Structural Secrets

I just finish writing an 8-page in class essay on Plato’s Republic. I am not all that sure how I did, but I both love and hate the feeling those sort of essays leave me with. Sort of a tired, hungry, but oh-so-productive energy. Carrying on my awesome productiveness (I cleaned my room last night, too!) I have decided to post an entry about some of the specific details of the UBC campus which lead to my decision to come here. If you haven’t visited any of those on this list, I urge you to, whether you are a current student, a prospective student, or even one of the many members of faculty and UBC work force that keep this university running. This is our home; we should know it as such. Anyway, the list:

The Nitobe Memorial Garden: First of all, it’s free for students. And those of you who aren’t (or aren’t yet!) a student, its super cheap (three to five dollars) I remember when I first came to visit UBC with my mom; we wanted to visit the garden but ran out of time. Well I made up for that within my first week here, dragging Max off to stroll through the garden with me. It really is beautiful, there are fish and flowers and a waterfall, not to mention the amazing trees. I am making it a point to wander about the garden once it snows, that will really be something.

That View, Down Main Mall, With the Canadian Flag and the Mountains: Ahh, the UBC viewbook. I memorized every page before I arrived, wondering if everything will look as vibrant and amazing in person. I remember one of the first days it rained here, I was walking to class, strolling across the lawn that lies in the middle of main mall, when I paused and looked to my right. There it was, the Canadian flag, blowing in the wind as the rain poured and I could just see the mountains fading into the mist. I was in complete awe. That view now does this to me almost every time I see it. Even today, it’s freezing outside but I can’t help the urge to sit down, in the middle of main mall, and gaze at the snow on those mountains. It’s really one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen.

The Irving K. Barber Learning Centre: When I took my first tour of the UBC campus our tour guide stopped in front of the windows on the far end of the centre, the one that faces Buchanan. She showed us the Library Robots that have access to a vast number of books, all stored in drawers along these long corridors, all viewable from outside. I was already amazed at the view; I had no idea then what a large resource and escape the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre would become. It is a library, but it is also so much more. I know you have heard me babble on and on about the Ridington Room, with it’s spiral staircase and comfy chairs, but it really is that valuable of a place for me. To be able to look at all the past Presidents of UBC in the soft lighting and silent atmosphere of that room makes me really feel like I can finish reading my mind-numbing textbook, not only that, but I can do well. If you have not yet been to this Learning Centre, visit it. Not only does it have a great many resources, but also some of the coolest views of campus.

Echo Circle: I am not entirely sure that this is the formal name of the circular monument in the middle of the intersection of Main Mall and Memorial Road, but that is basically its function. If you have never heard of this place, this is what you have to do. Go to the monument, look in the very center, see that big, gold, circle in the very middle of the cement platform in the center of the ring of seats? Stand on it. Don’t worry; this is what it was made for. Hop on up, stand tall, and say something. Make sure you speak up. Listen to your voice. The effects of the circle are pretty rad. Give it a shot!

The UBC Museum of Anthropology: When I first visited this museum I had never heard of the term First Nations and knew nothing of Vancouver’s native culture outside of the totem polls in Stanley Park. I left with a much greater knowledge than what I entered with. I highly recommend a tour, if you are as lost as I was. They are rather informative and interesting, and consist mainly of the tour guide telling you stories and legends and showing you how they relate to the artifacts. I was highly impressed.

The Forestry Building: (the Forest Sciences Centre) Seriously, this is one of THE MOST beautiful buildings on campus, in my opinion. It lies on the corner of Agronomy and Main Mall, super close to Totem Park for any Totemites who need a tranquil place to study, and it is worth the walk to anyone anywhere else on campus. The building itself exemplifies the Vancouver environment, with pillars made out of compressed lumber, (like tall trees in a forest) a ceiling made of glass, (so you can see the sky) a floor as solid shade of grey-blue, (the ocean) and many small motifs of mountains and forests. When I first saw the inside of this building I nearly cried. (I have a very soft spot in my heart for architecture; I get it from my mom) It is seriously one of my most favourite places to go to study or read.

I know that a campus as large as UBC can be kind of overwhelming and I assure you that every building on campus has a secret. Maybe it was in a movie or on TV, like the Buchanan Tower, which served as the FBI headquarters for the X-Files. Maybe it has a cool little feature, like the moving bookcases of the lower levels of the Koerner Library. Maybe the atmosphere just suits you, as in my case with the Ridington Room. These secrets aren’t going to just reveal themselves to you; you’ve got to find them. Don’t worry, it’s totally worth it.