Category Archives: Involvement/Leadership

Greyson Chance, please be mine?

If you’ve read my blog before, you might be aware that I’ve worked at the Me to We/Free The Children offices in Toronto over this past summer and have been highly involved in something called the Me to We MOB. I seem to be a walking Me to We/Free The Children book of knowledge lately too, loads of fun. Now, for the third straight year, I’ve been a part of something MAGICAL. No word of a lie, MAGICAL. Yep, it’s the crowd pumping team for We Day. Last weekend I flew from Vancouver to Toronto for We Day and we’re just a little bit more than a week away from the big show in VANCOUVER on the 15th.

I’ve been out here in Vancouver working hard to get crowd pumpers together, practice the We Day dance, and working with the BC Office to run rehearsals. Toronto We Day was the first taste of getting to see the We Day dance in action with 18,000 youth and people scattered throughout the Air Canada Centre in their absolute best tight and bright. All that hard work = totally worth it. Thanks Alyssa for lending me your pink tights, they totally made people on the street turn heads.

So as I’m standing in the bowl of the Air Canada Centre last Thursday at We Day, this young guy you might of heard of before named Greyson Chance comes on to perform. He blew me away. My noise-canceling headset couldn’t stop me from being amazed by his voice and he’s only, what, 13? Here’s a video of his performance and what gives me the energy to keep doing what I’m doing–mass amounts of school work, volunteering and crowd pumping prep. Also, finding time to eat and sleep takes some level of passion that Greyson Chance is able to provide. Thanks Greyson, for inspiring university students to get through their full course loads and giving them the courage to sleep more than 6 hours a night too.

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Also, if you click this link right here, hello I’m a link, it will take you to the We Day facebook page and for every ‘like’ Free The Children gets $1. They’re trying to get one million likes for $1,000,000. Now, those folks at the offices in Toronto are some of my closest friends and I know that they are working so hard to help Free The Children achieve all that they have achieved. Could you please help support them and all they do by clicking the link and liking We Day? I’ll love you forever. Well actually, I do already love you forever because you are reading my blog.

With much love,
That girl who is engaged in everything Me to We/Free The Children in every way possible and loves it.

A Music Monday full of LOVE.

y=You guys, I have so many exciting things I want to share with you! I’ve flown to Toronto and back for We Day, been all over the place with Colour Wars and Mob kick-off events, and now here I am one full month into school. Kind of feels like Eat, Pray, Love, because of the crazy adventures I’ve had with love, passions, and travel–which brings me to this song choice. I chose Florence + the Machine’s Dog Days Are Over for today’s Music Monday because it reminds me of an extra special person in my life we shall call vcamp.

Not long ago, I started up something pretty big. A future post will hold the big announcement but, for now, what you should know is that vcamp plays an important role in this “something pretty big.” Not many people have the wonder and amazing talents that vcamp holds. Vcamp and I only met at Residence Advisor Orientation at the end of August. Already, I know, that she’s going to go far in life and I’m proud to call her one of my newest friends and project partner. One of her biggest passions (yes passion) is Florence + the Machine. While I was at We Day, I heard this song and thought of her. Immediately from looking over the ACC from the 600-level VIP lounge I sent her a text.

That text said,
“We Day equals they are totally playing Florence + the Machine and I’m thinking of you from all the way in Toronto.”

She replied,
“That is amazing! I love her and I love you :)”

This one is for you, vcamp. The best non-traditional warm fuzzy you’ll ever read. I hope you one day read this.

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After one week of classes, these are my favorite things.

Some of my favorite things about UBC are that politically involved people are called “hacks” and often they say “totes.” I also love that the AMS Welcome Back BBQ and Block Party are exactly the same thing, no differences at all except one is in September and the other is in April. I also love that everyone goes and loves it.

I love that everyone is comfortable in their own skin. Everyone has their own style and rocks it. I love that I see more girls with longboards this year. I love that the Honour Roll (the AMS sushi place in the basement of the SUB) takes meal cards for the first time this year. I love that the Honour Roll exists, period. I love how my diet has been 90% udon and Booster Juice since I got here.

I love that Magda’s sold me a box of Dad’s cookies for $2. I love that The Ubyssey is sarcastic and fun. I love that I never want or feel the need to leave campus because it’s all right here. I love that I find more handsome men than I do in downtown Toronto (major win). I love that the Centre for Student Involvement exists. I love that we have Imagine Day, even if the goal of the day is to get the first pitcher at The Gallery. I love Totem Park. I love Anna from the Totem Dining Hall who makes the best wraps. I love UBC.

Dean Gage “Whuddup” Averill

Move over Sauder’s Dean Dan, as sad as I am that we are without our beloved Dean Nancy Gallini as the Arts Faculty, I have to say that Dean Gage “Whuddup” Averill is pretty stellar. Yesterday, I was impressed with his Imagine Day address at the Chan centre. This man showed class and humour and I think him and Brain Sullivan (my favorite man, word to the students) should be best friends and go bowtie shopping.

Dean Gage “Whuddup” Averill, incase you are reading this because I know you sometimes frequent student blogs, I want you to know that I understand it’s not easy being the new guy in a big school, bringing me  to suggest B-Sullivan as a possible new friend for you.

So Dean Gage “Whuddup” Averill, you’re probably asking why B-Sullivan out of all the faculty and staff makes a good fit as a friend for you. Well, since it seems that Professor Alan Sens is already your pal from his funny and thoughtful introduction to your awesomeness yesterday, I thought that B-Sullivan has a lot to offer as he is one of the coolest guys on campus.

The way he sports those bowties and still understands the students after being at the university is something that resonates with me. If you have any say in the matter, please make sure B-Sullivan remains at UBC until after I graduate. Another request if you become bffs, I’m really curious to know how many bowties he actually owns and how he stores all of them. I wonder if it’s more intense than a Sex and the City shoe closet.

So when you do become bffs, and I’m sure that there is no way that two awesome and down to earth UBC champions could not be friends, please let me know how bowtie shopping goes. Dean Gage “Whuddup” Averill, I think you are a cool dude. I sat in that audience and from watching you I think that your speech brought down the academic-house.

PS, I really like the name “The Sipping Point” for the new Arts Cafe. Run with it.

Second Year, this is all a big deal yo.

Today I walked onto the stage on the Chan Centre and openly told new Arts students that I’m in love with chocolate milk but I’m lactose intolerant. I also mentioned my new brand of being a hipster librarian and that I’ve grown more than I could have ever imagined in only one year at UBC.

Only one year ago I was the person in those seats listening to phenomenal students tell me about the things we should be involved with. How much can happen in only one year this year? Before I graduate?

As much as I wanted to keep talking about my cool glasses and my longboard, I stressed that everyone in Arts should be proud of their purple. UBC is only a small part of our lives in the grand scheme of things and we need to take advantage of the time that we have here. That’s why we need to put all of our heart into our degrees. What we put into it is what we get out of it. Arts has heart.

I know that every single person inside the Chan has extreme amounts of potential. They’ve shown it just by choosing UBC. I know that in no time I’ll be cheering on the new class of Arts students at UBC (and all students at UBC for that matter) and blogging about them from here. No “from here” UBC branding intended.

I’m alive!

I’ve just escaped the depths of conferences and orientations and getting ready for opening weekend at Totem Park! My biggest apologies goes out to you, my little blog reading fan base, that I have disappeared for the last month. I have been without internet as I learn everything from personal branding to attending MOB BootCamp at the new Me to We Leadership Centre. I’ve thought about you guys everyday and how badly I wanted to post something and I’m happy that I am now back with an internet connection and a fancy new dorm room in T-Park.

Here we go with the 2010-2011 academic year approaching. I’ll still be blogging all the time, bringing you music every Monday, and telling you what’s going on at UBC. Here are a few cool things that are currently happening personally that I’d like to share.

First of all, click here to read a great article in the Toronto Star today about how cool caring can he. You also might see a name you recognize in there. Just sayin’.

Secondly, if you are a first year student, look out for a familiar face during your Meet The Dean session during Imagine Day who will be talking about her experiences as an involved student leader. Hint: she has a blog you are currently reading.

Now that I’ve FINALLY been able to post something, I must get back to prepping for Totem Park to be ready for all you fabulous first years to move in to this Saturday! If you haven’t been following my Twitter and you are wondering what I’ve been doing for the last month, click here to read through my tweets and to check out all those fabulous TwitPics I upload. Love you long time.

Changes

There’s a few things you should know about me.

I can’t cook for myself. I enjoy putting my hair into a side braid. All I eat is Lipton chicken noodle soup. I think a barista at my local Starbucks is pretty cute. I make paper cranes for people that matter to me. I’m really not looking forward to fulfilling my two science requirements for my Arts degree. I like to sleep in as much as possible in the mornings. And I’ve made some big decisions for my future.

Change is not easy. I’m set in who I am. It isn’t much easier to be proactive and create change for myself instead of waiting for change to happen. The scariest thing is that you are making a risk. Last week, I took a risk.

I’ve got a number one priority in my life. It’s school. Even if I don’t want to make my school work my top priority, it is a commitment I made to myself and others a long time ago that I’d rock my academics. Last year, I continued the same trend that I’ve had going since high school. It’s that I say “yes” to everything and I put my service and leadership commitments first. My mother (the legendary momma bakes) says that I need to learn how to say “no.” It’s true, especially if I want to keep my commitment to my grades, somethings gotta give.

So, last week, I finally said “no” to something. I’m 18 and it’s taken me this long. I realized that I cannot have everything that I want and if school comes first for me then I actually need to free up some time to study. With that in mind, I turned down a leadership opportunity for the first time in my life. How does it feel? Sometimes I remember that I’m doing the right thing, and other days I try to convince myself that I can do it all and still get the grades I want. Saying “no” is not easy, I really don’t like it, whoever made up the word should take it back, but I hope this risk pays off. I’ve got a goal for second year and it’s hitting a certain average that I have in my head. As second year approaches, and I’ve made those hard choices that I’m going to stick to, I know that now it’s game time.

Join the MOB

Summer.

Where were you on Canada Day? I was on Toronto Island with the Toronto MOB for their end of the year social. A group of us came together for the day for a walk on the beach, lunch on the island, a bon fire and a great time with a guy named Craig who started our fire for us. Craig also eventually climbed a tree, jumped up and down like a monkey making monkey noises, and fell out of that tree. He’s also a pretty cool 20-something who makes nuclear reactors for the government.

I mention the MOB a lot in this blog. It is my life. I was the West-Coast MOB-Lead last year and current intern at the office. It’s definitely the coolest thing ever, no over exaggerating.

So what is the MOB? This Prezi explains it well, so does our annual report, but besides us being the coolest thing since the invention of the Easy-Bake Oven, we are a grassroots movement across Canada of upper high school to university aged youth determined to make a mark on the social issues of our generation. We support Free The Children, participate in all their campaigns, and directly sponsor villages in Ecuador, India and Haiti. At the end of each MOB year, we travel to those villages to participate in the community development work ourselves. Right now, (Mob)ilizers are in Ecuador and India doing that very thing.

We also support the philosophy of Me to We through socially conscious living. We have our own campaigns as a MOB, our own events and flash mobs and we volunteer at WE Day. We mobilize the masses to become a part of the movement with us. We reach out and bring in.

If you want to be a part of the MOB, please apply to join before July 26th. There are 26 MOB-Cities across Canada, including one in Vancouver which is lead by UBC students (woot woot). You can find the link here, or you can visit the website and have a look around and see if it’s for you. It’s a great way to get involved if you are a first year going to UBC and are looking for something to be engaged in. It brings together youth who are in upper high school or university from across the city. Check it out!

The Toronto MOB on Toronto Island!

JP and Gaby, one of our two Toronto MOB-Leads, eating some toasted marshmallows

Shane, one of the Toronto (Mob)ilizers

Toronto MOB gathered around the bonfire

Vicotria and Gaby, Toronto MOB-Lead, hugging it out

Guess where I’m blogging now

CTV.ca
UBC Blog Squad
Me to We

Click here to follow the socially conscious blog posts that will now be appearing by the wicked-awesome intern who looks dangerous at summits.

While you are at it, you have to visit this. It’s called couldyou.ca and it’s whatever is higher than wicked on the impressive adjective vocabulary scale.

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By the way, this was totally filmed in my house and I had no idea.

How to get involved at UBC

This was me in high school.
Take note on the mandatory white graduation dress and the school uniform.

This is me now, after one year at UBC. Yes there is a grounded flying saucer in the background.

In high school, I was student council President. I held leadership positions in my community. I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. I was an editor of my school’s yearbook and newspaper. I enjoyed listening to Taking Back Sunday and mostly anything from the “punk
or “emo” genre of music, but that phase eventually ended some point around grade 10. So to sum it up, I was a highly involved student who had an interesting music taste.

When the end of grade 12 came, I chose a university to attend that was on the other side of the country (UBC!). Moving forward, I no longer had any of my leadership positions. I no longer belonged to any clubs. I no longer had my mother’s car to drive. I had to start fresh.

I knew what I liked. I liked to be the voice for youth and for students. I liked to speak in front of large crowds. I likde to mentor others. I liked to plan events. I liked supporting charities. I liked being involved with student politics. I liked being filled with school spirit.

With that, I went on my search for opportunities that fit the things I liked. These are some of the things I joined, what I participated in and what I suggest new students to UBC look into as well.

VP Students Emerging Leaders Program
Through the program, I was connected with an upper year student and a small group of students who are in my faculty and new to UBC as well. I was able to volunteer for the Reading Week Learning Exchange in an elementary school for three days during this past reading week, attend the Student Leadership Conference that happens every January, and have meet and greets with Brian Sullivan and our faculty’s Dean. It gives students the chance to find new ways to be involved at UBC, connect with other students who are new as well, and to grow as a leader. Next year I’ll be a POD Leader (that lovely upper year student I talked about, who for me was Tarini!) and I’m stoked to be able to help more new to UBC students find their place in such an amazing community.

UBC Blog Squad
Keep checking back to find out how to apply this summer to become a blogger just like I am now! It’s been “the bomb” being able to share with the world my experiences as a UBC student. The best part is the comments I receive where people from places far far away tell me that I influenced their decision to come to UBC and I have made their world all the brighter.

Art History Student Association & Arts Undergraduate Society
It all started when I got an email blast from the Art History Visual Arts dept inviting me to the AHSA movie night in one of the lecture halls in the Lasserre building. I met the club, decided to join, which lead me to the position of being the AHSA rep to the AUS! Through the AUS, I sat on the Killam Teaching Prize Committee for the Faculty of Arts as the Undergraduate rep which gave me a chance to read profiles on amazing professors in my faculty and to get to know the school better. Being on the AHSA also lead me to meet the Art + Architecture + Planning  Librarian, Vanessa Kam, who gave me advice on how to research for my art history paper. In addition, I helped plan and attend career fairs for AHVA students, learn about my future professors, and network with upper year students in my program. All of these doors were open because of one little movie night I decided to attend.

UBC Rec’s Soccer League
I joined with a team from Totem Park and we might of never won a game but it was a lot of fun to wake up early every Sunday morning, walk over to the soccer fields, and play a game of soccer with mountains in the background. The best part about Vancouver is that the season started in January and it was warm enough to play in just a t-shirt.

AMS Mini School- Pole Dancing 101
My friends and I from my floor in Totem Park signed up for this six week course on how to pole dance for beginners! It was for an hour every Thursday night in the Student Union Building for six weeks. The AMS Mini School offers discounts (with already low prices) if you join with friends and they offer many other courses like bar-tending, different forms of dance, photography and more.