This is me being a smartie pants and being reflective. Already, my university education is taking over my beings and I now live only to get paper cuts on fresh textbook pages and to take the 99 B-Line like it’s my religion. I literally eat, sleep and breathe UBC and that’s not so bad- the air quality here is great and UBC Food Services make great sandwiches. So here’s what I’ve been thinking of.

I feel different, like not the same Erica from Ontario. You travel half way across the globe to reach Vancouver or, for some, you’re only from California but still considered an international student. You’ve gown in to this person that at the age of 18 (or what might be 14 like the youngest 2013 Undergraduate Student currently at UBC) knows who you are. You have your qualities like keeping a neat room, being passionate about clubs, and watching the Office on a Thursday night (good choice, I approve). But as my Visual Arts professor explains, you’re being pulled out of your context. You’re like a piece of work from Italy being put up for display in the Lourve. You’re not the same even though you brought your self just exactly as you were in.. California.. or Kenya.. or Panama.. you are automatically different. There’s no way you can stay the same! Now you’re in VanCougar (Katie on 2nd floor Nootka shout out right there) And just like my English Professor Judy Brown says, there are countless ways you can read a piece of literature, it’s all in the approach. You’re the same piece of literature but being read differently because you’re in good ol’ VanCougar. I like that name. VanCougar. I wonder what happens when I google it. Just googled it, turns out its a local band. Shout out to the four ladies of VanCougar (vancougar.ca). Thanks for having an awesome name.

Back to the topic of the post- I feel different. I feel like I’ve lost some pieces of me, gained some good and bad qualities, and I have already made mistakes. By the way kids in my French class, don’t laugh at me so much next time when I raise my hand with what I think is the answer but surely I am told it is not. I still am the same Erica who is really bad at second languages. I’ve gained the bad quality of a messy room. This place was trashed yesterday. I spent my Saturday morning cleaning it up. Side story.

I have faith in the hands of UBC that I’ll gain more good qualities then bad. That I’ll wake up every time a fire alarm goes off in res and I won’t just become lazy. UBC is my Lourve and it will give me exposure to the world. Not only to wacky international tourists visiting for the Olympics but to all the wickedly awesome people that come to be pieces in the art gallery with me. It’s pretty fantastical that even though I’ve been moved from Italy into the Lourve, there’s still some of Italy in me no matter where I go. So rest assured Erica, no matter what you’ll still have some of who you are in you. I wonder if anyone out there already feels like they are different too. Like they are loosing a sense of what is important to them like homework or are loosing focus and just partying all the time. I’m liking the Lourve. And it’s awesome because really cool tourists can check me out and learn random facts about me. I’d so want to be a Paul Gauguin, that man is the bomb. Who says bomb anymore? I think Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head does…

Here’s why UBC is my Lourve.