September 2015 – come get a little lost with me

on a sunny monday morning… things are not what they seem…

this morning i had a weird, awkward, and just the tiniest bit hilarious start to my day. it’s an experience that i’d like to never ever repeat again, for my heart is still pounding just at the thought of it, but i’m sure it’s an experience many of us will probably encounter during our time in university. let’s start from the beginning.

9:30 am, woke up after hitting the snooze button twice
squinted out the window, debating whether or not to trust the sunshine
my heart said yes but my vancouver-raised instincts said no
nearly burnt my toast while rushing to get ready for class
10:25 am, freaking out, thinking i’m going to be late
10:28 am, speed walking and fingers crossed
10:32 am, slip into lecture hall, accepting of the fact that i will just have to suffer in a seat in the back, or one at the very very front
10:35 am, why is there a different prof? why does everyone have their laptops out-
10:37 am, silent horror as i realize this is not Ling100
my class started at 11:00 am, oops
10:40 am, it’s too late, i’m trapped in this class that is way too advanced for me
awkwardly doodles in my notebook while hoping no one would notice i am an infiltrator

after that, i safely made it through my actual lecture with barely a few dozing-off moments and a few dozen yawns. that was definitely way too much excitement in the morning for becky. (let’s just say my brain doesn’t function very well in the am.)

snooze-tiana — accurate gif of me in the mornings

on another note, club days was fun!

it was overwhelming with the amount of people there, and the aggressive promotion of certain clubs with their flyers and cheering (thank you, dance clubs and hksa), but the vibe is definitely something i wouldn’t forget. it was so nice to see all these clubs come out, all these different interests co-existing in one place. there’s the bigger clubs and associations, the cultural clubs, the hobby clubs, the academic clubs… there’s just too many to choose from and not enough time!

obviously, the free things and food is definitely a huge plus in pulling in some unsuspecting freshman into your club. i do wish the icebreakers were more spread out, because it was super hard choosing between which ones to attend. oh well. there’s always next time~

working concession during games is probably something i’ll never get used to. the crowds come in waves and i am just standing there trying to work the ipad while juggling coins and bills. whoever said that all asians are good at math, i am here to prove you wrong. i just can’t do mental math on the spot, apparently.

it was interesting to see which type of beer people preferred though. and of course, being able to talk to a diverse group of football fans- there were college kids, parents, alumni, international people… it’s definitely a cool experience working the food stand!

also: i finally bought a ubc sweater! that’s right, you can’t say i don’t got school spirit now ୧(˃◡ु˂)୨ #iamubc

https://instagram.com/p/8B13BcAldE/?taken-by=beckofcards

on another note, happy moon festival!

i hope you all had a safe weekend, got to eat some mooncake, or at least gaze in awe at the super blood moon last night. (seriously, space phenomenons are the coolest thing ever. ain’t our universe amazing??)

’til next time! (o´ω`o)ﾉ

one week down, so many more to go

wow, it’s only been a week since i moved in and started life here at ubc but it sure feels a lot longer than that. here’s a run-down of what i’ve been up to since unpacking my boxes:

imagine day:

waking up at wayyy to early in the morning just to trek down with other sleepy first years to meet my imagine day leader was not exactly on my list of favourite things to do. but it’s all worth it!

i didn’t get lost
there was free food…
SO MUCH WALKING that was just a preview of what the next four years of classes will probably look like, i’m assuming (i can sure feel it in my legs)
the pep rally was great and loud despite the fact that i was shivering and yawning a little (oops)
we all know who ENGINEERING is
the clubs set up on the main mall! so many to choose from, and so little time, sigh.

all in all, it was definitely a day i couldn’t have imagined on my own.

classes:

i set my alarm for 7:30 am on wednesday, only to remember that my first class began at 11:00 am. i’d advise you NOT to do this if you are not a morning person. as it was, i had time to make myself breakfast (eat your breakfast, people! the most important meal of the day, especially for stressed out students like us!) and surf the net and pore over the campus map for the nth time.

get yourself an iclicker as soon as you can, but only turn to the bookstore as a last resort
arrive early to class, especially if it’s a large class, so you don’t have to squint from the last row
WATCH OUT for bikers/skateboarders/cellphone-users/people that feel the need to block the middle of the walkway
seriously, move off the road if you want to catch up with your friends, traffic is bad enough
ask someone if you’re lost! ubc is actually a pretty friendly place, and this is coming from one of the shyest person you’ll ever meet!
wait until the first class before going to buy your textbooks, just so you don’t get the wrong one
hunt your textbooks down online or try the facebook groups first, because if you buy it from the bookstore you’ll cry at the receipt
don’t forget to eat lunch. i’m serious, your stomach will attempt to sing you (and the whole class) the song of its people and it’s. not fun

i am excited for all the people i’m meeting and all the friends possibilities, but also for the new material i’ll be able to take in. i’m still not very pumped up about the homework, though.

homecoming:

unfortunately, i had a shift during the game, and thus couldn’t go. however, i definitely felt the school spirit and hype as hungry people approached the food truck i was stuck in. i heard we won? GO THUNDERBIRDS!!

i’ve never seen so much blue in my life
the weather was great! for once!
it was incredibly hot and greasy in the foodtruck
lots of students in one place means lots of hungry people
i’ll never ever look at teriyaki the same way again

it’s amazing how everyone came together to celebrate the first game of the season. that’s the stuff movies and books are about, guys!

sunday:

i thought this was my day of relaxation. turns out, i had another shift at the stadium! which i didn’t mind, except i began at 10 am.

fortunately there’s a lot of buses to take. unfortunately, there’s a lot of buses to take
i got lost
going up and down the stairs while carrying tubs of coke and beer sure tires you out
the wind was blowing so hard i was nearly blind with my hair all over the place
i walked the long walk back from the stadium only to find walter gage gathered outside in the cold. #gageoutage2k15
i just wanted to eat lunch, man
spent ten minutes mourning my homework due on monday
we’re allowed back in! hoorah, out of this chilly wind!
the power is still out, the elevators not working
i live on the fourteenth floor. #ripmylegs

it sure has been a wild ride for me this sunday. now i know to always bring emergency energy bars everywhere i go.

but i suppose that means i’m settling in just fine, aren’t i? i’ve met some amazing people, seen some amazing things on campus, instagramed some be-yoo-ti-ful sunsets, and even managed to cook something without setting the oven on fire. and if i chose to watch Legally Blonde and its sequel instead of doing my homework as a reward for making it up all those flights of stairs, well, that’s a student for ya. whatever else #ubclife can throw at me, i know i can handle it. or, at least, fake it ’til you make it, yeah?

next week, here i come!

knock three times!

it’s official. i’m officially moved in and ready to start the next chapter of my life.

(well… as ready as i’ll ever be, i guess. which sure doesn’t feel anywhere near ready, but hey, that’s growing up for ya.)

if you’re like me, who likes to get all excited about change but then get all anxious and just ignore it all until the last second (or, you know, you’re just lazy), you probably finished packing everything the night before. that’s what i was doing, friday night, digging through boxes and figuring out what’s necessary to bring and what i should leave behind. it felt like i was dropping things left and right, forgetting things here and there, and there’s never enough room for my things!

one moment: this is too much.
the next: what if this isn’t enough?

packing was never one of my favourite things.

there’s the essentials, you know:
-toiletries
-instant ramen
-bedsheets, bed linens, pillows, sleep stuff
-clothes??
-laptop, charger for laptop, case for laptop, etc etc
-phone
-contact lenses/glasses, duh
-school supplies (i’m actually here for classes and education, lmao)

but then there’s the things you’re going to make room for no matter what:
-your favourite stuffie (don’t even try to deny this one)
-pens, gel pens, fountain pens, pens pens pens
-your favourite snack
-a book or two from your own shelf
-headphones
-your favourite hoodie that’s probably a little too worn for wear

okay, so that was my personal list but you get my point. it doesn’t matter if you’re moving across the pacific ocean, or half way across the continent, or just two hours away by transit.

you’re moving out.
away from home.

it’s a pretty big step, especially if you’re a babby birb that’s leaving the nest for the first time. you’re going to want all the comfort you can get, knowing that inevitable moment after all the hugs and “i’m going to be fine, don’t worry”s and “take care of yourself, make sure to call”s and when the door finally shuts and you’re left all by yourself, turning around to a half-unpacked (courtesy of your mother, or someone like it) dorm room, and realizing with a soft breath that hey, this is where you’re going to be for the next few months.

there’s no one to nag you to do the dishes or do your homework, you’re all on your own now. for the first few weeks your phone will blink and vibrate with how are yous and have you eaten yets and if it’s too much, come home anytime, alright? and then it’ll get quiet for a while. that’s okay.

because you know what? this is a big step. but it’s a big step forwards.

so here’s to the near future, and the distant future. i’m officially moved into my dorm for the first time, i’m unpacked, i’m getting to know my awesome roommates, and i’m ready to start the next chapter of my life.