The Insiders
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Nov
25
The townie theory of social engagement, or lack thereof.
Posted by: Neal Yonson | November 25, 2007 | 2 Comments
ACF is one of the only UBC events I attend. I’m lazy and antisocial, so I don’t prioritize things like beer gardens and storm the wall and pit night and whatever else. When I do socialize on campus, I’m getting drunk with a few friends at Koerner’s or the Gallery.
I really have trouble believing that the u-pass and bad financial aid policies are the reason people don’t party on campus. Personally, I blame townies such as myself, who can go home after school to unwind. When you know the city real well, there’s less reliance on the campus scene as far as finding fun goes.
There’s the simple matter of competition – I’d like to state for the record that I think rational choice theory is overrated, overused, and oppressive as it obfuscates the role of systemic discrimination and power in things. As we are discussing something as minor as ‘where Ainge gets sloshed and why’, I’m going to apply it, as this is its place. If anyone wants to chime in with some critical theoretical analysis of my drinking habits, please, feel free. I’d also like to state that this is purely anecdotal, as is most of the stuff you’ll read on the internets.
I drink where I drink because I appreciate a good beer on tap, and a nice booth or patio. Standing around Buchanan D holding a dixie cup with a bunch of strangers I may have seen in class or on the bus just ain’t my thing. I make a little money, and I want to maximize the enjoyment. See, it’s simple.
Being a townie has definitely influenced my indifference towards campus events. Spending twenty years in this hamlet means I get that sense of community elsewhere. I coach debate at my old high school, I involve myself in local politics, I hang with my ridiculous Italian family, and I stay in touch with people I’ve known for ages.
My experience is not universal – some townies do throw themselves into campus life. The thing is, UBC events compete with everything else the city has to offer, and the sentimental ties that should be keeping us on campus to party just aren’t there. We don’t mythologize our college experience that much here in Canada. It’s seen less as a life-changing experience and more as gettin that there diploma thing whut helps ya get a job . When I was applying for university, 80% of my grad class ended up staying in Vancouver. By virtue of its lower mainland location, UBC complements my life as it already is. I’m here for the courses.
Comments
2 Comments so far
This is definitely a trend. With the change in proportion of res students versus commuter students over the past years, we’re seeing a decrease in campus life.
Why is that? Way more people are going home after class, and home happens to be significantly farther away than across the street from the SUB.
My first two years here at UBC, I lived with the folks, and yeah, Im a real townie. I commuted an hour and a half each way to and from Surrey for two years. It was hell on earth. When I finished classes, most days I just wanted to get that damned commute out of the way, go home, study a bit and then sleep.
Living in the dunbar area, Im now doing more on campus, but also less. Im unable to do gallery nights (something that used to be a staple with the debate society) because I have to put my money into things like rent and food.
But thats just me agreeing and seconding a lot of what was said.
Also, someone should update the wiki…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_County_Fair
“In 2008 Arts County Fair will be celebrating its 17th year.”
Maybe if UBC had bothered to actually build residences on campus in accordance with the increasing population instead of allocating more residential space for non-campus residents then this would not be a growing problem.