By: Ferrina Vora

Edited by Peter Milobar

Going for an interview can often be very overwhelming, especially if you haven’t had any experience with one before. Here are some tips on how to prepare and give a great interview!

Dress Code- Figure out what would be appropriate attire to wear to the interview. It may be casual, semi-formal, or even formal. Usually, the interviewer will inform you via email or phone call. However, if they don’t, use your best judgement based on the company/club/organization, or even just ask!

Look like this squad and you’re good to go!!

Research- Be knowledgeable and show that knowledge! Know as much about the company and position you are applying for before you head into the interview. Chances are, certain questions will test some of that knowledge, which will in turn effectively indicate your dedication and keenness.

That hand looks like it’s busy in a good way!

Be on Time- This one’s relatively simple. It is very important to be on time! Get there at least 10-15mins early. This will show your time management skills and also give you time to get settled and become comfortable with the environment.

Anticipate and practice- Although all interview questions aren’t always predictable, many times the questions can be anticipated. “Why do you want this position?”, or “Why do you think you would be a good fit for this position” are often common questions. Anticipate, plan, and practice some of your responses. This will make you less nervous during the interview, and of course, well thought out answers are very impressive.

Don’t be nervous. Be yourself, and keep your professional side in mind! GOOD LUCK!

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Article by: Kieran Davey

Edited by: Peter Milobar

Relaxation! It’s important.  Everybody knows how stressful finals can be. So how do we relax during finals and take care of that sweet, sweet mental health?

The puzzle piece is a deep metaphor for mental health according to the editor

First up, plan ahead! In order to budget the time that you need for relaxation, you need to manage your time. This means planning study time a few days before your exam. Each day, there are 14-16 hours that we spend awake. That means that if you budget 4-6 hours of focused studying each day (which honestly is a lot more than most people do), you still have nearly 10 hours to do other stuff!! That includes some time for sweet relaxation.

Be like Planning Patrick

But how do you relax during exam period?

Here are a few ways….

• Go outside. April is a beautiful month on UBC campus, with some of the best weather available to students during the Sept-April semester. Take advantage of that!! Hit up Wreck Beach for some wonderful sunsets, check out the Nitobe Garden or Botanical Gardens, or go for a walk through the forests of Pacific Spirit Park. Find your own natural place.

• Meditate. Just be still for a moment. Don’t worry if you aren’t focused, just taking the time to be still is enough. Check out this sweet article on how to meditate written by Totem’s own Kate Curtis: https://blogs.ubc.ca/mytotemtimes/2015/12/03/meditation-a-beginners-guide-to-zen/

Meditation is always chill

• Listen to some chill tunes. Music can be a great way to relax. Whatever kind of music you like, turn it on and just soak it in. If you want some suggestions for new groovy beats, send me a message and I’ll hook you up.

• Meet up with friends! It’s April, which means that first year is almost over. Take advantage of the opportunity to live so close to your friends in Residence. Trust me, you’ll miss them next year. Text them, knock on their door, just enjoy their company. Let them know how much you appreciate them!

The original friends 

• Exercise is a great way to distress, plus your brain releases happy chemicals that will make you feel good. Go for a smooth jog around our beautiful campus, hit up the FREE totem gym, or do some yoga in your room. Here are some great free yoga videos for beginners: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLui6Eyny-UzzWwB4h9y7jAzLbeuCUczAl

Mmmm. Feel that relaxation? Good luck with exams. Remember to take time to chill.

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By: RA Chad

Edited by Peter Milobar

It might be hard to believe, but summer break is now less than two months away! By now, you’ve probably thought about what you’re planning to do this summer. You might be travelling, taking summer school, or perhaps you’re looking for a summer job. If the latter case applies to you, looking for jobs might seem like a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be! Here is a guide to help you navigate the process:

Part I – What can a summer job do for you?

If you’re unsure of what types of jobs you’d like to apply for, ask yourself the following questions:

• Why do I want a summer job?
• What am I hoping to get out of having a summer job?

Your response to these questions might include the following:

• Gain transferrable skills (ex. communication, problem solving, data collection, etc.)
• Provide the necessary background knowledge or experience to pursue other job or involvement opportunities
• Identify possible career options
• Make money

Once you’ve reflected on this, you should have a clearer understanding of why you want a summer job and what types of jobs align well with your personal goals.

Part II – Finding a Job

There are several places to look for summer jobs. These include advertisements, websites, social media, career fairs, through friends or family, through volunteer experiences, or through previous job experiences.

While looking for jobs that are advertised to the public is a great start, there are several reasons to consider finding your own summer job. They are as follows:

• Reduces competition
• More likely to find a job that’s tailored to you and your goals
• Let’s you access the ‘hidden job market’

To elaborate on this last point, around 80% of jobs are unadvertised. Why?

• Employers don’t have time to review a lot of job applications
• Employers prefer to hire within their personal and professional networks
• It’s expensive for employers to advertise

Now, let’s talk a little about networking. Networking is the process of initiating or maintaining informal relationships, which can lead to future job or business opportunities. Hearing the word ‘networking’ might make you groan or cringe, but it does have its benefits. They are as follows:

• Obtain relevant career information
• Start or build upon a foundation of contacts
• Access the ‘hidden job market’

Finally, networking is not limited to formal networking events with suits and business cards galore. There are several places where networking can take place, which are summarized in the table below:

Keep in mind that these tips can be used for all jobs, and not just summer jobs. However, after going through this process, you’ll be well on your way to finding a summer job that’s right for you. Good luck!

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By anonymous

Edited by Peter Milobar

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was created after the death of Trayvon Martin, a black teen who was fatally shot by a police officer whose actions were deemed to be racially motivated.  This case sparked many debates on the racialized killing of black men in the United States. Unfortunately, many individuals assume that black men who roam the streets are engaging in or about to engage in some form of criminal activity. Therefore, this has led police officers to justify the brutality of their actions. The BLM movement emerged as a response to police brutality and became the battle cry for black voices.  Yes, we are at war! We are at war against the remnants of colonialism and the institutionalized oppression which have defined our experiences. We are at war against the belittling of the afro and the idea that blackness is synonymous with inferiority.

The BLM movement reminds us that it is “an affirmation of Black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression”. Hence, it is a form of empowerment which acknowledges the struggles of our past and aims to empower us to fight against all forms of oppression. It centers the discussion on the individuals who have been victims of a patriarchal structure which continues to question the validity of their race.

Individuals have tried to counter this movement by using the hashtag “All Lives Matter” to replace Black Lives Matter. We must first understand that the BLM movement does not place certain lives over others, rather, it sheds light on a group of individuals who have been in the shadows of patriarchy and institutionalized oppression for far too long. By using the phrase “All Lives Matter” we are simply erasing the experiences of an entire community and rendering them invisible once again. The aim of the BLM movement is to provide visibility to minority groups and offer the silenced voices within the black community a medium through which they can be heard, but it is up to us to listen to these voices and offer our support.

The BLM movement is radical, affirmative and intentional. It has not taken a passive role, rather it has created a platform for its concerns and its echoes can be heard across the globe. This is exactly what 21st century feminism needs in order to assert its movement as one which is solid, resilient and inclusive. Although this movement, focuses on black lives, it is important to understand that the liberation for black lives will lead to the liberation of others. Once black lives are rendered visible, all other colours on the spectrum will be visible as well.

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Written by: Emily Morehead

Edited by: Peter Milobar

For many, the beginning of March welcomes the end of midterm season and a break from long nights of cramming. Despite this temporary relief, March unfortunately means that the deadline for term papers is quickly approaching.

Term paper season does not need to be stressful or chaotic. If you use your time wisely and prepare ahead, there is no reason to dread your approaching deadlines. To help you with your term paper preparation, here are 5 key tips you should keep in mind!

1. Start early! – This may be an obvious tip, but it is the most important. Take a look at your syllabuses ahead of time and take note of when each paper is due. Look at the requirements to each paper and estimate how much time you think you’ll need to properly research and write the paper. If you complete this step far in advance, you can assure that you aren’t starting too late!
2. Meet with your professors – It can be really intimidating to meet with your professors, but this is super helpful and you will be happy you did! Before you start writing your paper, go over your topic/essay outline with your professor. By doing this, you can make sure you are headed in the right direction. Often, professors provide you with key tips and insight that they don’t offer in class.
3. Research before you decide on your argument – If you are writing a research paper, make sure you read, read, read, before firmly deciding on what you are arguing. Do know a general topic that you are interested in first, but come up with your argument with the help of the information you find. If you already have a firm argument in mind, it may limit your research and make it difficult to find sources.
4. Create an outline – If you want to make your paper as clear, concise, and structured as possible, creating an outline is a must. An outline helps you assure that your paper stays in line with your argument and makes the essay easier to write overall.
5. Read your essay out loud when you are done – Before turning in your essay, this is the most important step. When you read your essay out loud, it is easier to identify mistakes in grammar and sentence structure. If you read out a sentence and it sounds awkward to say, that means you need to edit it. Try it out!

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By: Katie Stannard, film critic

Edited by: Peter Milobar

Below is a letter to myself as a first year, in hopes that you will take advantage of your last few months here in residence and not let them go to waste.

Dear First Year Self,

You might not realize it right now, but you are experiencing some of the best memories you will have in your university career. Next year won’t be the same. You’re first year friends will be distributed among and off campus, no longer just a few doors down. You will seldom meet for lunch or catch up over coffee. No more late night Domino calls (well…maybe), meeting new friends in the stairwell or gossip over that cute guy that is ALWAYS in the dining hall at the same time you are. Don’t get me wrong. You are still having amazing experiences, they are just different. Take advantage of the next couple of months because you will never get them back.

Here are a few tips for you to consider in order to make the most of your first year in residence:

1. Eat at the dining hall. I know you complain about the food on a daily and that you would rather eat at the Point, Mercantes or Triple O’s. Believe it or not your friends are going to miss the food. They are going to crave Chicken fingers and Grilled Cheeses from Vanier. And you will miss dinners with them by your side.
2. Spend more time with your residence friends. Whether it’s studying, going for dinner or just hanging out in their room. You will never live with so many of your close friends again.
3. Check out residence events. Go to your floor events, attend Coffeehouse or go see the musical. You can carve out a couple of hours in your night (no matter how much homework you have) to meet new people and make memories.
4. Start applying for positions for next year. Get involved so you can keep building your community on campus when you’re not in residence.

Enjoy the rest of your first year. Take every opportunity that you can.

Love,

Second Year Self

To stay updated on events happening on residence check out posters, the bulletin boards in the Commons Block, posts in Facebook groups or ask your Residence Advisor.

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By: Paige Lougheed

Edited by Peter Milobar

Finally, the day we’ve all been waiting for: February 13^th! Reading Break has officially begun. Now, you have a full week of no classes and no structure. In some ways, this can seem a little daunting- what will I do with all my free time? Should I use every hour of this break to catch up on all my readings? Is it okay to not be productive for a full day? Hint: yes, it absolutely is. It is okay to let yourself relax. You don’t have to feel bad about it.

You will see people spending their Reading Break a variety of different ways. Remember that people have different definitions of fun- something that is fun for one person might not be fun for another.  I encourage you to challenge conventional norms of happiness and take some time to think about what really makes you feel happy and relaxed. I promise you that it looks different for everyone. You may find relaxation in taking a three hour nap, phoning a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, or reading that book you always said you would read one day. Relaxation can even look like catching up on schoolwork you’ve been procrastinating and going to bed early. You could even stare at a wall for a full hour in the hopes of realizing the winning lottery numbers, and find that you still don’t know. All of this is absolutely, one hundred percent okay. Pictures of people taking sunny vacations or road trips may bombard your Instagram feed, but it doesn’t mean that you wasted your Reading Break by not doing those things. Maybe you did nothing- and maybe you had the best time ever.

Always remember, folks: You are worth more than your productivity.

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By Leon Zhou

Edited by Peter Milobar

Stressed about school and midterms already? Don’t worry. Your summer break is coming soon.

Great if you already have plans; but if you haven’t thought of anything, here’s what you can do.

Trip to whistler

Whistler is the largest ski resort in north America, if you haven’t had a chance to play with snow this year, it is definitely the place to go. You can ski, snowboard, snow tube, take a snowmobile tour, start an adventure with ziplines, or get to the top of the mountain and enjoy the view.

Transportation is quick and easy. You share a car with people who are going on the same date, or take the Pacific Coach Line*. Both of them take less that two and half hours.

If you want to stay in Whistler, make sure when you book the hotel or lodge, there is no age restriction. Usually the age restriction is 25 years or old, or you need your parents or legal guardian with you. Few hotels like Westin, Four Season and Fairmount, the age restriction is 17 or 18, but the price is more expensive.

*For Pacific Coach Line, there’s bus departs Downtown Vancouver from 6:00 am to 9:40 pm, or YVR from 8:30 am to 9:00 pm. For more information, go to http://www.pacificcoach.com/bus-coach-travel/whistler-express/downtown-vancouver-to-whistler

**Save $20 by buying your ticket at the bookstore. For more information, go to http://bookstore.ubc.ca/event/ubc-bookstore-now-selling-whistler-blackcomb-tickets

First time skiing? Don’t worry, you can do better than those people.

My advice at the end is that if you want to travel and you have midterms after reading break, go somewhere close. Last year, I though I was lucky enough to have spring break and Chinese New Year at the same time, so I went back to China. I thought everything was perfect except I only got to stay for 9 days, but I was totally wrong. I completely forgot about my midterms until I came back. However, jetlag came back with me, too, and it’s the best accompany when you are trying to study hard. You probably know what happened after.

Anyways, have a good holiday and good luck on all of your midterm, whether it’s before or after the break!

Comment below if you have any awesome place in mind and want to share with others!

Editor’s note: but seriously comment- I want validation that someone actually reads these articles

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Article by: Genia Zhang

Edited by: Peter Milobar

“Just because someone isn’t saying no, doesn’t mean they’re saying yes.”

So you’re almost finished your first year of university. CONGRATULATIONS!

How has it been so far? Do you feel accustomed to the “college lifestyle” yet? Have you had your fair share of late nights, caffeine, and dining hall food? Do you feel like you’ve lived the full “college experience?” I hope you have met some great people along the way. Perhaps even that “special someone”…..?!?!

Just kidding. You probably haven’t met your soul-mate here yet BUT… maybe you’ve met or developed a crush (or multiple crushes) on some cute/intelligent/fine/beautiful/quirky/hot people out here. Which is understandable… UBC is comprised of some pretty amazing people.

Perhaps you met them at a frat party last week. Or in class, or at that faculty event you went to at the beginning of the year. OR IN RESIDENCE!!! *gasp* Whether you’ve gained interest in someone or not, the following is information that EVERYBODY needs to know. Are you ready for this?

…

…

…

…

…

I’m going to teach you how to hook up with someone.

Yes. Really. Whether that’s making out, holding hands, or something more…

… Just follow these 3 easy steps!

STEP 1. Find that special someone you’re attracted to that you want to engage sexual activity with.

STEP 2. Gain Consent – a clear, enthusiastic “YES!”

WAIT,

What is this consent thing?? I’ve like seen it and like why do you have to be enthusiastic about saying it??? I’m so confused?

“Consent is truly a simple concept to understand, but first let’s identify what consent isn’t. You’ve probably heard the phrase “no means no.” This is true, but this expression is not adequate because there are many other ways to communicate no.  Freezing up, saying you’re tired, crying, or pulling away are a few examples of ways to communicate no. A person doesn’t have to yell no, scream, kick, or bite for it to be exceedingly clear that they don’t want to engage in sexual activity.

Consent doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated!  We all can naturally tell when someone is consenting or not- it’s just a question of respecting their choice.  If there’s any uncertainty at all, just ask. For example, it could be as easy as five simple words: “Do you really want to?””*

Clear and freely given consent must be present every time people engage in any sexual activity (whether that’s intercourse, kissing, touching, etc). Without consent, any sexual activity is considered sexual assault – a criminal offense. 

Worried about ruining the mood? Consent is not only mandatory and required by law, but it’s sexy. There’s nothing more attractive than showing respect to one another.

Consent is cool. It’s truly all about respect for one another. Respecting others AND respecting yourself. We all play a role in creating a campus where consent is the norm. How can we do this, you ask? The first step is always awareness. Simply educating people or speaking up and saying “that’s not cool.”

Remember, consent:

• Cannot be present if the person is intoxicated
• Can be taken away at any given time
• Cannot be coerced or pressured

Sexual assault is a serious crime that has serious negative consequences on the parties involved. If you witness a non-consensual situation going on, please think twice next time about taking some action to prevent this situation. There is no such thing as non-consensual sex. We all play a role in changing the norms here at UBC and in the world as a whole.

Consent is easy! Together, we can stop rape culture on campus.

Oh, and before I forget – STEP 3: Hook up.

Want to learn more? CLICK HERE: http://www.consented.ca/

* taken from http://www.consented.ca/

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By: Aspiration

How can I be like you when I grow up?

Hey Aspiration,

Well first of all, I’m honoured, and it’s not the easiest thing in the world. Just remember your checklist: – Cats (enough said) – Eat a lot of Pizza – Watch a lot of movies – And be yourself unapologetically (something my RA told me in first year)

By: A. Dvice

What is your biggest piece of advice for someone going through the RA interview process?

Hey A. Dvice

Remember that first impressions mean so much! To prepare, be sure to read through the RA job description, that will help you lots smile emoticon be nervous, but don’t let it dictate you. Make sure to take care of yourself beforehand and eat a good meal and take some deep breaths. You are wonderful and I believe in you!

By: Fear

I’ve never had a relationship and consider myself a commitmentphob. What steps do I take to not be that?

Hey Fear,

Having a fear of commitment (no matter how big or small that fear is) is completely normal, a lot of people have it. I think everyone has that fear in one way or another, and I really think it has to do with being afraid of unknown. I don’t think there really is a step process, but I would say that before you commit to someone else, the most important thing is to commit yourself to you. When you do that, you really know what you want and what you need out of a relationship, life, school, etc. and I believe that commitment will come along with that process.

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