The Benefits of Residence

Totem has a caf!

I am sure you have heard about the unfortunate situation Totem has found itself in the past couple months. That’s right, our tent. For the first couple months of my residency I had the choice between Totem Tent food (which was lower priced, but had little selection) or taking 15 minutes to walk to Vanier to eat at their caf. Most commonly I did the latter, or ate in my room. Well now all that is over…Totem has a caf!

And the thing is, it’s already pretty damn cool. Here’s why:

1. The decor is very modern and sleek. It reminds me of Star Trek, in an awesome way.
2. We have these big screen TVs hanging over each section of the caf…they have yet to be turned on, but that right there is pretty cool.
3. Our store also opened, which means that from 5:30pm to 11:30pm we have access to our own little store…very much like Vanier, EXCEPT our grill is attached to the store, so we can get hot Cheeseburgers, Chicken Strips, Grilled Cheese, ect. any time up to 11:15pm

Granted, our commonsblock is not yet finished, but I can hear the construction workers now working to get it done for us.

Totem gets ragged on a lot for being sub-par. To be honest, when I found out I was assigned to Totem (even though it was my first choice) I was a bit concerned. I want to make myself very clear when I say this, Totem Park is, in no way, sub-par to Vanier. They are both about equal in flaws and high points. Totem is further away than Vanier from most buildings, but I honestly don’t mind a 15 minute walk to class, and my figure doesn’t seem to be minding, either! Yes, we are known for our parties, and they do exist, but I never have a hard time saying no and hanging out in my room. Totem has the option for a larger single room, which I took, and I am grateful for the space. We are under construction now, but that is all set to be finished, hopefully, by 2008. Then our commonsblock will be just as nice as Vanier’s. Totem just seems to be a bit more laid-back than Vanier, and both have their high points. My point is, when choosing between residences, keep in mind that you create your own experiences.

And a note on res itself, I was actually rather terrified of living in res. For anybody coming in, trying to make that choice, or just thinking about it for later, I am SO HAPPY I chose to live on campus. You make friends so easily, you don’t have to worry about commuting to get to class, UBC becomes not only the place you study, but your home. I can not even begin to explain how rewarding this is. You get used to wearing flip-flops in the showers, to sticking to the quiet hours, and to the occasional fire alarm. Overall, in these past few months, living on campus has changed my perception of University life for the better, and I could not be happier.

…on a personal note, I have a midterm in an hour and woke up with a sore throat. I think the sick season is upon us.