Category Archives: First Year

Vancouver Me to We (Mob)ilizers

I love leading the Mob.

Obama Weather Called It…

This week was filled with so much rain, that it couldn’t have came at a better time. Not only did my orange umbrella from my photo-shoot with Rabi go missing in the Swing Space (maybe someone took it to match my missing BlackBerry) but a crack developed in my over-priced rain boots that I bought in October. I’m unaware of where the receipt might be, or when I could find the time to bring them back to Robson. It’s been a spa vacation as I trek from Totem to Buchanan without an umbrella and a crack in my rain boots. The back of my left foot has developed blisters and now I need to walk in pain because I have no choice but to continue to wear the boots because of all the rain. This can be problematic, because for one people look at me in a strange way as I walk like I’m avoiding the ground, and the second problem is that it slows down my ability to make it from class to class on time.

My bad luck with the weather and my rain gear hasn’t stopped me from loving Vancouver any less. It’s going to have to take something really big to crack me.

I’m on a UBC Student Involvement High

Things are really blossoming this semster when it comes to my level of invovlement in the UBC community. Last semester I still belonged to clubs, blogged, supported Magda’s with my candy addiction, attended events, and did as much as I could to be involved in campus life. I’m less than 2 weeks into Term Deux and already I’ve attended SLC, joined a teaching prize selection committee as the Arts undergrad rep, became an art history rep at AUS meetings, met exciting new people who want me to join their cause (which I will), I joined my floor’s WTFL flag football team and my friend’s Rec soccer team. That’s just a little sliver of the entire cake!

I’ve never been so pumped about everything that I get to be a part of. UBC is so big that everyday I learn of something that is out there that I had no idea about. Like today for example, I was sitting in the Sub Art Gallery while I was volunteering for AHSA & VASA and I met a super awesome individual who runs a campus publication about women in politics! That’s right up my alley! That’s something I love about UBC. 1) It’s so big that it can offer over a million different things to the student body. 2) You’re always learning something new and it never feels dull.

As I blogged about over the winter break, I have a new toy- my iPod Nano. It’s my new tool to blog to you guys with videos of UBC and residence life. Here is my first video where I’m testing out the technology & showing you residence life here in Totem Park.

Secondly, here is a clip I shot from the very front row of SLC of the opening part of Romeo Dallaire’s keynote address.

Thirdly, please donate to help those in Haiti. My high school has sponsored a school in Haiti that was hit so hard by the hurricane that happened last year that the children couldn’t go to school for months. The worst part is that school is where they get their food for the day. Without school they don’t eat. Haiti still had not recovered from the hurricane so imagine what it is like now after the earthquake. As a Vancouver Mob-Lead, here is a link to Free The Children to donate to help Haiti.

That’s all for today. Hopefully I see some blog readers tomorrow in the Norm Theatre inside the SUB for the town hall meeting with Michael Ignatieff. It’s at 3pm & It’s going to be a blast.

M-M-M-Music Monday.

RA Alumni Night

Today, I went to the Residence Advisor Alumni Night in Marine Drive Residence. In this photo, alumni of UBC who were also Residence Advisors put together a panel to talk about their experiences. Matt Corker was there too, because he is everywhere at UBC. I just noticed the other day that he’s the guy from one of the “Youbc” pre-admissions site videos that I watched before I accepted my offer of admission last year. I should have guessed that he was an RA. You might be able to see his fo-hawk in the front row. Hey Matt!

Just to let you know, I’d absolutely love the chance to be a RA and mentor a whole floor of first years. I applied and we’ll see what the universe has planned out for me. If not, I’ve got my sights set on being a part of the lovely TPRA next year. Woo endless amounts of student involvement!

Today I bought an almost nude UBC Men’s Rugby Team calender when they conveniently showed up at my dorm room door. It’s pretty hilarious and I’ll admit they are pretty good looking. You know how it is, I’m supporting UBC Varsity Athletics, I’ll do whatever it takes even if it means buying photos of good looking men or having them autograph their month in the calendar. It’s tough stuff supporting UBC Athletics but someone needs to do it.

Also, this week the VASA/AHSA (the cool kids club that I’m a part of) has the “Im/Perfect Bodies” art exhibit in the Sub Gallery. Go check it out! I’ll be volunteering there during the week for Arts Week. It’s wicked cool because there is art from non-visual arts students and photos of Ski and Board Club guys kicking each other in their manly areas. Go!

Now for some music. I wasn’t sure what to choose for this. Lately, It’s been Tegan and Sara, Phoenix, Jack Johnson and the Hood Internet. That’s my diet. School already is super busy, super cool, and super nuts all at the same time. It’s only the second week and I can feel the pressure building. I need to study some French vocab tonight, read some poetry for English Lit, and my “To Do’s” in my dorm room reads, “buy Katie a kitten or puppy!” So I better get on that.

Here is Don’t Haunt This Place by The Rural Alberta Advantage. Kyle R is jumping up and down as he reads his RSS and finds out that I’m posting music he introduced me to. Guess who has tickets to see them and City and Colour during the Olympics, Kyle?

Why This Semester Rocks Already

1) One of my TAs looks like James Franco but more scholarly. He also has a first name that sounds like he’s from Saved By The Bell. Wicked Awesome.

2) All of my profs are really interesting, funny, smart and all of my course outlines sound reasonable. Last semester I was hit with 3 2500 word term papers in the span of two weeks. This semester it’s more of a balance.

3) Vancouver isn’t cold at all in January. Jeez, Ontario gets it bad.

4) I have no midterms.

5) Two weeks for reading week and the Olympics, holla.

Around Campus with One Fisheye Lens and some 35mm Film

It’s here…

Semester Two

This Book Will Change Your Life

I bought a book called This Book Will Change Your Life from the UBC Bookstore last month. Everyday I follow the instructions on the page. Each page is labeled Day 1- 365 and it is designed to spice up your life and as the back cover reads, “If it doesn’t change your life, you’re most probably dead. Enjoy!” I chose to start it on New Years Day and to follow the instructions for the entire year.

Day 1 & Day 2 from This Book Will Change Your Life

Day 1- Warm Up Day
I had 18 options to choose from and given the task to complete one of them. Some of them are to learn to play “Chopsticks” or to increase your typing speed by three words a minute. I should of chosen the task to insult an insect, or to go on a one-minute hunger strike, but I chose to bookmark a new website. I found a new designer, named Giambattista Valli that I absolutely fell in love with, so I bookmarked his website!

A dress by Giambattista Valli

Day 2- The Love of Your Life
“Today, gaze at everyone wondering whether they might be the one true love of your life, the one destined for you and you alone, and whether you might be passing them by forever… Act in consequence.”
hehehehe.

I realllly hope I see you today

The Spender in Me

Christmas time means gifts, new things, boxing day sales, and time off from classes to go shopping! It’s a terrible idea, but I’m in the mood to spend a sliver of savings this holiday season on new things for me. After all, I did promise myself a new longboard if I passed my Modern Art 227 midterm and indeed I did more than pass and I didn’t follow through on my promise to myself. Here is my collection of the cool new things I’m bringing back with me to Totem in a few days or that I hope to buy really soon! There’s also links for you to follow to find cool stuff for yourself too.

TOMS Shoes– a personal favorite. Click Here to learn more about the One for One movement where they give a pair of shoes for a child in need for every pair of shoes you buy from them. They even offer vegan styles or styles that feature enough glitter to make you sparkle. I want to add this sleek black pair to my collection for a everyday and for a conference in Toronto this February so I can look professional while creating social change at the same time! They’ll be arriving in the mail by the time I get back into residence this week.

Landyactz Bamboo Totem 41″ Longboard– something I’ve wanted for a long time. Click Here to visit the site of a longboard company based out of BC and started by two kids growing up on the North Shore. It offers everything I want out of a board and I feel like the purchase is well deserved after pulling off a great mark in Modern Art 227- and that wasn’t easy. I can’t wait to ride it around campus when it isn’t raining. This purchase is going to wait under tuition and res fees are due.. I’m also still interested in buying a Loaded Pintail instead and I can’t decide.

Product (Red) 5G iPod Nano– After my house was broken into last spring, I’ve been living life without an iPod and surprisingly it has been hard. This little baby is my birthday gift from my mom. Not only will it make those long walks from Totem to Buchanan a little less painful and that it is Product (Red) to fight Aids in Africa, it was ordered from apple.ca which means free engraving! Click Here to visit Product (Red)’s website. On the back of my iPod it says, “In the beginning there was nothing. Just the water.” It’s a quote from Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King.

The New Kings of Nonfiction by Ira Glass. To start, anything by Ira Glass is worth a read. Glass, who you might recognize as the host of This American Life, picks out 14 of his favorite journalistic features from writers who share incredible stories. It’s like This American Life in a book. If you have never heard of This American Life, you should Click Here and subscribe to the free podcast on iTunes and I promise you that you will be forever changed and become more intellectual because of it. Right now it’s still only a dream to order this baby from amazon.ca!

Cool Gifts for a Student in Residence, Thanks Mom

A little dust-buster vacuum that can be tucked away in a drawer so I no longer need to try to find the brother & sister floor shared vacuum when my room looks a little dirty.

An alarm clock that continually gets louder until you turn it off so I can wake up in time for my 9am classes. The alarm on my cell phone just isn’t doing it anymore.

Finally, a mini electric kettle for my late night Magda’s runs to get some Mr. Noodles.

The Best of Semester One

In 2 quick days I’ll be starting my 2nd semester of first year. After watching both seasons of Dorm Life in my short time that I’ve been home, it inspired me to show you what my first semester in Totem Park looked like. Dorm Life follows the lives of a floor in residence as they go through their first year of university and each season covers an one semester. If it wasn’t for living in residence, I wouldn’t have had all these memories to post from the last few months. If Dorm Life was following the lives of those who lived on 2nd Nootka, viewers wouldn’t be disappointed. I’m a firm believer in the university residence experience and I wouldn’t want to be living anywhere else. Here are photos of my friends and I from Totem Park & some of the memories we’ll always have.

AMS Annual Welcome Back BBQ with Thinderheist & Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head

First Week Under The Stars Dance with Totem ladies

The Thunderbirds Homecoming Football Game
We still have no idea who the girl on the left is who jumped into our photo

Nootka at Totem Colour Wars!
The front of our shirts say, “Where da gold at???”
Apparently it’s a YouTube video that I’m yet to see

2nd Nootka on our way to the legendary Glow Dance

We climbed the “E” outside of the engineering buildings on Main Mall
Quote: “We’re like Sex and the City but younger.. and hotter.. and we live in Totem.”

A bunch of us from our floor went to Fright Nights at the PNE, for a lot of us our first time. We loved this actor. She slid on knee pads towards unsuspecting people, rock on.