What’s up my dears?
It’s coming. Starting in a few weeks, UBC opens up course registration. I kind of feel like it’s Christmas morning for me when July 13th hits and I’m able to register in the courses I want. I love course registration, is that weird?
I often check out the UBC Prospective Students facebook page and I see that some of you guys (who I like to call prospecteeves but now are new to UBC students) are kind of freaking out. Don’t fret, listen to my story of being a first year and learn that it’s all gonna be okay (and that selecting courses is AWESOME).
September: I’m in the Faculty of Arts geared towards a BFA in Visual Arts. Fresh out of a high school in Ontario. No AP or IB credits under my belt. I took almost only all visual arts courses in grade twelve. I’ve got five of my courses for first year picked as pre-req’s for my degree in visual arts. It’s rockin’.
October: The thoughts going through my head are like this, “I am not doing well in my studio course for visual arts, I never wanted to do a life sized portrait of myself anyways, now that I think about that it is kind of creepy, and I’m unsure if visual arts is for me anymore. Also at the same time, I’m really loving political science 101. I think I want a poli sci degree. All my extra circulars centre around poli sci and not visual arts, so why am I trying to get in to the visual arts program? Why not switch gears?”
December: I tell all the important people in my life that I think I might drop my visual arts intentions and go for poli sci. They tell me to give visual arts one more semester. I listen, and I continue on taking more studio courses.
February: It’s now second semester. My grades in visual arts picked up, I learned VISA 183 is WAY better than VISA 182 (my personal opinion) and that I’m glad I stuck it out.
April: It’s the end of the school year. I’m still conflicted because all of my time is spent working on The MOB for Free The Children/Me To We, I’ve been in many different political positions and I fell in love with many new subject areas. Is visual arts really for me? I don’t feel it. On top of Political Science 101 (which was all about Canadian politics) I fell in love with Women’s and Gender Studies 102 (which was all about feminism) and all of my english courses were centered around First Nations issues. If I love it all, how do I have it all?
May: I bring out the SSC. Bring it on. I figure out that if I continue with getting a BFA in Visual Arts that I would have no room for a minor unless I packed on an extra year which is not currently in my game plan. I also know that I will not be happy if I only do visual arts. I figure it out that somewhere around grade 10 my greatest passion became issues/politics and visual arts too a step back- I just never noticed.
I check out the Faculty of Arts advising website. I check out the different types of degrees. Women and Gender Studies.. would love that but doesn’t fit with the courses I want to take… Political Science involves tougher courses… freaked out by that… then I find First Nations Studies. WICKED IDEA.
I check out the department website. I get hands on experience in fourth year with an organization that also comes with credits. Love it. I get to have a degree that is based around an issues. Love that too. I can go on to something mastering in education or law. Love it more. Even better, I’ll major in it and minor in visual arts. By minoring in visual arts, I only have to focus on two mediums instead of four. There was only two I wanted to take to begin with which was photography and print media. Love that all the way to the moon.
Here are a few key things that new to UBC students might want to know. I’m not falling behind in my 4 year goal of receiving my degree by shifting my focus. In fact, many people shift their focus and find out they like something else. University is all about discovering what you like and who you are anyways. I’ve been told that I’m completely different (in a good way) than who I was when I left high school. University does that. It’s totally fine to enter the first two weeks and drop out of a class and take another one instead. It’s also okay to change faculties, a lot of my friends have already done it. It’s also rockin’ if you are open to new things. I never took a feminism in high school or a First Nations class. Now I’m going to try to major in First Nations after having all of my english courses in university focus on it. It’s something you just got to be open to.
Okay world. Come July 13th, Erica is going to register for courses gearing towards a degree in First Nations Studies and a minor in Visual Arts. That’s where I’m at. I’m liking my new decision, I feel good about it, and I encourage everyone to go after their wildest dreams.
Peace, love & west-coast trees,
Erica
Aw Erica! This makes me miss you.. I know you’ll rock at whatever you choose.
loved how you wanted to stick with Visual Arts AND decided to study an interesting and radically new subject.
Though I’m not looking forward to the registration date, mine’s on the 12th. Don’t get me wrong, I love course planning too, especially making worklists. It’s just that we’re the last ones to register, so I’m afraid that the courses I want to take will be full long before I even get to click the “Register” button.
I think you’ll learn about a lot of political issues (and probably art) in First Nations too, so it seems like a good blend of your interests. Good luck on registration day!
That is awesome that you found a balance between the two fields and came up with a plan to study what you love!
It’s definitely true that faculty and major changes happen often, and they’re nothing to be afraid of/avoided! I switched my prospective program from a B.Mus in Voice to a BA double-major in IR & Poli Sci. Unlike you, it will take me a year or two extra, but who cares?! Taking an extra year (which flies by anyway) is far better than spending 4 years only to end up with a degree you didn’t enjoy and don’t want.
Also: Wooooo registration! Gets me excited every time.
To be honest Erica, I think you’re probably putting a lot more thought into your degree than most people at the end of first year have–you’ve clearly thought through your passions, your interests, your strengths, and future options with your degree and if this is your decision I think it’s definitely one to respect. I’m kind of torn myself, since i’m finding my passions are still different from the major i’m pursuing, but it’s reassuring to know that i’m not the only one reconsidering their initial game plan.
i’m excited to see all the cool things you’ll be doing in the next few years and onwards, ebakes 🙂
All of you make me feel so loved, inspired, motivated and also make me feel extremely fortunate to go to a university with such amazing people. Thank you for all of your comments and support, it really makes not only my day but my entire month.
I love course registration too! I hate not having my date and time yet
Interesting program switch 🙂 I hope it goes well for you!
@Kelvin:
I had the same worries last year, but you don’t really need to worry–boatloads of room in second year courses still.
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Hey! I found your blog through UBC’s FB group, and I’d just like to say that this post makes me even more excited for first year UBC! 😀