don’t think so.

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It’s midterm season, so I go on vacation.

October 14th, 2011 § 3 comments § permalink

Literally.

Well, it was for a family wedding (my dad’s cousin/my godmother), and you can never really avoid those.

I ended up missing three days worth of courses, including a midterm. I will leave the ranting of how difficult it is to study for a past midterm/learn new material after said midterm simultaneously, but to be honest, the trip was amazing. I really, really, REALLY needed it. I swore to myself I’d bring all my study materials and do studying during my free time, but I spent more time actually having fun, which is always a good thing.

As always, my family and I drove from our humble home in Surrey to San Francisco, where a good chunk of my dad’s side of the family lives. I’ve been to San Fran countless times by now- mostly with terribly sad memories (two funerals in a row and all), but with this latest trip, it being for a wedding and all, there was a certain atmosphere to everything- one of solemn happiness, hope and remembrance. :)

Below, under the cut are some photos I’ve taken on the trip- well, during the long drive, where most of the boredom came along. :P I actually forgot to bring my phone half the time for when I was in San Fran- I didn’t want to end up texting back with roaming rates in place.

I went a bit Instagram-nuts- I’ve actually just discovered it recently and as a self-confessed Photoshop lover, it fascinates me.

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3 things and a mash-up.

September 29th, 2011 § 3 comments § permalink

The past week has led me to learning the following lessons:

1. Don’t leave your co-op application to the last minute. I know it’s a hard decision to make, but lean towards one side in the summer and JUST START on the application. The info session will provide the almost the same things as a simple 15-minute browse through the website, unless you want to hear from a couple of people who have done/are still doing co-op terms. The info session would be more useful for international students, I think- they provide important details for you guys.

BUT! Besides frantically rushing my boyfriend to edit my cover letter like a mad man and running around campus to print everything out, I managed to hand in my application 2 hours before the deadline! Fingers crossed that I get a call back!

2. Schmooze and mingle with men who have acted as advisors/interacted with Pierre Trudeau in any way, shape, or form. I know this video has been spammed 10000x and a half (how could it not be, amazing!cochair-of-mine!AJ made it), but let me point 0.18 seconds into the video:

That round-faced rambling girl talking about meeting the French Consul-General? That’s me. And on the same night, I got advice from Jeremy Kinsman, who has worked with Trudeau. This all happened when I attended IRSA’s Diplomacy 101 event last year. And just two days ago, I attended it again. Once again, there was a speaker who was once a special advisor to Trudeau, and he was a delightful speaker.

How easy it is to tell who my favourite Prime Minister is…

3. SIGN UP FOR POLEDANCING 101 WITH NO REGRETS. Yay, AMS Minischool! Someone join me? :D

And before I sign off- study music!

A combo of two favourite songs of mine!

341-99: Commuter Series / The awesome, the meh, and the plain awful.

September 18th, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink

Finally coming back to the UBC blogosphere doing what I do best: talk about commuting.

I’ll (try to) keep this simple and sweet, with .gifs to boot! First things first- GOOD NEWS.

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First Year Guide of Awesome: PART I.

July 27th, 2011 § 1 comment § permalink

Me: [ranting about how friend didn’t know about the new U-Pass system at ALL] So you’re telling me that you would’ve waited for your U-Pass in the mail until you realize-
Friend: Yeah, I will, then I’d call you, and you’d know! You know everything!
Me: [facepalm]

So you’re about to be a First Year yourself. Yes, you. EXCITING, YEAH? :DDDV I know how you feel. University > high school (well, in most aspects). You’re gonna love it. It’s gonna be a blast. Yes, even you, the commuter. I was a commuter, and I’ll remain one for the next four years. And I still loved my first year and the commute home, especially after yoga class (actually, that comment might have just made you realize I’m a freak, which I kind of am. Moving on…).

My lovely Blog Squad fellow, Binta, has posted an extensive amount of info for you guys, which I have pretty much 0_0’ed at and applaud her for. However, I notice that the Arts crowd might require guidance of their own. That’s when I come in and attempt to be useful.

While I did try quite a bit of the whole breaking out into spontaneity business, I also survived my first year of UBC with quite the planning and to-do lists. All this thanks to research, geekiness, and my brimming excitement. That, with my involvement on campus contributed to my friend’s comment above. I know where random buildings are, I know stuff about involvement (and where to ask about it), I know where to get help and where to access resources. I’ve used them a lot before, and I’m pretty sure you can make good use of them, too.

So here goes part one of my Jennine’s First Year Guide of Awesome– Useful Resources.

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My, who is this?

June 21st, 2011 § 2 comments § permalink

Honestly, the most legitimate reason I can come up with as to why I haven’t been blogging is that, so far, my summer has been dull (compared to, you know, Miriam’s and Rabi’s and Lillienne’s :P). That doesn’t mean I don’t have things to say, though (and gifs to post) so expect more Jennine!posts in the next while.

In the meantime, have some music. The most recent Pride and Prejudice film is one of my absolute guilty pleasures, and it has an exquisite soundtrack. This piece is great for those early mornings, or just for new beginnings.

Calming study music.

April 22nd, 2011 § 5 comments § permalink

Though I’m not gonna lie, listening to this song for the first time made me weep like a baby. ;____;

Good luck for those like me going through the last stretch of exams! WE CAN DO THIS. \O/

My 1st Year UBC Experience in GIFs

April 19th, 2011 § 7 comments § permalink

I deem today my ~last day~- my most difficult final is done, and I only have one left, which is next week, on the 28th. I figured that was enough reason to slack off a bit without feeling guilty. :)

And thus, I blog again. I… I feel a lot of things right now, what with the all “Oh wow I just finished my first year EVAH *___*” feeling and all other mini-feelings that go into this feelings-of-awe pie. Fellow Blog Squaders have written great entries about it, and honestly I feel like they took many of the words I would type out of my mouth. SO THIS ENTRY? IT’S MAINLY PICTURES. :D

First, a ramble:

Me… I’m a commuter student (as if I don’t rage about it enough…), and of course, this means my UBC experience has been vastly different in contrast to those who chose to live in 1st year rez. I’m not gonna lie- it has led to moments of frustration and regret that I didn’t accept my housing offer. Making friends is not instantaneous and events and meetings can be difficult to focus on when you’re worried about missing the last bus. I also have to admit that I’m still learning to adjust- I can’t claim yet that UBC has changed my life, that ~*IT’S THE BEST DECISION EVAR*~ (first half of Grade 12 year, UBC was the last uni I wanted to attend), or that I’ve made best friends that I’ll never forget.

HOWEVER. I can claim that I’m slowly finding my niche, even breaking out of my usual comfort zone in the process. I can claim that I’ve found a place that I like to be in, a place that I feel can really bring out my potential. A place where I’m often inspired and motivated by my surroundings, by the people around me. I have felt more confident and proud of myself in the past year than before, and I have shared heartfelt laughs and tears with people who are not BFFs, but might very well be, given the chance.

I am still an awkward turtle around most people, and no, no housing for me in the near future. Here’s to hoping that slowly, but surely, this would change. HERE I COME 2ND YEAR after my History final.

And underneath the cut is a series of GIFs that depict various moments in my 1st Year at UBC. Perhaps you can relate to some of them as well.

WARNING: This will load quite slowly.

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Crunch time.

March 25th, 2011 § 3 comments § permalink

So. What are you procrastinating on? :P What work do you still have to do over the next week or so?

Let’s use this post to rant your heart out, sigh with relief about that one paper you finally finished, and release some of the tension from all the work you still have to do.

Okay, I’ll start.

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