Tag Archives: cheap fun

Top 5 Cheap Things to Do at UBC

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Hey everybody!

I’ve been on a hiatus from the UBC Blog Squad for the last month and I felt inspired late the other night to write a post on cheap fun on campus. I’m a cash-strapped grad student who lives on my own and thus carries a high rent. I work part-time, go to school full-time, and manage chronic health challenges. All this means money is prized beyond measure and every penny is counted and fraught over. Most of the time, I stay in, opting for home cooking (great way to save money and be healthy), reading (free), and Netflix (cheap). But, every once in a while, I want to go out, and I turn to the UBC campus for that. UBC is popping with daily events that are completely free or super cheap ($2 basketball games anyone?). And I figure, actually I know, many of you are in the same boat, so I’ve put together a little cheat sheet for fun things to do on the cheap at UBC before (and after) Christmas.

Have some fun

1. Watch a basketball game. During my undergrad, I loved heading to War Memorial on a cold fall or winter’s night to watch the basketball teams play and I re-visited that old tradition two weeks ago. It was fantastic. Competitive, high-level sports played with passion and phenomenal skill for only $2? Sign me up! The fans are fun, the Thunderbird Marching Band is energizing, and our teams are some of the best in Canada. Not a baller? Check out our volleyball, hockey, or swim teams. They all rock.

2. Listen to some music. The UBC Faculty of Music hosts a Wednesday Noon Hour Series in the Music Building. Tickets are only $5 for students and is a perfect break in the day from the grind of academia. You’re here to expand your mind and open yourself to new experiences, and this is a great way to do just that. Next show is on Wednesday, November 25 and features award-winners Joshua Peters on violin and Katherine Dowling on piano.

3. Learn something new. One look at the weekly UBC Events Calendar and you’ll see that there are free lectures, seminars, and workshops in every discipline every day on campus. Whether your interests lie in biology, photography, or equity, you will find something that will pique your interest and push you to think differently.

4. Watch a movie and chill.For you first years or newbies, there’s this placed called the Student Union Building that was The Nest’s predecessor for several decades. I have six years of fond memories built up there, many in The Norm Theatre. The UBC Film Society (or FilmSoc) plays a delicious array of movies five days a week in The Norm that range from cult classics like The Big Lebowski (with beer garden) and anti-hero triumphs like Fight Club. $5 membership gets you free movies, events, and workshops all year!

5. Check out a play. Theatre at UBC puts on a full season every year of student productions that both push boundaries and nod to the greats. This weekend, the Theatre Alumni Group’s special fundraising performance Beckett 15, featuring work by Samuel Beckett, is playing with direction from BFA alumnus Gerald Vanderwoude. The show benefits The Peter Loeffler Memorial Award and is only $5 for students. There’s only one show left this Saturday, November 21. There’s also cake and champagne in the lobby afterwards, just saying.

 

What do you like to do for cheap fun on campus? Comment here or tell me on Twitter or Instagram! Happy weekend!

Top 5 Reasons You Should Join A Club

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It's Club Days!

I’m so excited, I just can’t hide it!

It’s Club Days in just over a day and I’m Wiig-ing out. Did you know UBC boasts over 300 student-run clubs? Like plants? There’s a UBC Botany Enthusiasts Club for that (my botany-, Carl Linnaeus-obsessed 8-year-old self is all over that). Live to eat? The UBC Food Society organizes dine-outs, tasting events, and hands-on workshops for the foodie living on a student budget. Whatever you want to do, whoever you want to meet, and however you want to do it, Club Days gives you the best opportunity to connect and get clubbin’.

As an undergrad, I was involved. This year, my last as a UBC student, I aim to take that several steps higher. Because going to school shouldn’t just be about studying, forgetting to eat, and living on Starbucks in the library. School should and needs to be about learning outside the classroom, exploring your passions and hobbies in a non-academic way, and meeting people with similar obsessions as yours.

In honour of Club Days, I’m giving you my totally non-authoritative top 5 reasons for why you should join a club. I will be, will you?

  1. Meet new people. Clubs vary in size surely, but the whole point is to do stuff together as a crew. And have fun doing it! Who knows, your new BFF might be waiting to meet you in the UBC Pottery Club. And if you don’t join and awaken your inner artist, you’ll never know!
  1. Face your fears. Joining a club is an awesome way to get so close to your fears you can smell their gross morning breath and laugh at it. Maybe you’re afraid of deep water, but scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list. Face your Jaws-inspired fear (one of mine) with the Aquatic Society of the AMS, for example.
  1. Cheap fun. Most clubs have very nominal fees. We’re talking $5 or $10. And the returns are huge. For the cash-strapped student (a lot of us), what other reason do you need?
  1. Beef up that CV. Pursuing an education or career in accounting? Join the UBC Accounting Club and get involved in organizing events or running for club leadership. You could learn valuable professional lessons and, most importantly, make valuable professional connections. Because it’s who you know and how you value and build those relationships that will get your foot in the door so you can smash it down.
  1. Have fun! You have to engage in self-care as a student and non-academic fulfillment is essential. No matter what club you join, how serious or not, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to make new friends, de-stress, and learn something new.

2015 Club Days will be taking over The Nest on September 23-25 from 10am-3pm.

What are your favourite clubs at UBC? Share with me on Twitter or Instagram!

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