Hi there,

I want to thank you for making this year amazing. Our Walter Gage community benefited because of you and your actions in it. Just by viewing this post and other posts on the blog, you’ve interacted in our virtual community to which I hope has enriched your residence and school experience. As you head into the summer I want you to keep in mind three simple things:

1) Diversity leads to complexity: Be yourself…because that will benefit not only you, but society at large. We need more people like you, because you are all we have.

2) It ain’t gonna be easy: Life has many analogies so I’ll spare you the pain. But, remember that in you is greatness; through trials, we are given opportunities to find and share that with others.

3) Smile: Because it’s awesome and you are awesome.

Whatever you next adventure is, take 3 deep breathes, smile, and go get it!

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The time has come to announce the winners of the Walter Gage Photo Contest! We had a bounty of pictures submitted and we thank everyone who took the time to capture our beautiful campus and share it with all of us.

The top pictures which captured our campus exceptionally well are the winning photos! Congratulations to:

Author: Kento Tanahashi

Author: Micaela Dickhof

Author: Christina Jewell

By: Sara Liu

Thank you everyone for your submissions and on behalf of the Walter Gage Communications Committee…thank you for the fantastic year!

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At this time of year amidst the midterms and presentations and papers it’s easy to get sucked into the internet during a “study break”, only to be spit back out hours later- scared and confused with a pile of work in front of you. Never fear, the Gage Blog is here! Below are a few suggestions you might be interested in if you’d like a quick (and somewhat educational) study break that will take no more than 20 minutes – after the video it’s back to the books for you!

If you haven’t already heard of TEDTalks, you’re in for a treat. With a motto like “Ideas Worth Spreading”, you might guess that some of the ideas presented at the annual TED conferences might be contagious, or leave you feeling inspired, and you’d be right. TED is a popular nonprofit dedicated to sharing ideas from around the world; These presentations usually range from 5 – 20 minutes long, and address nearly every topic you can think of.

https://www.ted.com/talks

Like what you see? UBC hosts its own independent TED event known as the TEDx Terry Talks each year, check out the link below.

http://www.terry.ubc.ca/tedxterrytalks/

Did you ever get around to reading that bestseller, The Fault in Our Stars? Turns out the author, John Green, is not only a successful writer, he also has a really awesome Youtube channel that can teach you about nearly anything you might be curious about.

https://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse

And finally, the SciShow provides a bunch of brief “mini-documentaries” on mainly science-related topics. Psychology and anthropology are also discussed, but anyone could enjoy these videos, as they’re targeted towards a huge audience!

https://www.youtube.com/user/scishow

Happy viewing!

Meghan

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There are certain things in life humans need to survive. Water, food, and a place to live are a key part of maintaining our existence. However, one right all humans should have is often overlooked. Some people would call it a privilege. These people are wrong.

I recently spent time in a UBC library (yes, I know, rare for me). While trying to study, I was robbed of my most important right as a student trying to prepare for an exam: I was denied the right to WiFi.

As part of my DNA, the internet is required to keep me going. As soon as the ubcsecure network went down, I felt myself enduring hours of short breath, rapid heart rate, and a serious lack of concentration.

After nearly four hours, I returned to the confines of my room and was reprieved by the strong connection. It was then that I realized how serious a situation I had been through.

I almost died that day. Being at the library, hopeless without the internet… no human should ever have to go through that. Though I have no immediate solution for this crisis, it is infectious all across our campus. Dropped connections, slow loading, no internet at all. How am I supposed to live without Google?

WiFi is a human right. We should have endless access to information, which flows through WiFi’s ever changing channels. If I can’t check Facebook every five minutes, how am I supposed to interact with others? Talk to the people next to me? Don’t be crazy.

Being strangled that day has changed my life. I’ll never go back. The next time you head out, remember the risks you’re taking. Don’t be left to die like I was.

BY STEVEN Z PONNOOSAMY

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Now that February has come and almost gone, you may be feeling bogged down by tests, studying, extracurriculars, and social life – or maybe everything has come to a stop, and you aren’t sure what to do to keep yourself motivated. There are a few strategies to combat these obstacles to your peace of mind, and here we can examine a few of them:

1. Assess your body.
   It can be difficult to do at first, but listening to your body is a great way to figure out the secret reasons you may be feeling unmotivated, exhausted, or anxious.

   What are you eating/drinking? When are you eating/drinking? Answering these questions while also paying attention to your body’s response to various foods and beverages may help you discover that certain foods are making you jittery or lethargic, while other foods are energizing you! Drinking enough water is also key – hydration will work wonders for curbing salty food cravings as well as keeping your mind rejuvenated and ready to roll.

   When was the last time you moved your body? While not everyone can move in the same ways, sometimes exercising or simply going outdoors can do wonders for your state of mind! Studies have examined the effects of a window facing a natural landscape (vs. a brick wall) on the recovery time of hospital patients, and those with a view of nature recovered consistently quicker than those viewing a brick wall! Studying is important, but don’t neglect your spirit.

   Do you feel the way you do no matter what? If nothing you do changes a negative feeling you are experiencing, take time to visit a resource on or off campus that can help you figure out if it is a psychological or physical ailment that you may be able to help remedy with some professional advice. There is no shame for at least getting a check up if you aren’t feeling fulfilled or healthy.

2. Write down your goals.
   Some people work efficiently in the abstract world within their minds, but it can be immeasurably useful to have your goals and intentions in front of you to be examined!

   Create a vision board. Write down what you want, when you want it, and the challenges you anticipate. Then, consider how you can overcome these challenges – write everything down on a piece of paper! Use lines and arrows and bubbles to connect your ideas, and see how it could all come together, or where you might need to make adjustments in your vision.

3. Create a schedule and use to-do lists.
   This can be especially helpful if you often experience assignments, tests, and meetings slipping your mind, or if you have many extracurricular involvements.

   A schedule acts like a vision board and helps you look ahead and see what you have coming up that you should plan for and plan around. It will likely reduce the amount of forgetfulness that you experience by placing your commitments in front of you to be examined ahead of time.

   To-do lists make you accountable to yourself. By making a list of things to be done that you can cross or check off of your list, you make yourself accountable to yourself for getting them done. It is greatly satisfying to see an item disappear off of your list, even if it took a few days to get to it – you can even cross things out of your schedule/calendar so that you remember, “Yeah, I got that done yesterday!”

Remember, though – if you are experiencing a high level of stress, anxiety, or lack of motivation, seek a visit with a counselor or medical professional on campus that is trained to guide you in the right direction for figuring out what is going on. You can also visit the Career for Student Involvement & Careers in Brock Hall for help with time management, job applications, or personal support!

http://students.ubc.ca/livewell/services/student-health-service

http://students.ubc.ca/about/centre-student-involvement-and-careers

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