Tag: Recreation

The Options are Endless

For many people, this will be their first reading break ever. Basically, reading break is a week where we’re (ideally) suppose to do a bit of studying/extra reading in preparations for the many midterms that we have to complete. However these are the general activities that actually happen during reading break (from what i’ve heard not from my own experience).

1. Party-Crazed.
2. Snowboarding is an extremely popular one, amongst people new to UBC and Vancouver and people already residing in Vancouver for a few years.
3. Trips to the States for Shopping.
4. More shopping.
5. Extra EMPLOYED work (money is awesome).
6. A little bit of studying.

For everyone @ UBC, I challenge you to try something new this reading break. I do believe everyone should do a bit of studying, but the reason it’s a break is because you should be relaxed too. Don’t overload yourself with activities either; a day at home isn’t the worse thing in the world.

If you want to do some of the activities i’m considering, here’s a list with what i’ve come up so far.

1. Fixing/cleaning my computer. Throughout the school year, most people are far too busy/can’t sacrifice fixing their computer and wiping everything on it. It just takes too much time and you have to go through the tedious task of reinstalling everything. For me, my computer usually slows down after a few months without doing a full wipe (after backing up everything onto an external hard drive). Not only will your computer feel refreshed, it will likely be more efficient and you’ll have a better time using it.

2. Visit the improv shows at Granville Island. During one of the night events at Enterprize, I attended one of the Valentine Day Massacre improv shows and it was amazing! It’s also nice to explore Granville Island; it’s really quite the beautiful place. PS. The show may be offensive for some.

3. Really EXPLORE Vancouver. I was speaking with this friend I met at sunday morning badminton and he told me how unfortunate I am not to have driven around Vancouver to learn the city and see all the places. I’ve been planning a night road trip (I like driving at night) with a friend and the route looks a bit like this: My house (South Vancouver) -> West Van (which is farther away from Downtown not just in the area most of us are familiar with) -> North Van -> Coquitlam/Burnaby/New West -> Richmond -> Delta -> White Rock and back home. I’m also looking into a trip to the States (but this all would be heavy on my pocket for all that gas money).

I’ll update more as I think of more things to do. Have a great break everyone! Oh and of course i’m going to study!

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Faculty

It Feels Like its JUST as Competitive!

Currently: In IBLC finishing off my fibre chocolate bar from the Sauder Advising Session and purposefully coming to school early on a Friday to type a long awaited blog (waited for by myself)

I came from a high school (well particularly a group within my school known as the International Baccalaureate Program) where high school just didn’t seem like it was a place to relax and take it easy doing the things you wanted to do.

It was competitive.

Everyone was fighting to get involved to (as I would like to put it) “buff” their resumes up for university applications. Its in our human nature to be competitive and do activities/things that we believe are necessary to make us feel competitive and ensure others know we are taking things “seriously”.

I came to University hoping I would find a different environment; where everyone is doing their own thing because they’re interested in it, not that they just want to dominate to get to the top. And I did, to a certain extent (because you’re not obliged to get involve even though its encouraged; it’s not like you need to “buff” your resume persay to get your bachelors degree at least not to my knowledge).

But after my Sauder Advising Session yesterday, it just reminded me how competitive university, and especially this university, is. Here’s some stats for everyone (it’s a self reminder for the future and just an eye-opener). And sorry these stats are mostly related to students at the Sauder School of Business (but i’m sure other faculties are competitive in their own prospects as well).

In my year for admission the Sauder School of Business for the Winter Term of 2008.

1. Aproximately 6200 applications. 450 admitted.  Mathematically speaking, that’s about 7% of students who applied making it into the program.

2. Not everyone gets the double specialization they want (eg. Finance and Marketing), let alone even your preference in which SINGLE specialization you might want in the future. For example, they said that specializations such as Finance and Accounting were completely full this year. If your overall GPA isn’t competitive, you don’t even get the courses you might want for your specialization, thus not getting the specialization you want. The specialization might even be a lot of the reason why you chose to go into business. Imagine if you didn’t get it; it might even feel like that you wasted two years (even though in reality you didn’t but you might just be that disappointed).

3. Co-Op is competitive to get into. Many opportunities, but still difficult nonetheless.

All in all, university is competitive. Everyone wants to do everything but there’s only so much time in the world. Life is competitive. Humans are competitive. We were designed to have a competitive nature (sort of). University is a good example of the “survival of the fittest” concept. The non-fit drop out and have to try to get back in and the fit live a good life, at least from what i’m percieving as of now.

But on a lighter note (speaking of competition), last weekend I did something on my list of “Must Do’s at UBC”.

I competed on not just one, but two longboat teams at UBC Rec’s Day of the Longboat!

I have to say it was really inspiring. For most of my life i’ve done sports at a fairly competitive level but to see so many teams come out who just wanted to bond and experience another aspect of university life was so inspiring. It’s great spirit and events like these that make me feel that UBC was really a good choice. And it’s even better when people are trying things new and giving it their all to just have a good time (GOOD JOB BLOG SQUAD STEERS!).

School calls so be back later!

Swimming Sooths

Currently: In IBLC listening as fellow students discuss the sexual aspects depicted in the media. Really hungry too.

Out of all the days i’ve been at UBC ever since I started my first year, this has probably been the most refreshed i’ve ever been.

I decided to go swimming this morning and it has got to be ONE of the best decisions i’ve ever made. Doing some sort of active exercise in the morning really makes learning in class that much easier and more efficient . Swimming in particular is just so soothing because it warms you up and you feel so comfortable after wards. And it better, considering how much there is to do at UBC.

Seriously, there’s so much to get involved with. Here’s a taste of all the stuff I did last week IN ADDITION to countless hours of trying to stay caught up.

1. I played Badminton for the first time at UBC Rec!
2. I joined UBC Badminton Club.
3. I joined Chinese Varsity Club.
4. I joined UBC Finance Club
5. I joined International Business Club.
6. I joined Dragon Seed Connection
7. I went to a Longboat Practice
8. I had an interview for Sauder Squad. I am on Sauder Squad! YAY!
9. I had an interview for Enterprize Officer for Enterprize Canada 2009. Rejection.
10. I had an interview for Chinese Varsity Club Froshee. I think I got rejected?
11. I played Ultimate on an Intramural team for UBC Rec.
12. I organized/am the captain of a dodgeball team called Sweaty Balls of Happiness. Waitlisted.

Now I hardly have enough time in this class to talk about every single one of these things, but i’ll try to hit a bit of some (and don’t worry I am concentrating in class!). Actually come to think of it, let’s generalize.

So back at Frosh, I remember hearing from everyone that there will be a few things you really should try at UBC. One of them was Day of the Longboat (the other one I remember was Storm the Wall which isn’t happening yet). I haven’t actually raced yet but yesterday I met up with my team and it was AWESOME. It was the first time I got out onto the water again ever since dragonboat (which actually wasn’t too long ago but feels like a million years ago) and it was a lot of fun. Also, being someone who has actually gone out on the water before for paddling makes it feel like I can bring some knowledge to the team and maybe even spread the wonderful feelings that paddling can bring to someone’s lives (how cheesy right?). I guess this ties into one of the goals i’m setting for my first year (and for the rest of my life I hope) and that’s making sure I actually do the activities that I set my mind to doing.

And in actually doing the activities I set my mind to, improving my interview skills was definitely one of them I kept in mind ever since grade 12. This week I went to three interviews for clubs/groups and I really saw different aspects of my interview skills develop at each various ones. I’m finding that going to interviews really are preparing me for real life.

Which entails rejection.

I got my first rejection last night. I guess it’s no big deal its expected. But getting rejected really makes you learn more about yourself. Success is hard to find and I think rejection will really build my persistency to work harder and work towards things that I want (eg. That bank teller job i’ve wanted for the past few years).

So all in all (this class is ending), I feel that i’ve learned more in these first three weeks about myself (not about the actual classes!) than I probably learned about myself in the first few years of high school. And with that, I am off to continue this learning process that will have more of an impact on my life than those similarly important things I read in the many textbooks I have. BE BACK LATER TODAY!

PS. First UBC Blog Entry 🙂

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