Hello world! It’s me, your newest blogger!

You know one of those random but super adorable signs that you come across when you least expect it that just brightens up your day? One of my most favourites is the “Free Smiles” ones. If that sign was customized for me, it’ll say “Free Smiles..and Advice too! (Just press play).” Why so, you might ask? Well, 1)Smiling is very important. It’s like a good version of the flu-contagious, and necessary to contain the human population. 2)I believe that knowledge and lessons and experiences should be shared. I’ve made enough mistakes to realize the benefits of writing it down/sharing it with people. Hence my desire to have my own little corner on the UBC Blogsquad. 3)I’m an action person, and I hope I’m approachable enough that if you want advice, I can give it to you and even be there to go through it with you (if you want). I’ve realized that being a mentor is instinctive to me. (Here is when I wonder why can’t my parents go back in time and have another child so I can be <strike>the boss</strike> a big sister.) Fear not! I have you guys, my awesome readers.

So what did I spend my weekend doing? That is one recap worthy of a? an? UBC blog. On Friday, I volunteered at the UBC Model United Nations Conference. On Saturday, I went to the Student Leadership Conference as a delegate. On Sunday, I finished a reading for class.

Friday: Model United Nations
So you ask, how did you get involved/why didn’t you sign up as a delegate? Well, I volunteered last year and this year they asked me to come back! I had a good experience last year so I said, why not? I get to hold the honourable position of having the right to read messages I deliver. Go paging! WHATT?? Rewind. So when you volunteer for UBC MUN, you’re either doing coat check (touching fancy jackets briefly and having lots of time to chat with other volunteers) or paging, which is delivering notes from delegates to others, or feeling uber important and delivering messages from the chairs of the committee to people outside, such as the UBC MUN coordinators. Sometimes, especially if the committee is big *coughcoughGeneral Assemblycoughcough*, you get a good workout in always walking around then sitting and getting up when you see a delegate waving for your services. I’d like to stress that for maximum efficiency to tone your already great body during this volunteering assignment, walk around like Tyra-long, knowing strides and when you sit down, contract your legs and abs so your body can feel the burn (eventually!)
You can read the notes if you feel the delegates are abusing their paging privileges by sending notes to their friends about things not related to the debate but sometimes some write in languages you may not know, like Korean so I warn you beforehand.
My experience this time was good too-you often meet volunteers younger than you, like in high school and you can feel all important because they generally admire you like a God(dess) for being in the University they want to be like (UBC!) And you can get excited with them about high school prom. I’m pretty sure all delegates are in university, but not all are from UBC! Cool eh? Yea. I ran into two friends who go to UVic and it was a pleasant surprise because we always have fun and I got to meet some of their UVic buddies.

Saturday: Student Leadership Conference
You can totally tell I’m an Arts student by the length of this entry haha. Arts Pride!!
I should formally introduce myself. I’m planning to write a little “About Me” blurb on the side but we’ll see it when we do. My name is Alison but it feels a lot more personal/friendly when I’m referred to as Aly. I’m a second year student involved with Peer Programs such as FAACT (Faculty of Arts Academic Commuter Transiton Program) and IPP (International Peer Program). I’m really happy I got involved because I got to meet people who I feel will be lifelong friends.
Honestly, I wasn’t planning on going to the SLC, but since FAACT (and IPP) were officially endorsing it, I was like okay! The 7:30-8:30AM breakfast was totally worth waiting 40 minutes for a bus. The food was really good, so was meeting people in FAACT/Emerging Leaders and other Peer Programs. It’s these little things that just make me appreciate my position even more, because I went to get pancakes and saw a FAACTee who went to CLASS (where I presented) who was standing there alone. I got my food, went up to him and let him know I remember him. He said “I’m glad you’re here.” which was unexpected and I think made meeting/talking to (new) people at the breakfast easier.
So everyone was talking how Romeo Dallaire and how there was this poet-Shane Koyczan who were going to be there. Honestly, I think more people were excited about Romeo Dallaire and not that many people Youtubed Shane Koyczan. During the opening ceremony, we had Stephen Toope and the MCs speak, but man, Shane Koyczan knocked it out there. If laughter and joy were nuclearic elements, the Chan Centre would’ve been blown up with us inside. And we would’ve still been okay because Shane Koyczan is just…awesome.
Whoo! Almost 900 words? So I’ll try to keep the rest shorter (it won’t be under 1000 words, I promise.)
The workshops I signed up for were okay. The first featured presentor didn’t really talk about sustainability, which was what I signed up for. Instead, he talked about leadership, which was a pleasant surprise which I wound up with notes on my hand reminiscent of Alanis Morissette’s “The Collection” album.
I didn’t really like my next workshop-the content was fine. I just didn’t like the way the presentation was done. It’s okay, because you and I aren’t going to like every single presentation we go to.
The lunch networking sessions were good. Yes! I got a list of fair trade stores! The New Faces session was good for those who may be shy about approaching people during the mingle breakfast and lunch parts. We basically sat around a table and talked with a New Face or with other SLC delegates. Each New Face who was there sat at a round table at the Lillioett Room in the Chapman Learning Commons (FAACT!) and we had a few minutes to talk to them. I ran into another person I know who doesn’t go to UBC! Nice.
My next workshop was a lot more interactive and pretty informative. I actually went to high school with the presenter and her sister and my sister is friends with the presenter (although I don’t think she knows!) My second featured presenter was a lot less radical than I am, as he works for IBM and talked about business and global corporate responsibility. It was good too. You could tell that the day was getting long though, because some people dozed off.
Props to those who won awards or were nominated! Romeo Dallaire was last and you can tell he’s used to giving lectures because he had these engaging slides and things to say. For those who were not there, his message was basically kind of like Faber Drive’s song, only it wasn’t G-g-get up and dance! It was more like “G-g-get up and take action! (To change the world.)” Funny thing. I was watching television on Sunday and after my program, they were showing a Romeo Dallaire movie.

Although I am capable of doing so, I don’t think my next entry will be this long. So I am now off to bed and to my FAACT session tomorrow!