Registration is full for both retreats; please add your name to the waitlist by following the steps below:

Step 1: Pre-register at dissertationretreat.sites.olt.ubc.ca — the earlier you complete this step, the higher your chances of being able to participate in the retreat.

Step 2: Selected pre-registrants will be invited to register and pay.

Step 3: Those who register will be asked to complete an assessment of mental wellbeing and productivity.

More details about registration are below.

 

We will run one residential and one non-residential dissertation writing retreat in Reading Week 2020:

  • Monday February 17 to Friday February 21, 2020

    Non-residential retreat: maximum 20 participants, to take place in the GSS Penthouse, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Cost: $45 per person. Our thanks to the GSS for subsidizing the cost of this retreat.

    Residential retreat: maximum 18 participants, to take place at Loon Lake Lodge, Maple Ridge, Monday at 3pm to Friday at noon. Cost: $75 per person. This cost includes accommodation, food, and all applicable support & resources. Our thanks to the UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund for subsidizing the cost of this retreat. More details about the accommodations are below.

  • Monday February 14 to Friday February 19, 2021

    Registration opens Oct 1 2020

How to register for the 2020 on- and off-campus retreats

Registration is open to UBC graduate students who must complete a dissertation, thesis, or other major written project in order to receive their degree.

Priority for registration will be given to:

  1. UBC doctoral students who have achieved candidacy, and who register and pay from Oct 1-7 inclusive, in order of payment received;
  2. UBC doctoral students who have not yet achieved candidacy, and who register and pay from Oct 1-14 inclusive, in order of payment received;
  3. any UBC graduate student who registers, in order of payment received, from Oct 1 onwards.

 

Registration is a multi-step process:

  • Step 1: Pre-register beginning Oct 1 2019 at 9am. The earlier you sign up, the better your chances of being selected to attend.
  • Step 2: Selected pre-registrants will be invited to register and pay ($45 for the on-campus retreat; $75 for the off-campus retreat) based on order of pre-registration and student status.
  • Step 3: Those who register will be asked to complete an assessment of mental wellbeing and productivity. This anonymous online survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete, and is a crucial aspect of our research, as we investigate whether and how residential and non-residential writing retreats support graduate students’ writing. We all ask registrants to take their time when completing this assessment, as the quality of the data we collect is essential in our application for continuing funding of these retreats.

About accommodations at Loon Lake:

The Loon Lake Lodge & Retreat Centre is located about 50km from Vancouver, within UBC’s Malcolm Knapp Research Forest.

Accessibility: Loon Lake Lodge is wheelchair accessible. Please indicate that you will need a wheelchair-accessible room upon registration. Additional details about accessibility for wheelchair users are available here.

Food: Loon Lake Lodge can accommodate all dietary restrictions and allergies. If you have a dietary restriction, please ensure that you indicate this upon registration.

Shared bedrooms: Many retreat participants will need to share a bedroom. Please consider registering for the retreat with a friend or family member who can also participate (ie, with another UBC graduate student who must complete a dissertation, thesis, or other major writing project in order to graduate from their program). If you do not sign up with a buddy, then you may be paired with another participant of the same gender. If you are not able to share a bedroom because of an accommodation issue, you can describe your needs upon registration. It is expected that participants who do not have need accommodation will be willing to share a bedroom with another participant.

Getting to/from Loon Lake: Participants in the off-campus retreat likely will need to arrange for their own transportation to Loon Lake. The retreat organizers are investigating whether a bus is an option; organizers would also be happy to put together groups to carpool.

Guests / Non-participants: Please note that the retreat is only open to participants. Non-participant guests or partners cannot attend. If participating in the retreat would not be possible for you without a caregiver or support worker, please contact Letitia Henville at letitia.henville@ubc.ca to discuss your accommodation needs.

 

 


Additional opportunities to find a writing community at UBC:

 

The photos below are from loonlake.ubc.ca.