Category Archives: University Life

Leadership & Involvement as a Thunderbird

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Almost everywhere you look at UBC you’ll see some form of advertising for getting involved on your campus or “giving back” to your future alma mater. While the options may seem like a lot of work or not interesting, I firmly believe there’s something for every Thunderbird. As I’ve mentioned in past blogs, there’s a niche’ for a variety of individuals and interests. While these opportunities may only focus on this idea of “giving back” to your school, there’s equal opportunities for you to also gain something from the experience. I found my opportunities through various leadership positions on campus.

My second year of university began the same way my first year did – with the unforgettable Imagine Day. Except, this time around, I was a student leader in charge of a group of new –to-UBC students. It was a good chance for me to practice being in a leadership role while simultaneously re-living one of my personal favourite memories from freshman year. Now, in the second half of my second year, I am taking this same role a step further. After an application and interview process, I was given the opportunity to be an Imagine Day Orientation Squad Leader. In this position I would be observing not one, but about 10 new-to-UBC student groups which each contain anywhere from 5 and up in people. It seems like a huge responsibility but leadership is a learning and ever-growing process.

This particular volunteer job has given me the chance to strengthen the leadership abilities I already possess as well as learn new ones. The orientation leader position required me to attend the UBC Student Leadership Conference (The SLC) and partake in a weekend long retreat in the stunningly beautiful Chehalis. This is just the beginning of my role and I’ve already gained more than I’ve given. I’ve made new connections, found new friends, learned more about my community, and more all in the process of giving back to UBC. These are just a few of the things my opportunities have given to me. I encourage you to find your own whether it be a leadership role, within extracurriculars, or even a club – the options are diverse and numerous. If my experience seems like something you would also enjoy, please apply to be an orientation leader here: http://students.ubc.ca/fun/give-back

Feel free to leave any question, comments, or even your own personal stories on involvement and/or leadership in the comments section below. Happy studying!

Oh Hey There…It Has Been Awhile…

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Hi all!

It has been awhile – and by awhile I mean like a semester and some change. Whoops. I didn’t intend to be neglectful, but you know life gets in the way and by life I mean university. I can easily say that my first term of sophomore year hasn’t been the most graceful in terms of excelling at school. As difficult as it has been, I have learned so much! University is a learning experience that expands well past what you discover and study in the classroom.

I have found myself here.

Who I am, what I stand for, and what I want in life – I have discovered all of that here. I can’t say that all of these discoveries are set in stone, but it’s a start. I can’t help but think that with each passing year in university I change a bit more but become more concrete in who I am as a person. It’s a beautiful occurrence that I think you won’t understand unless you undergo it yourself. And I hope you do.

I’ve gained a lot from my time here and I want to be better at sharing it with you. I’m going to attempt to commit more time to this, not only for readers, but for myself as well. It’s always entertaining to look at where you have been and where you are. This is my documentation of my experience and I hope you enjoy it.

Before I leave you I have compiled some short bullet points to essentially sum up where I am currently in my ever fascinating life here at UBC.

– I’m entering second term of my sophomore year

-I volunteer as a psychology research assistant

-I live off-campus

-I work as a barista part-time

-I switched my major from Cognitive Systems to Psychology

-I’m still in a long distance relationship with my wonderful Marine boyfriend (Over a year strong, hooray!)

-I’m attempting (and somewhat failing) at spending less time on Netflix and more time learning to be a functional adult

 

So, that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. I’m going to do my best to cover some of these topics and more over the next few weeks to give you an idea of not only what life at UBC is like, but what life as a student in Vancouver is like. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to suggest a topic for me to write about, feel free to comment below! Thanks! Happy belated holidays and happy New Year!

 

Going the Distance? : Tips & Personal Advice on Long Distance Relationships in University

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Whether you’re an incoming first year student deciding whether or not to hold on to that high school sweetheart back home or an upper-year who has recently been separated by his or her recent graduate moving on to bigger and better things – I have some reassuring advice for you! Now, I’m definitely not a love expert (if such a thing even exists?), but I am and have been a member of the long distance relationship club for almost a year now. I know a lot of people will discourage a long distance relationship for a multitude of reasons, but I just wanted to shed some light on the subject and insure all of you who are questioning whether or not to make your relationship work that there are plenty of people, like me, making the whole long distance thing work.

So, I’ve separated this blog in to two sections: 1. Tips and Questions that might help you decide whether to hold on or let go of your someone special and 2. My own personal long distance story is at the end. I know some people would like to be spared the “sappiness” of such a story so I thought I’d separate it like so.

PART 1: Tips & Questions

In order to decide whether to stay together or break up for the better, you should ask yourself a few questions to help assess whether you honestly feel that what you and your sweetheart have is long distance proof.

1. Do you wholeheartedly trust this person?

Trust is a huge factor when it comes to long distance. If you have trust issues or have struggled to believe what your significant other tells you while you’re actually together, you might want to reconsider. Stress from a long distance relationship (or any relationship) can easily seep in to your academic life and can cause a lot of distraction so be sure that trust issues won’t become a hindrance. Also take in to account fidelity and honesty.

2. Are there going to be opportunities for you to see this person in the future?

While part of being long distance is being a part, the best part is being able to look forward to when you’ll actually be together! If you aren’t going to or aren’t able to see your significant other as often or as much as needed, take this in to account.

3. Will there be a way for the two of you to keep in contact while apart?

Communication is key in any relationship and if you lack it completely, your long distance status might become a little bit of a struggle. If the two of you are living in separate countries, your phone bill might be run up by long distance charges. I highly suggest investing in a web camera for your computer and a program like Skype where the two of you can see one another face to face and get that much appreciated talking time. Skype sessions are what my boyfriend and I look forward to most because we get that much needed “face time” .

4. Does this person make you genuinely happy?

This may seem like a silly question, but it is not one to take lightly in this process. If you’re already unhappy with your relationship, don’t hold on while coming in to university because as discussed before it can become a major distraction. However, if you are happy it will definitely make going the distance a lot easier and more enjoyable.

 

So those are my suggestions for questions to really mull over before making the serious plunge in to long distancehood. I learned this year that “LDR” is actually an acronym for long distance relationship and it’s a hot topic because there are plenty of people in university and all around the globe experiencing the separation from their loved one. If this is something you’re really considering, I highly recommend this link: http://www.lovingfromadistance.com/index.html . It’s a community of people in long distance relationships. There’s lots of great advice, message boards, gift ideas, and more.

 

Now, for PART 2: My Own Personal LDR Story

                My current sweetheart and I met in my hometown where we used to work together. Over the summer before I left for university we became pretty close as friends, started dating, and couldn’t help but make it official right before I left. My story has its own extremely cheesy twist because as I was heading off for my freshman year of university, my boyfriend was on his way to boot camp for the United States Marine Corps.  Upon telling my new found friends at university about this, they all exclaimed “Ahh it’s like the movie ‘Dear John’!” I’ve never seen that movie, but I’m pretty sure it has a sad ending. But anyways, the strict rules of the United States military make it so the only form of communication my boyfriend and I could have for the next 4 months was letters. JUST LETTERS. No texting, no Skype, no e-mailing, nothing but letters for four whole months. I know, I’m a crazy woman. So, after four whole months (my 1st semester of freshman year), I received and responded to a grand total of 8 letters from my boyfriend back home in boot camp in America. BUT right after December exams I had a plane ticket home to see him again for the first time in 4 months.

Seeing him again for the first time definitely seemed like a moment you’d read about in a romance novel. We had a great 2 weeks together and I couldn’t be happier to see him again. But, I had to go back to Canada to finish my freshman year of university while he remained in America to continue serving our country and training. At least now his intense training was over and we were able to text and Skype frequently which definitely became a high light and still is in our relationship. Upon finishing my finals and first year of university, my darling bought me a plane ticket to visit him at his new base (which was so nicely situated on a beach!) for 10 days. It was definitely an awesome and much needed visit for us. Being a part has made me appreciate him so much more and realize the meaning in the saying of you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. And the grand almost 3,000 miles of distance between us has definitely made my heart grow fonder.

Now, as we’re coming upon our 1 year anniversary, I have realized that we’ve spent more time together than apart and we’re working on spending more time together as soon as possible. Thankfully, in the upcoming months he’ll be stationed on a base on the West Coast so we’ll be much closer. And if things work out, he’ll be visiting in me in Canada for Christmas. *Fingers Crossed!*  Until then, we’ll look forward to our Skype calls and unfortunately spending our anniversary a part, but it’s a lot better than it sounds. Sometimes you realize you’d rather have someone in your life at a distance than not at all. Regardless of whether we stay together or separate, I’m definitely glad I had this experience and got to know this wonderful human being that is my boyfriend.

With that said, I wish you the best of luck with your own love stories. Regardless of how it turns out, it’s always for the best! I hope you found this blog helpful J If you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or recommendations on what I should write about next , please be sure to comment below! Thanks for reading.

First Year Wrap Up

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So I know this blog post is way delayed, but I felt that it was definitely necessary to do.

 

After completing my crazy first year of university I learned a lot of things – inside and outside of the classroom. I figured I would break these two types of learning experiences in to two and pass on some helpful hints to you, especially if you are an incoming freshman. If you are, congratulations! You’re about to be a part of something great. It’s normal to be nervous – I definitely was! – but all that passes once you acclimate yourself to this new environment. So to help you along here are some personal helpful hints:

THINGS I LEARNED OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM:

1. Always take advantage of your resources! UBC has an abundance of not only great, but often FREE resources that are available to students. Here are a few I really suggest taking advantage of :

–Your ESP (Enrollment Services Professional): This lovely individual should become your best friend because when it seems like every other office you go to is passing you along to the next office for answers this person will likely be able to answer your question in an e-mail. From personal experience, my ESP was very thoughtful and always told me when she was available to meet in person. So definitely take advantage of this awesome resource!

– UBC Counselling Services:  If the stress of university is getting to you or you just want someone to confide in, take advantage of this awesome centre . Everything is confidential and the centre hosts lots of awesome support groups for a variety of circumstances and situations that often arise in university.

-Centre for Student Involvement & Careers : Looking to get involved or have questions on how to vamp up your resume’? Head over to this wonderful place! I was so lucky to be a part of the Blog Squad this year which was run out of the Involvement section of this centre. This place hosts a great atmosphere and serves as a very helpful place to learn how to get involved on campus and how to prepare yourself career wise. Be sure to check it out.

-UBC Pool: Enjoy swimming or diving? Be sure to get your daily dose of chlorine here! I’ve spent so many days after class distressing at the pool. **It’s also a popular place to nap in between classes**

 

2. Have a social life.  University isn’t always about being buried in your school work. Be sure to take the time to have some fun and relax. Visit the many relaxing beaches near campus, explore downtown, or if you’re looking for the popular event of the week visit thecalendar.ca. This website lists all the big events happening at or close to UBC. Be sure to bookmark it on your browser!

3. Be sure to always have this month’s UPass. The transit police aren’t always the nicest people.

4. If you enjoy a good laugh and/or the webpage Tumblr be sure to follow #whatweshouldcallubc . The page is hilarious and filled with all sorts of UBC related jokes.

 

THINGS I LEARNED INSIDE THE CLASSROOM:

1. Don’t talk, whisper, practice Morse code, or whatever during lecture!  It’s extremely rude and I promise your fellow classmates will hate you for it.

2. The standard time table option can be a great option. One of the best aspects of my experience as a first year student was my enrollment in the Coordinated Arts Program (CAP). Even after completing what felt like a Harry Potter series worth of essays, I would still say it was a great and highly influential experience. I chose the CAP option because honestly, I had no idea what to do with my university career! However, the CAP option is divided in to different streams that cater to different interests. I chose the Global Citizens theme and loved it! Through this program I learned very quickly where my interests lie and it helped shaped many of the decisions I made in regards to future steps in my university career. So, if you don’t know exactly what you want to do in university – don’t worry! I definitely suggest looking in to some of the standard time table options, especially CAP.

2. Sometimes the class you think you’ll do the worst in, will become your favourite.  As a part of my bundle of CAP courses I was required to take political science. To be honest, I knew very little of political science, but I very much dreaded taking it. However, after a few lectures with a great professor (Professor Farkasch, I highly recommend him!) I came to love the subject. The lesson I learned is the class you might be dreading may not turn out to be so bad. After completing my first year of university, I realized PoliSci was without a doubt my favourite class and I had done the best in it.

3. When it comes to choosing between reading the nonsense on your Facebook newsfeed or typing notes – take notes.  Finals and midterms can count for a large portion of your grade and the best way to do so is to pay attention. While the drama of who is with who may be a little less dry than your biology lecture, take notes instead. Your stressed exam self will thank you for it later.

4. Take classes you are interested in. I know this may sound like common sense, but you would be surprised by how many students, including myself, regret taking certain classes just because they were told they should. Obviously there are required courses you can’t avoid taking, but if you can bypass something without it harming your future in university – Do it. You will do better in classes you actually have a passion for compared to those you find difficult to sit through.

 

While I have definitely learned many important lessons throughout my freshman year at university, I would have to say these are my top tips. I hope they can help you in some way. To my incoming UBC freshman, once again CONGRATULATIONS! If you’re in Arts and participating in Imagine Day (**Another tip: You definitely should!) come say hi! I’m one of the lucky squad leaders and I can’t wait to meet you all. So whether it’s your first of fifth year here at UBC, congratulations on making it this far and best of luck in all your future endeavors.

Tips for Exam Success (and Maintaining Your Sanity)

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Everyone has their own study routine that fits their schedule and needs. However, it can take some time, trial and error, and midterm grades to determine whether your study methods are effective or not. If you find yourself struggling or you would just like some new suggestions for studying, you came to the right place! After my own trial and errors of studying throughout high school and conquering midterm review, I have a few tips that greatly benefit me and hopefully you as well! If you have any study tips or great ideas for study places on campus, please feel free to share it in the comment box! 🙂

 

1. Don’t turn in to a study chair potato. (See what I did there? Hehe.)

Personally, this is one of my most essential tips for exam success – Don’t sit for hours on end studying to the point that you may have potentially rooted your body to the chair you’re sitting in. Get up and move! Designate a certain amount of time you’d like to study (we’ll discuss this more in tip 4) and incorporate breaks in between study sessions. By break, I don’t mean an hour on YouTube for 15 minutes of studying (It’s ok if you done this, I’m guilty too! I’m just looking out for you!). What I have found works best for me is laying out my study places for the day before I leave my dorm and then incorporate errands or different activities in between moving to a different study place so I get the chance to get more things done and give my brain a break.  For example, I had to go to the Outpost in the S.U.B (Student Union Building), run to University Village, and workout.

Three great ways to spread out study sessions and get my errands done. I started studying in Koerner library (It’s more of a quiet library, which I personally favor), completed my study goal there and then ran to the S.U.B. to run my errands and grab lunch. After, I migrated to an empty class room in Buchanan, completed my study goal once again and then grabbed what I needed at the University Village. Finally, I ended my studying for the day at the Life Sciences building and followed that up with a great work out to relieve my exam stress. It may seem like a lot of running around, but a lot of my study sessions run anywhere from 2-3 hours so I get a lot done and then make time to get some circulation in my legs by taking the time to walk around and get some much needed fresh air. I personally enjoy just listening to music on my walks in between study sessions to clear my mind. So, if you find the same thing beneficial, break in those rain boots! If walking isn’t your thing, at least make some time to get up and move around and give yourself a sufficient brain break. Other great methods are stretching, any form of exercise, or just doing something you find enjoyable for a sufficient amount of time.

2. There’s this thing called sleep. Ever heard of it?

I can’t stress this enough to my night owl friends – GET SOME SLEEP! Sleep definitely factors in to your exam and studying performance so be sure to get an adequate amount each time you study and before your final exams. You will be more alert when you study and will definitely be in a better mood. Don’t turn in to a grumpy cat.

3. It’s caffeine, not cocaine.

In response to not enough sleep, mentioned in tip 2, many people feel that caffeine can compensate for lost sleep. This is one of those scenarios with pros and cons. Caffeine is definitely useful for keeping you alert, so I definitely encourage its use, but don’t feel the need to OD on it! I promise 1 cup of coffee will suffice. Many people can actually build up a caffeine tolerance by frequently consuming caffeine. It’s like anything else – use in in an appropriate portion and it can be more than useful. Caffeine runs also make great study breaks!

4. Hibernation is for bears – Not people.

I’m extremely guilty of studying in my room for days and only leaving when nature calls and I need to shower. In order to accommodate such a bad habit, I’d stock up on food. Don’t let this happen to you! You are a human, not a bear – Don’t go into hibernation mood where you feel the need to eat/stock up on lots of food and stay in one place. Like I stressed in previous tips, your body needs exercise, circulation, fresh air, and human interaction. If you do find yourself to be a comfy bedroom bear and this works for you – No worries! Just be sure to stock up on healthy foods that will stimulate your mind rather than junk food that will slow you down.

5. Make a schedule.

We’re all guilty of leaving something to the last minute – Don’t let this happen for your exam studying. Designate different days for different subject review and plan out your study places while you’re at it. Incorporate group study if you can so you can get that awesome human interaction that life seems to be devoid of when everyone goes in to study mode. Also, set realistic goals for yourself – don’t over or under plan your study days. You want to be as stress-free as possible when exam day rolls around so relieve some of that stress by knowing the material ahead of time. The best feeling is walking out of a test feeling like you did well – let yourself experience this instead of post-exam anxiety that comes from feeling unprepared.

6. Find study places that work for you (A TV with the new episode of Gossip Girl  or whatever game is on is NOT ideal.)

I personally prefer a silent study area so I know I won’t get distracted by anything going on around me. Now, it seems everyone and their brother is camping out at the library, so this isn’t ideal for silent studiers like me. However, I find that Koerner’s bottom floors are generally much quieter than the Irving library. If you also need silent study areas, I suggest empty class rooms and lecture halls in Buchanan, the Coordinated Programs room (only for 1st years in Coordinated Programs like CAP or CSP; located on the 3rd floor of Irving – completely silent), and designated silent study places in residences. There are a plethora of other nooks and crannies around campus that no one seems to be in, you just have to find the one that’s right for you.  If you like noise when you study, there are plenty of places around campus to accommodate you. The nearest Starbucks, the S.U.B., or the Irving library is generally louder.

 

I hope you find this helpful! Best of luck to all of you with your exams – Happy studying 🙂

If Only I Could Plant A Money Tree….

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I HAVE A JOB!

Yes, finally! It feels so nice to not be AS broke as I was. Many of my friends and I have been feeling the pains of the fincial side of university living. It seems as though everything is so expensive and it’s become a necessity to define wants and needs before I buy something. I’ve been employed with the Totem Park cafeteria for almost two weeks now and it’s been great to have just a little bit of extra money on hand. I actually enjoy the job and the people I work with. The hours are super flexible and it fits so well with my schedule. However, if you can’t get a job, I’ve realized there are other, sometimes even quicker, ways  of getting money.

During Jump Start I noticed all of these flyers with e-mail addresses on them asking for participants in various experiments. By the time the Jump Start was over I had made a decent amount of cash just by being a part of a few easy experiments. However, a more important aspect of money is saving it! Living on my own I’ve come to appreciate my income that much more and spread it only where it’s needed. One of my biggest expenses is food – I have to eat. So, I joined the Eco-To-Go program in my cafeteria which actually promotes sustainability and saves me some money. AWESOME! Essentially, instead of using the cafeteria’s styrofoam boxes or plates, participants are given a plastic to-go box. Every time it’s used you get a discount on your food and once you use it enough your name is entered for a prize that’s awarded at the end of the month. The program is completely free for students and it saves you money on your food!

While all of these tips are great, I’m open to more ways to save and make money, so if you have any on-campus tips please comment and share! Furthermore, I have a job interview this week for a second job on campus – Wish me luck!

Good luck with midterms 🙂

Tangled: Unraveling Day to Day University Frustrations

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Rushing frantically, doing a mental checklist in my mind, throwing random things (and hopefully the right things) in my black hole of a bag – Typical Monday morning. It seems I’ve fulfilled every cliché found in those cheesy early morning scenes where the bustling teenager sprints everywhere through the family house before school with just enough time to grab a burnt bagel from Mom.  Eventually, and somewhat magically, I make it out the door to my bike after what felt like an eternity of just getting myself together. I manage to make time to glance at the time and realize I’m actually on time! Like I do every day, I rummage around in the abyss I call my back pack in search of my iPod. A bike ride to class just isn’t the same without background music blaring in your ears. I manage to grab a hold of the iPod after some serious rummaging only to find a not so pleasant labyrinth looking headphones attached. Ugh.

We’ve all dealt with this awful frustration. A knot here, a kink there, and then due to all of the sudden pent up anger you’ve recently acquired for your headphones, you throw in a nice strong yank on them in public and everyone assumes you’re crazy. Yep, been there. As if more couldn’t have slowed me down this morning, I run in to yet another obstacle. So, like everyone in my generation – I NEED my music to survive! I take the time to unravel the headphones, throwing in that crazy yank here and there to raise some eyebrows of the innocent passerby. FINALLY I’ve conquered the beast that is my headphones. All ready to go, I just need to plug in my headphones to my iPod and get to class. Before hopping on my bike I put my headphones in, press play and the screen briefly shows a picture of a battery. My iPod screen instantly goes black. NO BATTERY. Double ugh.

On my all too quiet bike ride to class, I begin to notice the world around me isn’t so quiet. I actually take the time to observe my surroundings as I bike by. Since when was there an upside down tree in between Irving and the Chem building? Has that always been there? Whoa, one of my floor mates takes the exact same route to class as I do? When did that happen? There’s an all organic produce stand in front of Irving today? Double whoa. I was amazed by how much I took in just by turning my music off. Ironically, the same day my global politics professor discussed how my generation is in way too deep with our technology. I couldn’t agree more. Lesson learned: Unplug yourself from your technology once in a while. Take the time to actually take in the beautiful surroundings you’re lucky enough to call home. After coming to this realization, I actually found more order in my life. Tangled headphones aside, I actually had time to think and take in my surroundings not just on my bike ride, but my walks to class and other places. I always assumed that since my weekly schedule looked like this:

that I could get away from all my frustrations and To-Do’s by turning my music up. In actuality, the silence allowed me to get my thoughts together and unravel the day that was ahead of me. Now, I’m not saying music or technology is bad. Just take in to consideration that maybe what you think you’re avoiding by turning your iPod up to full blast is actually an opportunity to talk with a new person, a missed chance to realize the awesome things going on around you, or an idea lost to the din of your music. So, my personal suggestion of the week: Unplug, unwind, and enjoy. Besides, untangling headphones is no fun anyway.

Practice Makes Perfect

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“Good luck kiddo” my Dad said as he embraced me with a hug. Within the same moment he pulled away from me, smiled, and walked away with a wave. I stood in the middle of the Totem Park commons block where my Dad had left me, just pondering what to do next. At that exact moment reality set in and I realized, wow, I’m in university now.

You’d be amazed how the feeling hits you – it’s quite the whirlwind of excitement and nervous feelings all combined with the millions of questions buzzing around in your head. While this new environment initially seemed daunting, I saw it as a new beginning and decided to make it an adventure. Some may think the only place you learn anything on a university campus is in a classroom, but that assumption is so wrong. Two weeks prior to the beginning of classes I was lucky enough to participate in the Jump Start program where I learned quite a few things on my own as well as through the program. Some lessons I learned allowed me to feel more confident on campus when it came to knowing my surroundings and where to go if I ever needed help, while others I  encountered spontaneously and resulted in a laugh. A short list of lessons I’ve learned very quickly over the short time of me being on campus includes:

  1. Your walking shoes should be comfy shoes – You walk EVERYWHERE.
  2. A bike is a great investment (Refer to number 1 if you need a reason why).
  3. Run your clothes through the dryer twice. Trust me; a full load won’t be dry after just one cycle.
  4. The walk down and up the stairs to and from Wreck Beach easily constitutes as a cardio workout – Be prepared to sweat! (Once again, refer to lesson #1!)
  5. You may feel like you’re missing out on something because it feels like everyone is going and you aren’t, but don’t worry! There’s something going on virtually every night so just because you can’t go out one night doesn’t mean there won’t be other opportunities.

 

While there are a multitude of other things I’ve learned at UBC just after being here for two weeks, I’m looking forward to learning more both in and out of the classroom as my adventure continues. The best part about learning is being confident in what you’re learning about. Initially I was unsure and a little shaky on my first day at UBC, but I realized that with time the nervousness passed and my confidence began to build as I found my way around campus and developed my own tips and tricks to surviving on my own as a university student.  Essentially, adapting to university life is like anything else – practice makes perfect. So far, I’m excited for more practice so that in four years I’ll be prepared for the final show – graduation.