Me: [ranting about how friend didn’t know about the new U-Pass system at ALL] So you’re telling me that you would’ve waited for your U-Pass in the mail until you realize- Friend: Yeah, I will, then I’d call you, and you’d know! You know everything! Me: [facepalm]
So you’re about to be a First Year yourself. Yes, you. EXCITING, YEAH? :DDDV I know how you feel. University > high school (well, in most aspects). You’re gonna love it. It’s gonna be a blast. Yes, even you, the commuter. I was a commuter, and I’ll remain one for the next four years. And I still loved my first year and the commute home, especially after yoga class (actually, that comment might have just made you realize I’m a freak, which I kind of am. Moving on…).
My lovely Blog Squad fellow, Binta, has posted an extensive amount of info for you guys, which I have pretty much 0_0’ed at and applaud her for. However, I notice that the Arts crowd might require guidance of their own. That’s when I come in and attempt to be useful.
While I did try quite a bit of the whole breaking out into spontaneity business, I also survived my first year of UBC with quite the planning and to-do lists. All this thanks to research, geekiness, and my brimming excitement. That, with my involvement on campus contributed to my friend’s comment above. I know where random buildings are, I know stuff about involvement (and where to ask about it), I know where to get help and where to access resources. I’ve used them a lot before, and I’m pretty sure you can make good use of them, too.
So here goes part one of my Jennine’s First Year Guide of Awesome– Useful Resources.
I deem today my ~last day~- my most difficult final is done, and I only have one left, which is next week, on the 28th. I figured that was enough reason to slack off a bit without feeling guilty. :)
And thus, I blog again. I… I feel a lot of things right now, what with the all “Oh wow I just finished my first year EVAH *___*” feeling and all other mini-feelings that go into this feelings-of-awe pie. Fellow Blog Squaders have written great entries about it, and honestly I feel like they took many of the words I would type out of my mouth. SO THIS ENTRY? IT’S MAINLY PICTURES. :D
First, a ramble:
Me… I’m a commuter student (as if I don’t rage about it enough…), and of course, this means my UBC experience has been vastly different in contrast to those who chose to live in 1st year rez. I’m not gonna lie- it has led to moments of frustration and regret that I didn’t accept my housing offer. Making friends is not instantaneous and events and meetings can be difficult to focus on when you’re worried about missing the last bus. I also have to admit that I’m still learning to adjust- I can’t claim yet that UBC has changed my life, that ~*IT’S THE BEST DECISION EVAR*~ (first half of Grade 12 year, UBC was the last uni I wanted to attend), or that I’ve made best friends that I’ll never forget.
HOWEVER. I can claim that I’m slowly finding my niche, even breaking out of my usual comfort zone in the process. I can claim that I’ve found a place that I like to be in, a place that I feel can really bring out my potential. A place where I’m often inspired and motivated by my surroundings, by the people around me. I have felt more confident and proud of myself in the past year than before, and I have shared heartfelt laughs and tears with people who are not BFFs, but might very well be, given the chance.
I am still an awkward turtle around most people, and no, no housing for me in the near future. Here’s to hoping that slowly, but surely, this would change. HERE I COME 2ND YEAR after my History final.
And underneath the cut is a series of GIFs that depict various moments in my 1st Year at UBC. Perhaps you can relate to some of them as well.
So. What are you procrastinating on? :P What work do you still have to do over the next week or so?
Let’s use this post to rant your heart out, sigh with relief about that one paper you finally finished, and release some of the tension from all the work you still have to do.
I don’t know about you guys, but when I was little, I went through “phases” of career aspirations; one year I wanted to be this, then this, then do this again. It all depended on my current obsession e.g. astronomy, theatre, etc. (all of which I’m still obsessed with, ha).
See below:
Really little-first grade: Pediatrician (insert tumblr lolface here) Second grade-third grade: Astronaut Fourth grade: Archaeologist Fifth-sixth grade: Editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine Seventh-eighth grade: Broadway performer Ninth grade: Editor-in-chief of a nerdy magazine Tenth grade: Radiologist (see lolface above), then website designer, then diplomat (a very fun year- I won a website design contest in SFU, and attended my first MUN) Eleventh-twelfth grade: Foreign Services Officer
So I start as a First Year here in UBC, with aspirations of being a hotshot diplomat, with Europe being my geographic specialty.
While being determined and having a clear goal in mind is a good thing, being in a place like UBC makes it essential to keep one’s mind open. There are so many choices of things to do, and now I find myself like a little kid again. I am second-guessing my ambitious plan of a double PoliSci + IR major (well, there’s only self-esteem issues associated with that, but that’s for another entry). I find myself interested in fields such as the Science Studies Minor and European Studies. And most importantly, the idea of law school is slowly but surely becoming a goal in my mind instead of a mere possibility.
(She is fabulous, and I love her. You should love her, too. :))
This is preposterous. For the past week, yours truly has managed to go into random bouts of sleep on her commute to school. Usually, this never happens- I’m way too paranoid that I’ll wake up and find myself in the middle of nowhere. Alas, it seems like my sleeping cycle is finally catching up with me.
This post does not contain any of the content I said I’ll be updating with. Instead, this post is for: UBC: A Constant Learning Process aka new things I keep finding out as a uni student (the unofficial first installment: here).
Current Music: “Pills” by The Perishers. Beautiful, heartbreaking song.
My automatic response in job interviews (and let me assure you that I’ve had my fair share just this past summer), upon that dreaded question of “What is your weakness?” is always this: I take on too much work. Constantly I’ve had to just sit back and realize what my top priorities are, and drop and keep things from there. My planner is my constant companion, where events and due dates and most importantly, weekend to-do lists are jotted down. The past few weeks, my to-do lists have grown quite a bit.
It’s safe to say that yeah, I’ve piled a lot on my plate for the year, and I feel that once again I’m arriving at the stage where I have to realize what my values are. It’s one of the important things I learned during CLASS- really know the things you value, and make them the base for everything you do- how you spend your weekends to which clubs to join.
However, knowing this, I still have questions:
1) Values-wise, what if I’m not really sure? And, well, the key thing is to try out what works for me? I know that I want to play a key role in one of the charitable clubs/organizations in campus, but I still don’t have a clear idea of the cause I really, really want to work for. I haven’t found that certain passion yet. Right now, I’m a member of the Dollar Project, which doesn’t aim for one specific cause- just for heightened “individual social responsibility”. I love it right now, but I still feel like there’s something missing.
2) How exactly does the “get involved” mantra work if you’re a commuter student? I love being involved, but I’m striving to fit in studying time whenever I can, and it’s difficult when I barely have time to eat dinner and go to sleep on time once I’m home. People recommend reading on the bus/Skytrain, but my body doesn’t like that and instead makes my head go dizzy if I dare read on the 99.
(And you know, I believe this is quite the issue with commuter students. They just want to go home, and so involvement is not really much of an option. This makes me very, very sad, but I digress for now)
Or, you know, continue. I started this post Friday but am only getting around to finishing it today.
I am in the middle of preparing for my various midterm examinations and essays and such; I have been my usual hermit self in my heated bedroom with a netbook on my lap and an assortment of textbooks, worksheets and two Mukmuk plushies (I love them dearly) surrounding me.
Current Music: This is the part where I confess I listen to Korean pop music, and am listening to 너라고 (It’s You) by Super Junior.
It’s the beginning of our second week here in UBC and here I am, finally managing to squeeze in a blog post. Between working and getting to and fro classes and the horror that was my Math APLIA assignment for Econ 101, life has been busy. I’m already lacking some sleep and plan to take a good long nap at home before university work starts to attack full-force.
First week has been a long week full of excitement and surprises and general newness, and I’ve already learned a lot. I’m sure there’s a whole lot more of these lessons to come, but I’d like to share with you all the few things that have really stuck to mind.
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Patchworked..
"We are all patchwork, and so shapeless and diverse in composition that each bit, each moment, plays its own game."
- Michel de Montaigne
The insanity behind the words.
My name's Jennine, I'm 18, and I'm a 2nd year UBC student. I hope to major in International Relations (or Political Science, or both) and to minor in French. I like to fangirl, I like to sing karaoke, and I like to blog, among other things. (more)
