Remember when Rabi would post up photos of UBC and we’d guess where the picture is from? Ok, I have one.
I bet every student at UBC has been in this building, it’s just a matter of getting this view.
Can you guess where this is?
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Monthly Archives: July 2011
Review: 3 week summer courses
Tomorrow is my final exam for JAPN 212, the 3 week long summer version. As you can see I am totally procrastinating right now.
Anyway, I wanted to write a post about this course because I was scared out of my mind to take it. 5 hours a day, 4 days a week, for 3 weeks. Japanese is hard as it is during the normal school year so I had no idea how I would survive this. But I am here to tell you it is not as bad as it sounds.
Sure I had to take cut down shifts at work, load up on coffee when the end of the week comes around but I am still managing to have a social life once in a while and getting decent marks (hopefully that final exam will be ok…) By the way Super 8 is a fantastic movie. So is X-Men: First Class.
The schedule: homework almost every day but it doesn’t take up much time. Doing well is a matter of getting a good night’s rest so that you have enough energy to go to class in the day and still be motivated enough to study in the night. (Easier said than done for sure… I was not able to do this.)
The best part: I thought I wouldn’t really learn and just be cramming to survive, but I feel like it is sticking. For now anyway.
The worst part: sometimes you just have to suck it up and take the grind. Get out of bed, stay awake, keep writing and remind yourself it will be over before you know it.
I think sometimes it is just a mind over matter thing. Relative to the winter semester it seems chaotic but if you take 4 courses in the winter, time spent in school is about the same. It is harder when you believe that summer is for summer vacation and you ask yourself what the heck are you doing in school in July. This moody Vancouver weather we’ve been having these last 3 weeks is making it much easier to take though. I don’t feel like I am missing much by being in here with the cold and clouds out there haha.
Side note: OMGz. Universities across Canada are gathering at UBC tomorrow for ROBOT RACING. I have no idea what it entails other than robots and racing but it sounds cool. Or maybe I’ve been at school and sleep deprived for too long.
Dear UBC, a 3D map does not mean a better map.
Things I Wish I knew About Exchange Earlier That Wouldn’t Have Changed My Decision But Would Have Been Nice To Know:
1. Unless you make special arrangements, you have to pay for a full course load. In other words, 5 courses. You can take less courses but you have to pay for 5.
2. Just because UBC has given you the go-ahead to your school of choice, you still need to apply to the actual school as an exchange student. (I knew it was too easy!)
3. I forget the number, and it may only be a Sauder thing, but there is a limit on the number of courses you can take that are the equivalents to your core courses. Ie. You need A202, B204 and C203 to be promoted to 4th year, you are only allowed to take 2/3 abroad.
4. You might not know what you are taking on exchange until after your course registration dates at UBC. So if spots in your faculty are competitive, plan ahead and make some extra worklists.
5. Even is you are rejected by your 1st choice, have your 2nd and 3rd choice of schools fill up, there is still hope. I am going to my 4th choice! =D City University of Hong Kong (which was actually my original 2nd choice until I changed all my plans 2 days before the forms were due)
6. Student residence in other countries may be cheaper than you think. If money is something holding you back from exchange, remember that your tuition is the same, less in a sense because you won’t be paying for things like a UPass, so the only difference is your living expenses, unless you are already paying for them. (Considering we are in Vancouver, chances are you will be saving money.)
*side excursions to nearby countries not included
7. All Go Global students get a scholarship of up to $1000 per term! (and a bunch of other possibilities)
Random money tip: when applying for a visa, those photobooths in the mall (not sticker photo) will work and you will save about 20 bucks. But unless you are drop dead gorgeous, your picture will probably look ugly. Photobooth pictures do not qualify for passport renewal pictures, visas only.