Category Archives: Residence Life Staff

By Frances Young (Residence Advisor-HMSM House)

After having lived in first-year residence for four years (yes, I said four), I like to believe that my combined experiences of being a first year and residence advising earned me some wisdom points. So, I present to you my first year survival guide.

Get out and introduce yourself to people.

 Scared that you’ll appear too keen when meeting new people? Newsflash: it’s the first couple of months of university. Everyone is keen to make friends. So keep your door open, make some small talk in the elevator, tell the guy living right next to you that you too enjoy blasting 90s hip-hop to wake up in the morning. In the spectrum of relationships, I guarantee you’ll land anywhere between ‘cool random person I complain about the weather with in the elevator’ to ‘Instant BFFs after bonding over how good you secretly thought the How I Met Your Mother finale was’.

Get Physical.

 As tempting as it is eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s during midterms season, do try to limit junk food bingeing. ‘But doesn’t that sprint to Magda’s count as my cardio for the week?’ You don’t have to live on salads and protein powder to be healthy. There are so many options to stay in shape on campus. Running on the treadmill not for you? How about a rousing game of Quidditch? From every imaginable type of yoga to climbing Wreck stairs at sunset, there are so many opportunities to get fit. My first year friends and I signed up for a Pussycat dolls dancing class with REC and it was the best core exercise we got – you know, from laughing too much at our inability to dance. Check out the REC, AMS fitness clubs, Totem flag football, or our very own open 24-hour gym in the Commonsblock.

Get involved with a club that has nothing to do with your degree.

 Chances are there’s no other point in your life where you can participate in a Mustache Appreciation Society. With over 50,000 students on campus, it can be hard to find your community, so why not join a club? Brewing your own beer, going on stage to do a monologue about your vagina, writing joke articles and getting featured on the country’s top satirical website? If those don’t interest, you’re in luck! There are so many more involvement opportunities to find that one that fits you.

Me and my first year friends taking a picture outside our first home at UBC (Okanagan House in Place Vanier) before tearfully leaving for the summer

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By Brian Irwin (Residence Advisor-QLXN House)

Did you know as a UBC student you pay a $38.13 annual Alma Mater Society (AMS) membership fee? Did you know you pay an $80.00 fee annually to fund the construction of the new Student Union Building (SUB)? Did you also know UBC students chose to build the new SUB in a 2008 referendum? All of this is thanks to the AMS, and if you do not know much about the AMS, now is a great time to learn since AMS elections are happening in just 1 week! That’s right, voting is from Monday, March 9^th to Friday, March 13^th, which is only 1 week away! As your student society, the AMS plays a key role in advocating on your behalf, and some key elected positions include:

• President
• Vice President (VP) Finance
• Vice President (VP) Academic and University Affairs
• Vice President (VP) Administration
• Vice President (VP) External

( More information on these positions can be found at: http://www.ams.ubc.ca/leadership/executive/ )

The AMS is responsible for running businesses such as Pie R Squared and Bernoulli’s Bagels, in addition to hosting and organizing events such as the annual “Block Party” and “Welcome Back BBQ”. The AMS also supports the majority of student clubs under its umbrella, from the Ski and Board Club to the Fencing Club. Given the large impact the AMS has on campus, it is important we do our civic duty as students by informing ourselves and voting in the upcoming elections. Voting was also designed with the student in mind, as voting happens online at:

https://amsvoting.as.it.ubc.ca/

In addition, if you find the number of elected positions overwhelming, that’s okay because you do not have to vote for each and every position since abstain is an option on most ballots.

However, AMS elections are not the only upcoming student society elections. Below is a list of other upcoming student society elections:

• Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) – Monday, March 23^rd to Friday, March 27^th
• Kinesiology Undergraduate Society (KUS) – Monday, March 23^rd to Thursday, March 26^th
• Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) – Mid-Late March (Specific dates TBD)
• Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) – Mid-Late March (Specific dates TBD)

The above student societies operate similar to the AMS, but perform more faculty specific roles. As a result, these societies often have an even more direct impact on their members than the AMS, so be sure to vote in your undergraduate society election as well!

More links: http://ubcengineers.ca/eus-elections-2015/ , http://kus.ubc.ca/ , http://aus.arts.ubc.ca/ , https://www.facebook.com/susubc

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By Kyle Lethbridge (Residence Life Manager)

Welcome back and I hope your start to term two has been going well! I hope you had a chance to relax and enjoy some good company during the holiday break. I also hope that you have had an opportunity to reflect on first semester so you can move ahead motivated and energized. Since you know what to expect this time around, regardless of how last semester went, you will have an opportunity to grow and develop even more. Continue to build the friendships you have made, but don’t be nervous about approaching someone new this semester; there are some new faces around Totem. Be sure to look out for some great programs and activities put on by the TPRA and your Residence Advisors and Women’s TFL has already begun! There are also many opportunities right now to get involved around campus. If you are looking to expand your experience at UBC it is a great way to compliment your degree. This past semester was fantastic here at Totem Park and at UBC and I am so excited to experience it all over again with all of you. Here’s to a wonderful past five months and another great three months ahead!
Kyle Lethbridge

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By: Anna K. (Residence Advisor-HMSM)

I’ve thought long and hard on the meaning of life.

… I haven’t found a satisfactory answer to that issue yet, but in the meantime I have made an important conclusion on a mildly related matter, which is: there is absolutely no reason to live an ugly life.

There are two major reasons for this: Firstly, the world is already ugly, so no thank you to more ugliness. Secondly, your life is worth more if it’s more beautiful. In other words, it’s in your personal interest to fill your life with beauty, because then it’s more worth living.

So, qu’est-que c’est, “living beautifully”?

Living beautifully means filling your life with beauty — and because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, this means different things for every person. Beauty is many things: art, music, literature; nature, sport; family, friendship, faith; or numerous other pastimes. What living beautifully fundamentally means is a person filling their life with an activity (or many) that positively nourishes their soul, and brings goodness to their life.

The first step to living beautifully is to surround yourself with beauty. Partake in the activities that you know are important for you as a person. This is often difficult to do, because soulful activities are usually not what society views as most important. For example, going to a concert is typically seen as less important than completing math homework, and same goes with travelling versus earning money. Yet we live and become better people when we spend our time on things that are important to us.

The second, less discussed but quite important aspect of living beautifully, is conducting life in a beautiful manner, through beautiful personal habits and character.

The truth is that in every moment, we choose how much beauty we’re living and spreading. It’s up to us to make our environment pleasant for others, and more importantly for ourselves.

Elevate yourself to a standard where the actions you take, in public and in private, point to an individual who values beauty over ugliness. Independent of others, you can project beauty through anything from keeping your room clean to using beautiful language; from admiring art to eating intentionally; from taking care of your possessions to spending time with good people; from praying or meditating to exercising your body; and the list goes on and on.

All in all, living beautifully is as much an external as an internal challenge. It’s as much about you maximizing beautiful pastimes as it is about improving your behaviour.

This year, I made a promise to myself to make beauty a priority. I have often, often failed at this, but also made some progress: I have gone to (free!) concerts at the Chan Centre, read novels outside school reading lists, visited my family more often, made new memories around Vancouver. I have also continually challenged myself to become a more beautiful person, who complains less, compliments more, speaks well, dresses well, stands tall, is fair and thoughtful, and so on. …I’m certainly still a work in progress, but nonetheless progress I make.

If you’ve ever met someone who succeeds at living beautifully, you know that it really is an amazing sight. It’s a challenge, but I think one worth taking.

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By: Liam O’Flynn (Resident Advisor-Dene House)

I often find it difficult to decide what to eat when I’m on campus. Do I wait in line at Tim Horton’s, or head over to Pie R Squared in between classes? Or maybe I should wait and tackle my “hanger” once class is over, when I can grab a bite to eat off campus. The following is an outline of a couple of my favourite bagel spots in Kitsilano, each of them being a sure-fire way of curing your after lecture hunger.

First off is my favourite, Siegel’s Bagels. Situated on Cornwall Ave, Siegel’s Bagels is my go to for a late meal. The poppy and sesame bagels are unreal, but better than that is the banana crunch. They’re always fresh and always tasty. They also serve some of Vancouver’s best Montreal-style smoked meat, which you can get on a morning bagel in lieu of salami. This place is open 24/7 and offers great bang for your buck.

Second, Benny’s Bagels lies on Broadway and Larch, just a short ride away on the 14. It’s known for its atmosphere, offering 2 floors of seating, and it’s known for its music. Open mic nights happen on Monday nights, which is an ideal time to slip away from campus to enjoy a poppy seed bagel with heaping amounts of sundried tomato cream cheese. It can get pretty busy sometimes, but they have really good milk shakes that more than make up for it. This is definitely a place to check out with friends, or on a solo study adventure.

My last and most recent discovery in Kitsilano lies on Broadway, near the Macdonald 99 stop. Solly’s Bagelry offers fresh Jewish baking and deli meats. I have only been to this one a couple times, and all of my experiences have been great. Their dill cream cheese is made in house and is super fresh, and the store offers a calm atmosphere in the midst of the bustle of Broadway. I’ve heard differing opinions on the consistency of quality, but if you love bagels then this is definitely worth a taste.

Each of these places offers so much more than I just alluded to, but I strongly encourage you to find out the rest for yourself!

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By: Ruben Chernenko (Residence Advisor-Shuswap House)

Dammit, I am going to be late! I knew I should have updated my alarm clock ages ago!!! You run over to your pile of laundry that you have neglected to do for the last two weeks and struggle to put on a pair of mismatched red and blue socks. Next, you run into the washroom and pull and twist the toothpaste in every direction because you have yet to buy a new tube. Finally, you make it out of your house and grab your mail right before you get into your car. Thinking to yourself, “Wow, I made it, I am not going to be late.” Much to your despair, you look down at your mail and realize that you did not pay for your car insurance that month – you will not even be able to drive!

Sounds like a rough morning, but it is one I am sure we have all experienced in one way or another. Procrastination is a virus that plagues thousands of students from all around the world. Now, there are many misconceptions about procrastination. For example, individuals think it started with the creation of the Internet, Facebook, or my personal kryptonite, YouTube. However, in reality, procrastination has been around for ages.

Back in 800 BC, a Greek poet by the name of Cicero cautioned people “not to put off work until tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow […].” The Romans even viewed procrastination as “evil” and “hateful” when trying to conduct business.

So, what is procrastination? Experts define it as a “complicated failure of self-regulation. It is a voluntary delay of some important task that we intend to do, despite knowing that we’ll suffer as a result of putting it off.” But this does not answer the question as to “why do we procrastinate?”

Some of the main cognitive reasons we procrastinate is because:
i) We have a fear of failure
ii) We overestimate how much time we have left to perform tasks and    underestimate how long certain activities will actually take to complete.
iii) We mistakenly assume that we need to be in the right frame of mind to work on a project/assignment. We put off doing work and fill that time with some other enjoyable activity thinking the once you make yourself feel good you will be ready to work.

So, in doing some research, I have compiled a simple list of my “Top 7 Improvements on Getting over Procrastination”

1) Create a to-do list, add everything big or smal

2) Finish the hard stuff first

3) Give yourself a break to let your brain process on your learning

4) Remove your distractions like cell phone and TV

5) Motivate yourself through enjoyable breaks

6) Get an accomplice to hold you accountable

7) Focus on the end goal

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Check out these hikes around Vancouver!

By: Roma Nagin (Residence Advisor)

Spending time with nature while still being active is a great way to de-stress from school. Here a few quick sites to help you do just that. They’re definitely a few of my favorites.

Stawamus Chief

• 1 hour from Vancouver
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Distance: 11 km roundtrip
• Elevation gain: 600m
• Time: 6 hours
• Season: March-November

 Garibaldi Lake

• 1 hour 45 minutes from Vancouver
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Distance: 18km roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 820m
• Time: 5 hours
• Season: July – October

Grouse Grind

• 1 hour 40 minutes from Vancouver
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Distance: 5.8km roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 853m
• Time: 4 hours
• Season: July – November

Quarry Rock

• 30 minutes from Vancouver
• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance: 3.8km roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 100m
• Time: 2 hours
• Season: Year-round

 Lynn Valley

• 40 minutes from Vancouver
• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance: 5.1km roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: Minimal
• Time: 1.5 hours
• Season: Year-round

Lions Binkert Trail

• 1 hour from Vancouver
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Distance: 16km roundtrip
• Elevation Gain: 1280m
• Time: 8 hours
• Season: July-October

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Working for a tech hub in Kenya and gallivanting around East Africa

By: Scott Henry (Residence Advisor–Hmsm House)

This summer blew my mind. I didn’t know what was in store when I booked a round trip flight to Nairobi, Kenya, estimating that I would be living there for 4 months working for iHub.

iHub is a technology innovation hub based out of Nairobi, Kenya with the goal to catalyze the growth of Kenya’s tech community through supporting startups, surfacing information and connecting people. I was the Assistant Community Manger of iHub’s forward facing initiative in which we provided a community co-working space where entrepreneurs from across Kenya would come to network, collaborate and learn. My role consisted of interviewing new members, facilitating community evaluations, social media strategy and event planning.

While I was there, I had the opportunity to do tons of travelling and meet with amazingly innovative individuals.

Below is a list of some awesome things that I got to do while living in East Africa:

• I’ll always have a Kenyan family
• Went on a vacation to Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Explored Kigali and piloted Arc Initiative
• Met friends in Ethiopia and helped them with technology solutions for startups
• Was a guest speaker at a climate hackathon in Ethiopia
• Networked with some of the most innovative entrepreneurs I’ve ever met
• Helped to organize the largest Startup Competition in East Africa
• Worked with MIT Media Lab
• Went to the very first Google X “Solve for X” event in Africa
• Organized a #FailFare
• Visited most innovations hubs across East Africa

Overall going abroad and stepping outside your comfort zone can be an amazing experience! I encourage you to consider the possibilities that other countries offer!

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By: Ferrina Vora (Resident Advisor-Salish House)

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!

Research – Be knowledgeable and show that knowledge! Know as much as you can 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.

Be on Time – This one is relatively simple. It is very important to be on time! Get there at least 10-15 minutes 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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By: Emily Davies (Residence Advisor-Hmsm)

Are your meal dollars running out? Tired of snacking on microwave popcorn and cereal? Well, here are some ideas for quick and easy recipes that YOU can make in your very own dorm room.

Oatmeal Bags – I’m serious when I say this, oatmeal saves you $$$ big time! You may think it’s easiest to just buy the instant stuff. But in reality, it’s more expensive in the long run and it’s filled with mystery ingredients (artificial sweeteners, colours, and preservatives). It’s so quick and easy – all you need to do is boil some water when you wake up in the morning, pour it into your oats and BAM, breakfast in seconds and you haven’t even gotten dressed yet. No more skipping the most important meal of the day. This will fill you up and get your brain running for those early 8 am classes.

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 cup of any type of oat (quick-cooking oats, instant rolled oats, old-fashioned regular oats)
2. 1-2 tsp dry sweetener (stevia, brown sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar)
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1 tsp cinnamon (I add 4 tsp of cinnamon, because cinnamon is amazing – natural metabolism booster and lowers your blood sugar)

Optional (but highly recommended):

5. Dried fruits (cranberries, raisins, mangoes, prunes, dates)
6. Nuts (pieces of walnuts, pecans, almonds)
7. Seeds (chia, pumpkin, sesame)

Steps:

1. Put all ingredients into a small Ziploc bag and shake (make around 5+ at a time, so you have breakfast at hand for those early mornings).
2. Boil water (or heat milk of choice for extra protein) and add about ¼ cup to oat mixture and mix.
3. Let sit for 2 minutes and enjoy! J

No-Bake Energy “Cookie-Dough” Bites –This is a great snack to keep in your mini fridge or freezer. This is an adaption from the oatmeal recipes above, but this one is good for pre-workouts, post-workouts, or even to just hold you over till dinnertime. And the best part is that it tastes an awful lot like cookie dough!

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup oatmeal
2. 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or any nut butter)
3. 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup, agave nectar)
4. 1/2 cup ground flaxseed (or chia seeds)
5. 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips (or toffee, carob, white/milk chocolate chips)
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla (if not on hand, add an extra teaspoon of maple syrup/honey)
7. 1 tsp cinnamon
8. Pinch of salt (small packages in the dinning hall are great)

 Steps:

1. Mix everything above in a medium size bowl (if you only have a regular size bowl, cut the recipe in half) until fully incorporated.

2. Let chill in the your fridge for half an hour.

3. Once chilled, roll into balls.

4. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate or put in a freezer bag and freeze. Makes 12-16 balls depending on size.

Ants on a Stick:With celery pieces, smooth on 1 tsp of peanut butter, and add raisins on top.

Freezer Banana Peanut Butter Bites:

Steps:

1. Cut ½ inch pieces of banana

2. Smooth 1 tsp peanut butter on 1 slice, and place another piece of banana on peanut butter side (“sandwich form”).

3. Repeat this process for the remaining banana pieces. Put into a freezer bag and freeze.

Apple “Yummies”:

–       For a snack later in the day: Slice small markings in an apple, sprinkle cinnamon onto a plate, and roll apple in cinnamon. Place in a bag or wrap in paper towel. Enjoy within 4 hours.

–       For a snack on hand: Cut up an apple into slices, melt 1/3 cup of peanut butter. Sprinkle peanut butter onto apple pieces.

o   Option: sprinkle on chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon, or sugar.

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