Of course it was raining. I mean, it was only fitting that there had to be just the slightest of a drizzle for when my dad and I unloaded my bag curbside from my aunt’s van. I had been in Vancouver for all of a day, and UBC for less than 30 minutes and the sky was a soon-to-be familiar gray color. Beautiful, really, but still: stark gray. I was afraid it was an omen, perhaps warning me that Jump start would not go well. But then I looked around at all the faces crowding the courtyard of Totem Park Residence. Some were wearing distinct, blue ‘Jump Start’ t-shirts looking comfortable and confident. The others managed to look as disheveled, confused, and overwhelmed as I did. With that, I felt better already.
My first day at Totem Park and Jump Start is a blur, as cliché as it sounds. The day itself felt like a week because there was so much I had to do that seemed (at the time) quite daunting. Necessities came first, like getting a phone and making a bank account. My dad stepped back and let me ask the questions and make the decisions – just another apparent step into my looming adulthood. Then came the time to say goodbye to my father. It wasn’t the overdramatized version you see in college movie and TV shows. Rather, we awkwardly said our goodbyes knowing that I would probably call within the hour asking, “how do I get onto the internet again?” or “can you put some money in my bank account.” I felt a little alone after he left. Just getting onto the plane from Las Vegas to Vancouver, my dad had been my support. I didn’t necessarily rely on him but, rather, looked to him to nudge me in the right direction, particularly when I lost myself in the maze that is Totem Park. So, when he left, I felt a little lost. I didn’t know anyone yet. My roommate hadn’t moved in. My floor was relatively empty. I was left to unpack my room, to wait until dinner by myself.
As my first meal in Vancouver, dinner was long awaited. Instead of searching incessantly for a table, I simply sat down at the first table I saw and introduced myself to which I received several “oohs” and “ahhs” in response to hearing where I was from. I headed back to my dorm following dinner and was pleasantly surprised to find my roommate. Then, I met some of the girls on my floor, whom, unbeknownst to me, would later become my closest friends in Jump Start.
Never before in my life had I seen this many new faces and managed to get to know them and consider them friends. Jump Start had flown by since the first day. I was immersed in a culture of cultures, literally, and the happiness I felt when I thought about my decision for choosing UBC is what got me out of bed for my early 6:45 a.m. wake up call. Thus far, moving to Vancouver, British Columbia has been the best decision of my life – and I know I will continue to love it, rain or shine.