Greetings to you Fairview Crescent and Fraser Hall,

So, most of you have all be involved in the “university thing” for a while now, and have found your niche within the wonderful world of UBC. That’s wonderful. I’m going to throw a challenge at you all: Get out of your comfort zone. Go out and do things that are new, and get fully immersed in the UBC Community. There are many ways you can do this, one of them of course being  – getting involved with the NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary).

But what is the NRHH? Good question you smart university student!

The NRHH is a council dedicated to residence hall students, with a focus on providing opportunities for their personal growth and development. The NRHH strives to provide recognition for individuals who have contributed to the advancement of university housing. We also encourage continued commitment to leadership within the areas of community service, scholastics, and recognition.

But what does this all mean exactly? In simple terms, we recognize student leaders within residence. Every month, we nominate these people for awards that are recognized internationally to acknowledge the work that they do to create and build community and memories for everyone they come in contact with.

So what can you do to help? Tell us when people are being amazing student leaders! Be our eyes and ears! Whenever one of your peers goes above and beyond, let us know. When your Residence Advisor runs a great program, or is an awesome person and does something wonderful, let us know. When your Area President, Floor Rep, or House President gets involved in something super cool, comes up with a new initiative, or runs a great event, let us know!  And when these amazing people are nominated for Recognition Awards, share the news with the world.  Let everyone know that where you live is the best place to be, and inspire other leaders around you.

Want more information?
Follow us on Twitter : @UBCNRHH
“Like” us on Facebook : UBC NRHH Thunderbird Chapter
Check out our website: rha.housing.ubc.ca
Email us at : nrhh@housing.ubc.ca

Get involved in your community, and help us recognize the people that already are!

Courtney Northrup
Vice President Internal
NRHH UBC Thunderbird Chapter

Summer is now offer and cloudy days are just around the corner! Seasonal Affective Disorder, a mood disorder, is most often experienced during the winter season (but can be experienced during the spring and summer seasons), year after year. Even though these individuals have normal mental health throughout the rest of the year, a serious mood change occurs during this season. One might experience a decrease in their energy level, an increase in the tendency to oversleep, difficulty with concentrating and completing tasks, and withdrawal from family, friends and social events. This can ultimately lead to depression, lack of pleasure, appetite changes, anxiety and pessimism. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), S.A.D. is “a specifier of major depression”, and can be experienced by patients with Major Depressive Disorder or those with Bipolar Disorder. Research has shown that these seasonal mood alterations are related to light since bright-light therapy is found to be effective in minimizing symptoms. Other treatments include medication, ionized-air administration, cognitive behavioural therapy and melatonin supplementation. It’s normal to have days when you experience those symptoms, but if you experience them for days at a time every year, especially when seasons change, you may want to consult your doctor.  

– Simi, Senior Residence Advisor

Ever tried accessing the UBC website from your smartphone or tablet? So many tiny words! UBC recognizes that your eyesight has started to fail because of all those late-night exam study sessions and endless textbook readings.  That’s why it’s time you discovered UBC Mobile – the latest innovation to the already awesome UBC website.

What is UBC Mobile? Think of it as your personal hub for everything UBC, right at your fingertips!

Currently, the UBC Mobile platform consists of several core services for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors to UBC, including:

An Interactive Campus Map – Easily navigate around UBC with the mobile campus map. Zoom in or out in any direction and instantly display the nearest restaurants, parking areas, libraries or gyms.

Staff and Faculty Directory – Need to find your professors email address or office location? It’s easier than ever before with UBC Mobile. Search by first and last name for phone numbers, email addresses, and office locations for UBC faculty and staff members. (Contact details vary and are informed by individual privacy settings).

Dining Listings – Whether you are craving pizza or a Frappuccino, UBC Mobile makes it easy to find any dining establishment on campus. A green dot beside the name of the restaurant indicates if it is open or not — preventing you from disappointment.

News – Get the latest news from the UBC newspaper, featuring stories about the UBC community, arts and culture, as well as science and research. You are also able to share interesting articles through email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Transit Schedules – Find out when your bus is coming with real-time tracking. Select by community bus route and direction to view the expected arrival time at the stops on that route. Clicking an individual bus stop will show its location on the map.

Event Listings – Find out what is going on at UBC today with the event calendar. Categorize each event by date, time, or location, ensuring that you never miss the next big event on campus.

Emergency Broadcasts – Stay informed for critical information on the UBC campus and get quick access to important emergency contact information.

This is just the first step towards creating a better UBC mobile experience for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors. We plan to continue developing new features and important updates to the mobile website to foster and develop greater UBC community interaction.

In the upcoming months, UBC Mobile will be working to create a more user-friendly experience for the admissions, alumni engagement, student services, and library modules. In addition, keep an eye on the Mobile home page for more information about the Digital*U Competition, beginning in October, which is focused on improving your mobile experience. With a grand prize of $5,000, this contest is one to watch out for.

To learn more about UBC Mobile, please visit m.ubc.ca

Author: Simon F. and Fairview Fraser Advisors

As Billy Madison so aptly reminds us, we are indeed going “back to school”; whether we are regretting leaving our summers behind or looking forward to the inevitable fall, we all share this common experience. As students living in Fairview Crescent and Fraser Hall, we are for the majority either returning, transfer or exchange students. Thus, let us find wisdom in his words.

Billy Madison states that he is going to school to prove to his father he is not a fool. At the beginning of classes, it is important to remember why we are doing our studies and to examine our motivations. Are we doing this to please our parents, or is it because we find the topics of our studies particularly interesting? Knowing what motivates us will be helpful throughout the semester, especially when you are trying to remind yourself why you are staying up all night to study for that midterm or to write that paper at the absolute last minute.

Billy Madison also has his “lunch packed up” and his “boots tied tight” as he readies himself to leave. Here in Fairview and Fraser Hall, it is entirely up to you whether you are packing yourself a lunch or are going to go hungry all day through your classes. This independence is something to be cherished, but is also a great responsibility. You don’t have a cafeteria or parents to make all your food for you (although you could go to Vanier or Totem if you really wish) and consequently must take your choices and wellness within your own hands.

Finally, as we live in suite style housing, it is important to foster a healthy living environment and not to “get into a fight” with our roommates.  This is especially important, as we do not want commonplace issues like dirty kitchens and loud noises coming from other rooms impeding our academic performances. Some good ways to avoid these problems are to attend the unit visit with your residence advisor, to make a roommate agreement (and to stick to it) and to create real relationships with your roommates.

I hope this article reminds you that behind the simple lyrics of Billy Madison’s song lies an important message that each young aspiring student should take to heart.

Happy New Year! (New School Year that is),

Welcome to Fairview and Fraser Hall, whether you’re a returning student or here for the very first time.  We’re so excited to have you here!

The next couple of weeks will be extremely busy on campus and in Residence.  Come out and join us to get to know your advisors as well as neighbours for the upcoming year.  This blog will be a great source to check for upcoming events right in your own backyard!

Coming up next (Monday September 3rd), is our free Welcome BBQ at 4pm on the field just in front of the Commonsblock- where the front desk is located. Come grab some dinner and catch some rays. It will be immediately followed by our Community Meeting at 7pm- a chance to meet the advisors as well as learn some useful info about living in Fairview and Fraser for the year to come.  Hope to see you there!

* Movie Night: Friday July 13^th at 8pm on the Fairview/Acadia Field

• What’s Playing? ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

* Dessert Night: Wednesday July 18^th at 7pm on the grassy knoll in Fairview

Is money tight? Looking to buy a new laptop? Trying to pay back some student loans? Here are a few tips to keep you out of the red and feeling confident about your finances:

• Track your money. Buy things with cash so that you can see how much money things are costing you.
• You’re a student- take advantage of every student discount you can find!
• Treat credit carefully! Set a realistic credit limit so you can’t get in over your head. Be wary of high interest rates.
• Set a budget after determining how much money you’ll have each month and commit to it. This will help keep your purchases in line.
• Put away some money for emergencies.  Add a just little bit each month to an account and you’ll hardly notice but it is money that is now tucked away in case you ever need it.
• Be aware of due dates! If you’re strapped for cash, the last thing you want is to be paying extra for late fees.  Mark things in a calendar or set up automatic payments so that you never miss a date.

Exams will be coming up before you know it! Here are some tips of how to avoid major time wasters to help keep you on track, instead of sidetracked.

• The TV: Don’t just sit down and watch whatever’s on.  Instead, choose shows specifically so you can schedule them around your work.  If you really need to surf, give yourself a time limit!
• Video Games: Some people can play video games for hours and hours every day.  Try using it as a reward for getting work done instead: “When I finish my readings I can play COD.”
• The Internet: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, email, news sites… All of these are constantly updating, meaning you have an endless supply of new distractions. Limit yourself to certain sites as well as how long you’ll use them each day.  Some people even deactivate certain accounts during exam time to help them focus!

Residence Advisors student staff that work to ensure a safe residence community suitable to positive living and learning conditions. Here are just some of the ways that Residence Advisors are here to support you:

•    Answer questions about Rez, UBC, Vancouver and to provide you with information about campus life and services;
•    Plan activities and programs that are offered in residence;
•    Help ‘keep the peace’ in the residence community;
•    Are available to offer a listening ear;
•    Address issues in residence that may be bothering you such as loud noises, safety concerns, roommate conflicts; and
•    Respond to lock outs by letting you back into your unit/room
•    So much more!

Overall, Advisors work to ensure that residence can be a constructive living and learning community for all residents.

Top 3 Composting Myths Busted:

1.  Yes, you can compost meat, bones, dairy and cooked food here at UBC. Our In-Vessel composter can break down a lot more than a traditional backyard composter that you may have at home.
2.  Chopsticks and cutlery are NOT compostable, but some takeout containers are – check!
3.  If you take out your compost bin and clean it frequently, you won’t have to worry about smells or fruit flies forming Continue reading →