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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By: Chloe Woodin (Resident Advisor-Shuswap)

What to do if you think you might be in the wrong faculty!

People are often surprised when I tell them that I’ve been in three different faculties. “Aren’t you worried about adding time to your degree?” they ask me. “So you’ve wasted years and thousands of dollars on courses that don’t even count towards your degree?” “How could you have changed your mind so many times?”

The truth is, I was unprepared to make such a big decision about my future when I first graduated from high school. At 17, I didn’t really understand what it meant to study arts, or science, or engineering at the university level. I didn’t have any real career goals, and I didn’t know how heavily your undergrad degree influences your future job prospects. I had the attitude that “I’ll do what feels right for now, and work out the rest later”.      

It took me two full years out of high school to actually figure out what I wanted to study. I spent my first year in general arts, and another year in science, figuring out what my interests were, what I was good at, and what I could see myself doing as a career, before eventually ending up in engineering physics. My reason for transferring was simple: I tried something out, didn’t like it, made a change. Not everyone will follow the 4-year degree path; for me, it just took a couple tries to get it right.

Although my path to graduation is a little unconventional, I don’t regret the two years I spent in other faculties. I’m confident that I’m heading in the right direction now, and that’s what matters most.

Here are some tips if you’re thinking of transferring:

Ask yourself the right questions:

 Why did you choose your current faculty in the first place?

If the answer is as simple as “I liked this subject in high school/I used to get good grades in this subject”, that might not be a solid enough reason to get you through the next few years. In university you’re expected to do a lot of independent studying, and if you’re not passionate about the subject, you might struggle with motivation.

 Does your current program help you get to where you want to be, career-wise?

What are your career goals? Will your current course of study help you achieve that goal? Even if you don’t have a specific career in mind yet, do jobs in this field sound exciting to you?

If you’re doing poorly in your courses, ask yourself why.

Is it because you’re not used to the increased workload, or because you’re not interested in the subject? Studying can actually be fun if you’re reading about subjects that you like!         

There will always be required courses that you won’t like, but there should be enough courses that you DO like to offset the bad ones.

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By: Mason (Residence Coordinator – Salish)

Oh, Dining Hall, how I do love thee. Every time I ascend those stairs and cross the threshold unto the glory of your many culinary options my heart is uplifted. From the consistently delicious wraps to the vibrantly coloured Jello cups I have not yet once been disappointed.

Many times I have thought to myself, ‘Whatever am I to dine on tonight?’ only to be wonderfully surprised by a mystery dish of which I was previously unaware. How was I to know the glorious brilliance of warm stew with pork and bok choi for lunch on a cold, rainy day? The plethora of pasta with cheese, local veggies, assortments of meats and sauces, and garnished with a lovely salad from the consistently reliable salad bar.

On weekends I treat myself to the specials coming from the grill. Plates piled high with chicken tenders, special hot dogs, burgers on pretzel buns, and springy curly fries wrap me in a blanket of the comfort foods of my childhood. Let’s not forget the side bar, where you can get all the potato and vegetable options that you could ever want. There’s cereal, bagels, cookies, muffins, veges galore, fresh carved meats, pastas from around the world, wraps and sandwiches for those looking to go simple, pizza for when the mood strikes, and all served by some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.

Not every time that I’ve walked into the Dining Hall have I gotten what I’ve wanted, but I’ve always gotten what I needed, and for that I have to show my deepest thanks for the wonderful people who help me with my favourite part of the day.

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By: Saskia (həm’ləsəm’ Residence Advisor)

What does your student health insurance get you?

Have you ever logged into your student account and wondered what your $214.37 AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan fee actually pays for? Or maybe you clicked “pay fees” and never noticed, but are taking an interest now. I’ll give away my spoiler from the start: it’s probably better than you think.

This year is the first time that I am not eligible to opt out of coverage. I will admit that I was a little bummed at having to pay. So the other night I decided to procrastinate on my Webwork, open up my BFF Google, and investigate what benefits I can claim. It turns out that it is not so bad of a deal after all. The buying power of 650,000 students from across the country makes the plan less expense than any private one for what it offers. Hear me out.

Your plan covers the basics – namely 50-90% of dental fees and $100 towards the cost of eyeglasses or contact lenses- but also a lot more. If you need to take medications, eligible prescription drugs are subsidized at 80% with no deductible. Air or land ambulance services are also free when an emergency requires immediate medical attention. Suffering from a nagging muscle injury? Try $20 dollars towards your physiotherapy appointment. Subsidies are also available for visits to psychologists, massage therapists, chiropractors, naturopaths, physiologists and registered dieticians. Not only that, and this is my personal favourite, medical equipment such as orthotics are 100% covered. Oh, and about that exchange you are planning or that backpacking trip across Europe that you have been saving up for … your AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan offers travel coverage for up to 120 days per trip. Vaccinations are free too. They’ve got your back for more than just sparkling teeth and lecture-ready vision.

If you need to get a refund, Pacific Blue Cross must receive health and dental claims no later than 90 days after the end of your coverage. Remember that you need Canadian provincial health-care coverage or equivalent coverage to make a claim. Just check out the website for more details: http://www.ihaveaplan.ca/rte/en/UniversityofBritishColumbiaAMSGSS_Home

Now you know what that $214.37 can get you. Like it or lump it, it’s already gone from your bank account.

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By: Kyle (Residence Advisor – Dene)

It probably feels like aeons since you submitted your transcripts to UBC’s academic offices and wrote essays about why you wanted to study here.

And yet… here you are now: a full-fledged University Student! And everything is so… new. Right down to the small things, like doing your laundry for the first time, or being introduced to people from a myriad different backgrounds and walks of life; the beauty of it all being that these students often live just down the hall from you.

With so much going on, sometimes it can be hard to keep track of everything, let alone reflect on how you can make the most out of your years here. Contained herein are some nuggets of wisdom I wish I knew as a freshman. Considering that some of the most important moments of our lives can be measured in seconds, just imagine what roughly eighteen-thousand odd days could amount to!

Thus, I pass these on to you. May your first year be awesome to the nth degree!

Academics

• Do a little bit of work every day. It’s a lot easier than leaving everything until the night before.
• Be very, very nice to your T.A’s.
• Read to understand. Understanding takes a lot less time and effort than reading blindly. Ask yourself lots of questions about the material.
• Stay balanced and take care of yourself. It’s a cliché but it’s true. You’re a human being; not a robot. You’ll miss out on a large part of your life if you only care about your GPA. You’ll get way better marks in school if you’re actually happy. Make time for hobbies, exercise, friends, nights-out, relationships, etc.
• If you’re not happy in your program, be honest with yourself. Follow your heart, and transfer NOW. The earlier the better, and you’re in first year. Life’s too short. Everyone has different gifts. What are yours? Don’t cheat us of your contribution.

Totem Park

• Leave your door open, and people will approach you (*Note from the Editors: only do this if you’re comfortable; remember: safety first!)
• Go to the events your Residence Advisor organizes; they’re great opportunities for you to meet other like-minded people and make friends.
• It’s perfectly acceptable in Totem Park to sit down with people you don’t know, introduce yourself, and strike up a conversation.

Campus Life

• Asking out that cute person who smiled at you in your lab/discussion group is actually a good idea. Trust me on that one.
• Clubs are your best friend. There are loads of groups on campus. Join one that you are genuinely interested in, and I guarantee that you will meet people and be able to build a great life around that.

Financial

• Make a budget sheet and track your expenses. You’d be surprised where that money goes. Save money. Don’t lose it.
• Credit Cards and Tax-Free Savings Accounts are critical for building your future. Start now, but use them responsibly
• Think about getting a job on-campus. You’d be surprised at how much more connected you’ll feel to the UBC community. The money doesn’t hurt either.

Yourself

• Fully accepting and loving yourself for who you really are is the key to true fulfillment and happiness.
• Talk to yourself positively, and treat yourself as if you were an honoured guest. Monitor that inner-voice in your head; is it positive or negative? Ask yourself: would you talk to a friend this way?
• Every day is your chance to be who you really want to be; to say what you really want to say; to do what you really want to do.

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