Tag Archives: life

Second Year in Review

It’s hard to believe I’m already done the second year of my university degree. Heck, it’s hard to believe that it’s nearly June!

Looking back on the past year, I can see that I have grown immensely in many ways. I feel like first year was for dipping my feet and testing the waters and trying to get comfortable in a totally new environment, whereas this year has been about exploring and expanding in my now-familiar community in Vancouver.

I have become a much better harpist and musician this year; pieces that would have given me headaches trying to learn before I can pick up in a few weeks! I learned a lot about how to practice properly and how not to become sabotaged by stage fright. I successfully played an opera (and the maestro said we were the best student harpists he’d ever worked with!) and greatly improved my ensemble playing skills. I was also able to join the Gamelan Ensemble and experience the music of another country while learning from of the best gamelan players in the world.

Academically, I learned a lot about the various subjects I studied and kept my grades high, and also about myself. For example, I realized that I  absolutely detest writing papers. I would rather go learn Wagner’s Magic Fire Music with a bazillion pedal changes than write another paper! I rejoice at the fact that I don’t actually have to write any more for the rest of the degree! (This is also a reason why I feel that pursuing a Masters degree might not be for me…)

This year I also gained a lot of responsibility and maturity while living on my own. I can buy my own groceries, cook, clean, pay my hydro bill, set up home internet, and unclog the toilet all on my own, while also balancing school and my social life! I’m quite proud of myself for this, actually. I really enjoyed having that kind of control over my daily life, and it feels a bit weird being at home where most of that control is in my parents’ hands. Not bad, exactly, just kind of strange.

The friends I made in first year became even closer friends this year. It was slightly more effort to see each other since I had to hop on a bus to see most of them instead of walking down the hall, but we made it work. My friends and I also started playing Dungeons and Dragons in second term (because yes, we are nerds, although I prefer the term “awesome”) and it was a blast – it’s like playing pretend for grownups and it meant that we got together regularly to hang out!

One of the best things I did for myself this year was take Mindfulness classes through counselling services in Brock Hall. It helped me a lot in how I deal with stressful situations (no more meltdowns!) and has actually improved my general outlook in my day-to-day life.

In terms of involvement, I feel like I slacked a little. I was part of the Knitting and Sewing Club and I also joined the Yoga Club (which has helped my fitness in no small way), I took part in some promotional photo shoots, and attend the Student Leadership Conference, but I feel like I could have done more. I didn’t feel quite as connected, so next year I plan to try to find another involvement activity that will make me feel more of a part of the UBC community.

Overall, this year was amazing. It passed in a blur that simultaneously felt like an incredibly long time and just a few weeks.  It was not without challenges, but when we are challenged is when we grow the most and realize how strong we actually are. This year was rewarding and special, and I can’t believe I only get two more of them.

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Filed under Academics, Campus Life, School of Music, Suite Life, Wellness

What To Do With Your Life

The dreaded question: “So, what do you plan to do after university?”

I have to admit that I’m guilty of asking it myself; probably because I’m one of those annoying people who have an actual plan for their life after university.  I attribute that fact to my childhood days in which I HAD to have a plan or else I couldn’t sleep at night (yes, as a ten year-old I had to have my life planned out). As a result I cycled through dozens of plans until I decided on the one I’m pursuing today. But, today is not about what my plan is, because that isn’t particularly relevant.  What I want to talk about is how pretty much every twenty-something year old I’ve ever talked to (besides me) has no idea what they’re going to do with their lives.

I am here to tell you: it’s okay to not know right now. Pretty much no one does. (Again, me being the exception.) If you don’t believe me, go talk to your friends. I will bet you five bucks that they don’t have their lives planned out either.

Also: you don’t have to know even by the time you graduate. You can change your major a bajillion times, you can even go back to school after graduation if you discover your true passion later on. Plenty of people don’t find their “thing” until they’re forty or something. If that seems depressing to you, a) take heart in the fact that you aren’t the only one that’s unsure at the age of 20, b) be encouraged that your passion is in fact out there somewhere, and c) if that’s not enough just go try as much stuff as you possibly can to try and find that one thing that you love and want to spend your life doing.  If you don’t go looking, you aren’t going to find anything.

I would like to present to you a story: the story of my mom (her career, that is).  My mother graduated from high school a year early and completed a bachelor of business or whatever it is called at the University of Manitoba. She then went on to McMaster University and completed a BMA so that she could become an accountant.  She had several accounting jobs but never stayed for more than two years because she just found the work so incredibly boring. Then she had me and my sisters and she stopped working for twelve years (in which she was a full-time mom). She enjoyed that time, but when I started junior high school she started studying library science at a local college. She started working at the city library at the bottom of the chain, which was boring at first. She moved up the ranks as she stayed there for several years, and she liked some branches she worked at more than others. Now, she is working at a couple of schools, as a librarian and also as an educational assistant for the band, theatre, and art departments. Pretty far from accounting – but she loves it! She gets hours she’s happy with, she has fun at her job, she loves her coworkers, and she gets Christmas and summers off, too. Took her a long time, but she found a job she loves.

It just goes to show that your university degree doesn’t necessarily define what the rest of your life will look like – and also that you’ll find the job you love if you keep on looking, even if you don’t know what it is right now.

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Bad Days. (The Survival Guide)

They happen. Maybe you got lost on your way to class, can’t seem to make friends, spill your perogies all over the dining hall floor, failed a test, just miss your mom, or maybe you’re like me and royally screwed up your orchestra audition meaning you won’t get to play the absolutely beautiful piece you really wanted or go on tour to San Francisco with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Yeah. That happened.  I don’t really enjoy crying in public places, though you might be able to tell by the amount that I actually do it.

So take heart; you aren’t the only one who just can’t seem to anything right now and then.  It’ll pass, and until then here is my guide to making yourself feel at least a little bit better.

1. If you need to cry, just do it. I am a self-proclaimed cry-baby, and I always find that if I just let it out, that lump in my chest loosens up a little. My pillow and I are good friends.

2. Call your mom.  It’s kind of what she’s there for, you know? I mean, it’s totally true: Mom knows best. My mom can always make me feel a little better; she’s one of the few people who when she says, “It’s going to be okay,” I actually believe her.

3. Watch a movie/TV show that makes you feel good. Something funny and feel-good will take your mind off things and relax you a bit. My personal favourites for movie-therapy are Miss Congeniality and How to Train Your Dragon.

4. Comfort food. Perhaps not the healthiest habit, but so long as you don’t go overboard, comfort food can just fill your mouth with happiness. And hopefully the happiness spreads to your brain a little bit. For me, this includes cookies, hot chocolate, quesadillas, chicken soup, perogies, and ice cream. (Not necessarily all at once.) When your day is filled with poo, it helps to fill it a little more with awesome things.

5. Comfy clothes. Nothing feels better when you feel down than chilling in your favourite comfy clothes. In summer, I don my short shorts and spaghetti strap tank top (what I am wearing at this moment) and in the winter, sweat pants and fuzzy socks! And blankets. Can’t forget blankets. (Side note: fuzzy socks make my life. Instant happiness when my feet get all up in that soft and fluffy goodness.)

6. Time with friends. Just hanging out like nothing wrong can take the edge off, and maybe actually convince you that nothing is wrong. Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine!

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What to Bring to Residence

Move-in day is fast approaching (it’s September 1st this year) and the question remains: what should you bring with you to your dorm room? How much space are you going to have, exactly? Well sit back friend, and let this ex-resident tell you a few things you might want to consider.

  • Check the list that UBC made. Student Housing & Hospitality Services has already made a packing list for you, and it’s a pretty good place to start. You can find it here.
  • Twin XL sheets. UBC dorms have extra-long beds, so make sure you bring the right size of sheets! If you bring just regular twin size sheets you’re gonna run into problems.
  • Computer and security lock. I didn’t have any issues with theft, but having a security cable for your expensive new laptop is always a good idea.
  • Printer.  If you can get one cheap, having a printer is going to be mega-useful for you. Print at your leisure, for cheaper, and without the hassle of figuring out the library system and copy-cards. (That said, if you do have to use the library, the librarians can help you!)
  • Ethernet cord! Without it you won’t have internet.  Some people also like to bring wireless routers so they don’t have to be plugged in all the time, and you can take your laptop into your floor lounge.
  • Photos and posters. When you first arrive, your room is bare. This’ll make it feel more yours and keep the homesickness at bay.
  • Clothes. Obviously.  Just make sure you don’t bring, like, an entire department store with you.  Your room has quite a lot of storage space, but just don’t over do it. You can leave most of your summer stuff at home, but do bring a few pieces of warm weather clothing – September can be very warm. And bring a swimsuit – you get free entry to the pool!
  • Rain gear. Rain boots are a must – walking around the huge campus with soggy feet is not fun.  I managed to get through the year without a proper rain jacket, but make sure you at least have something that’s water-resistant. Umbrellas are good at times, but if you get one make sure it’s sturdy, because it can get veeeery windy. I recommend the brand Totes.
  • A good pair of walking shoes. Going to school at UBC means you are going to be walking. A lot. Like seriously, it is a HUGE campus! Get a good, comfy pair of shoes to walk in, and try to break them in before you get here. (Lesson learned the hard way on my part.)
  • Bathrobe. Some people are brave enough to dash to the bathroom in a towel, but I’m sure not.  A bathrobe keeps you comfy and cozy.
  • Shower flip-flops.  The bathrooms are typically pretty clean, but no one likes that just-showered-in feel on their feet.  A shower tote is also good so you can carry all you soaps and shampoos to the bathroom easily.
  • Drying rack. Let’s face it, the dryers in some residences aren’t the best. A drying rack will save you some money (and energy, too!).
  • Advil and Tums. No one feels good all the time, and when you’re in res, your mom isn’t there to look after you. Having Advil and Tums on hand will be so much better than having to run to shoppers when you feel crappy.

What not to bring:

  • Microwave. You’re not allowed to have one in your room, and there’s a shared one on your floor anyway.
  • Mini-fridge. I personally would recommend against it; you have a shared fridge on your floor anyway, they take up a lot of space, and they cost money. I definitely lived happily without one. That said, if you still want one, you can buy or rent one on move-in day.
  • Pets. Again, not allowed, sorry.

Got more questions? Leave them in comments and I’ll get back to you.

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Knitting Club

Those of you who follow my blog know that I have a tendency to get homesick – I still do, and I’ll admit it.  Don’t get me wrong; I love UBC.  I love the atmosphere, my professors, what I’m learning, all the opportunities that are opening up to me.  But up til now, I was missing the people.  I miss having a huge group of friends who know me super well and seeing them every day and getting hugs all the time (I’m a huggy person but I’m too shy to ask for them here and the only hugs I’ve gotten out here are from drunk people, go figure.)

However, a few weeks back, some people on the fourth floor of my building decided to create a knitting club, and being a knitter myself, I decided to join with a friend from my floor.  I went, and had the most fun I think I’ve had since I got here.  These people are hilarious!  I haven’t laughed this hard in a long time.  These people actually pay attention to me and I like being around them. Every Monday I look forward to knitting club and the way it uplifts me.

So I suppose that what I’m trying to say by this is that, it’s true, you will find a niche where you fit in. Even if you’re shy.  Even if you’re lonely. It may not happen right away.  But you do have to look for it; sitting in your room with the door closed won’t get you there.  Join a group you’re genuinely interested in, not something you think you should be interested in.  Try it out, and if you don’t like the way it feels, you don’t have to stay.  And when you do find your place, well then, you’re set. :)

 

Edit: (Sept. 2012) there is now an official AMS Knitting and Sewing Club. Visit the website at http://knittingsewingatubc.blogspot.ca.

 

-XO Samantha

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Barber Courtyard: The perfect place to enjoy an autumn afternoon.

Fall in Winnipeg is one my absolute favourite things in the world – and one of the things I miss the most about home. The sun shines a little differently, painting everything gold, and the air feels different. The sky goes on forever in an endless see of blue, a few white wispy clouds way up above you; fall in Winnipeg is openness, joy, falling in love; it is indescribable. It’s something you just have to breathe in to understand.

Today is a day that reminds me so much of Winnipeg fall. It’s sunny, dry, cool but not too cool, and reminds me so much of home it puts a smile on my face. So when my prof let my German class out early on a Friday afternoon, I couldn’t resist buying a cup of hot chocolate from Ike’s Cafe and just sit outside and enjoy the weather. This sort of sun is what we get nearly every day in Winnipeg, whereas here in Vancouver it’s more of a rare treat.

The place I wound up in was the courtyard outside Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. It’s the perfect place just to sit, chat with friends, people-watch, or just day dream, while the sun warms your back and the water in the fountain splashes pleasantly. It’s a gorgeous place at UBC, one you may not notice otherwise; it isn’t on any brochure that I’ve see, nor pointed out on any map – and yet it has one of the nicest atmospheres I’ve felt so far. I’m sorry I didn’t get a picture, I left my camera in my room, but that just means you have to go check it out for yourself!

XO – Samantha.

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