Author Archives: bdclark

Res Meals

by: Carrie Borowy

While living in residence, sometimes the meals that the dining hall serves up get a bit repetitive. Below is a compilation of ways to spice up your food in the dining hall, and a few simple recipes that you can cook in the microwave!

Hack your breakfast: Coffee cup Quiche:

  • 1 egg
  • ½ tablespoon milk
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • ¼ of a piece of bread/bagel
  • 2 teaspoons cream cheese
  • ½ slice of ham

Beat egg and milk together with a fork in a coffee cup, adding salt and pepper to taste. Tear bread into dime-size pieces; stir in. Add cream cheese; stir in. Tear or cut prosciutto into small pieces; add to mixture. Microwave on high for 1min 10 seconds, or until done. Enjoy!

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Make your own parfait in the dining hall:

Use one of the plastic drink cups instead of a bowl and make perfect layers of whatever you like. You might have to walk around to different stations to get all your ingredients, but switching up at breakfast can be a nice change of pace. Consider adding yogurt, cutting up your own fruit, and snagging some cereal from the cereal station.

 

 

Hack your lunch: Coffee Cup Chilaquiles:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sharp cheddar cheese
  • 5 tortilla chips, divided
  • 1 tablespoon salsa
  • Sour cream
  • Queso fresco
  • Chopped green onion

 

Beat egg and milk with a fork in a coffee cup, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add cheddar; stir to coat. Break 3 or 4 tortilla chips into small pieces to fit in the cup; stir into the mixture. Add salsa.

Cook in the microwave for about 1minute and 10 seconds. Garnish with tortilla chips, sour cream, queso fresco, and green onion.

 

 

Bored of the salad dressing choices? Whip up your own.

  • Lemon, Honey Dijon vinaigrette
  • Oil
  • Vinegar
  • Mustard
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Lemon
  • Honey

Add each ingredient to taste, and toss over your choice of veggies.

 

 

Coffee cup mac & cheese

    • 1/3 cup pasta
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1/4 cup 1% milk
    • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Combine the pasta and water in a large mug or bowl.

Microwave on high for two minutes, then stir. A lot of times the water will overflow while it heats up. It is OK if this happens. If you don’t want it to overflow just make this in a very large microwaveable bowl.

Repeat this for at least 2 to 4 more minutes, stirring at each 2-minute interval. The water should absorb completely and the pasta will be cooked through. If the pasta needs another minute it is okay to add one more teaspoon of water and microwave for another minute.

Remove it from the microwave and stir in the milk and cheese. Microwave for another minute. Stir the cheese thoroughly into the pasta and eat up!

Prepare to Storm The Wall – A UBC Tradition

By: Diana Varga

This year, UBC Rec will host its 37th annual Storm the Wall – a UBC tradition where students swim, sprint, bike, run, and then scale a 12-foot high wall in front of the SUB. Last year, the event attracted over 3,000 participants, creating around 720 teams. Some competed in teams of 5, while others chose to face the challenge of the course alone. However you choose to participate, you are certain to enjoy this unique experience and the feeling of accomplishment that comes along with it when you and your team (or just yourself!) finally make it over the wall.

Once you have formed a team, you will have to register online and submit your roster. You and your team will then select a mandatory pre-race clinic time that works best with everyone’s schedule. It is recommended that most of your team, if not all, attends the pre-race clinic. During the clinic, you and your team will receive valuable information regarding the structure of the race and the day of the event. Furthermore, you and your team will also get to practice climbing over the wall. There are many ways to scale the wall, so use your clinic time wisely to figure out what works best for your team in preparation for race day!

Even if you are not interested in participating, you will likely find yourself running into Storm the Wall participants racing beside you on your way to class or to the SUB for lunch. It’s difficult not to get pulled in by the high spirit of surrounding students. Many students enjoy watching from the sidelines and cheering on their friends in between classes, so feel free to show your support and join the high energy crowds!

One of the most entertaining heats to watch is SuperIronPerson, where competitors complete the course and scale the 12-foot wall entirely on their own. Last year, only very select few students were able to complete the SuperIronPerson heat.

There are 7 different heats to choose from:

Just for Fun Heat – Grab your friends and have fun completing the course as a team.

Female Competitive – Grab the ladies and make a team of 5 to complete the course as fast as you can.

Male Competitive – Grab the guys and make a team of 5 to complete the course as fast as you can.

CoRec Competitive – Make a team of 5 and complete the course as fast as you can.

Ironman Competitive – Guys, take on the challenge of swimming, sprinting, biking, and running all on your own, and then storming the wall with the help of one other person.

Ironwoman Competitive – Ladies, take on the challenge of swimming, sprinting, biking, and running all on your own, and then storming the wall with the help of one other person.

SuperIronperson Competitive – Challenge yourself to do the entire course yourself, including the 12-foot wall!

Storm the Wall presents a great way to get involved with UBC rec and show your school spirit with your friends.

Interested in participating? Don’t forget to mark these important dates in your calendar!

Storm the Wall registration deadline: Friday, March 13th 2015.

Mandatory Pre-Race Clinics: Monday, March 16th to Friday, March 20th 2015

Team Roster Submission Deadline: Friday, March 20th 2015

Storm the Wall Event Date: Sunday, March 22nd to Thursday, March 26th 2015

 

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Shadows

By: Kai Williams

I once walked in someone’s shadow, and it took me a few months to realise that I didn’t know who I was. I was lost. Lost in the shadow of someone I aspired to be. I told myself that I had to be as talented and as funny as the individual who I compared myself to daily.

It’s very easy for us as human beings to strive to be like those who appear to be more successful, more popular or even happier. Although I believe that we are able to learn valuable lessons from the lives of others, we often reach a point where we know so much about others, yet so little about ourselves. And so, sometimes, we either lose ourselves trying to chase someone else’s dream or walk in someone else’s shadow.

A shadow usually emerges when an object hinders a ray of light. In this situation, the “object” was the individual who I compared myself to, and I tried to emulate her behaviour by religiously following her shadow. I was completely oblivious to the fact that she blocked my view of the light, until one day, I stopped and I realised that the light which I could not see was a symbol of truth and joy – two elements which had been absent from my life.

Therefore, I now know that for as long as I live, on I will find people who are more academically inclined, people who dance with more grace or even run faster than I do, and that’s okay. We can’t all hit the high notes and shatter the same wine glasses. Someone has to sing tenor or alto. Someone has to play the instruments while someone else has to direct. Hence, a violinist and a pianist cannot be compared because each has a different role in the orchestra. Each human being is an instrument in the orchestra of life.

Love yourself. Embrace yourself. Appreciate yourself. There is no one in the world exactly like you. Therefore, you are valuable.

However, if you still want to compare yourself to someone, here’s my advice. Compare the person you were yesterday to the person you are today. Do not walk in the shadows of others, rather embrace your own light, and create your own shadows.

So this week, look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I am beautiful, and I am strong. I am neither superior nor inferior to my peers and I am bold enough to face all my fears”.

 

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Staying Active

by: Ernest Mintah

Let’s put them walking boots on

We’ve all been there and we’ve all been tempted to take the Campus shuttles or drive to places that we could easily walk to without much stress. Melanie Ludwig, owner of Prestige Fitness, suggests walking a lap around the buildings that you have classes in before class starts. For a 68-kilo typical student for example, walking for 40 minutes at a pace of three miles per hour burns 200 calories. Calculate how many calories you burn from walking from Vanier to the village, now aggregate that over a year!

Get them chores done!

For most of us, those 8 or 9 am classes are a real rush for us mortals. We can easily fall into the convenient bliss of having a messy room. The early morning rush to class means that your bed is left unmade and your clothes are scattered around your room. The absence of the mum factor leads us to, at times, live in our mess without anyone to tell us to clean up. But if you desperately need to take care of the mess in your room, burning calories is a great incentive to get those chores out of the way!

Have no fear, you now have an incentive to do your chores: Burn calories and staying active. Light housework like doing laundry, burns 170 calories an hour and you get the added benefit of having your clothes all clean and smelling great. You might just find that long lost shirt you thought got lost at that party! J

 

Put on your dancing shoes

Everyone needs a good dance session now and then. What better time to have one than while you’re doing dreaded chores?

 

“Need to clean you room? Put on some music and get a swifter duster and voila!” Ludwig says. “You will be dancing while cleaning and not even notice that you are really exercising.”

 

You’ll be able to burn calories, have fun and cross off your to-do list in a breeze. Just 40 minutes of dancing can burn 200 calories – smooth moves not required!

So crank up some fast-paced songs like “Wake Me Up” by Avicii and “Alive” by Krewella and channel your inner Beyoncé!

 

 

 

** Inspired by: “12 Easy Ways to Burn 200 Calories (Without Exercising!)” found at http://www.hercampus.com/health/fitness/12-easy-ways-burn-200-calories-without-exercising

New Year’s Resolutions: Where Are They Now?

By: Jesh Barrun

Remember the beginning of January when you were setting all those goals for the New Year? Going to the gym every morning, waking up in time for class, getting readings done ahead of time. 2015 was supposed to be the year where “new year, new me” actually meant something. Well forward to February and let’s see where those dreams are now. If you’re one of the seemingly rare people that still have your goals and motivations intact, then that’s great – keep it up! But, if you’re like the rest of us –people who commit for a week then go back to old habits – then maybe it’s time to do a bit of a check-in, don’t you think? Here’s some tips to (hopefully) get you back on track with those goals you had!

  1. Remember why you came up with those goals to begin with. You must have had some reason for each goal, no matter how small. Maybe you just forgot along the way, or the everyday busy-ness of life made you lose sight of your intentions. Take some time to revisit why each goal is important to you.

 

  1. Take it step by step. You’ve probably realized by now that one big, abstract goal like I’m going to be better at time management isn’t just going to happen. What you should do is think about real palpable steps you can take. Going from the time management example, maybe a first step could be buying a calendar or day to day agenda, and a second step could be making a list of priorities. Thinking of and pursuing smaller steps make your main goal that much more digestible. Take enough steps, and before you know it, you’ll reach the finish line!

 

  1. Visualize your goals. Actually seeing the end point that you’re trying to reach might help. Stick your ideal image on a wall in your room, or maybe put up a picture of one of your personal heroes. Visualizing is an easy reminder to keep your motivation up.

 

  1. Tell a friend. Yes, motivating yourself from the inside is important but telling someone about your goals can help keep you accountable to your word. Additionally, a good friend would give you encouragement and maybe even some much-needed pep talks! It’s harder to give up when you know there are other people there rooting for you to achieve your goal. That friend might even be willing to join you in accomplishing a similar task.

 

Well, those are my four tips to try and help you get back on track for those New Year’s Resolutions. It’s never too late for you to go back to try accomplishing your goals. One last thing to remember: make sure to be consistent, patient, and hard working – your success will come soon enough!

 

Promoting a Sustainable Culture in Rez

By: Niklas Agarwal

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In some regards “sustainability” is just another buzzword created by the same people who thought of “environmentalism” and “eco-friendly.” It is a feel good word, but what does it really mean?

 

In 1987 a groundbreaking report was released by the UN titled “Our Common Future” describing sustainability as a process that “that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As is no surprise to most people, at the current trend that we are going at we will not leave future generations (or this one) the ability to meet their own needs. Sustainability is often referred to as three pillars: Social, Economic, and Environment. To truly live in “sustainable” world we have to balance all three.

 

Residence factors into this because recent data from Campus Community Planning has revealed that residence is responsible for 21% of all energy on campus, 13% of water, and a significant portion of waste. Living in residence is when most people learn life patterns that they will follow throughout their lives. That is why it is imperative that we change our behaviour and our peers’ behaviour in this portion of our lives. Here are some tips/ideas on creating a more sustainable lifestyle in residence:

 

  1. Get your Eco-To-Go card and use it frequently. Not only do you get a discount off your food, but you also help reduce waste and promote a culture of sustainability. You can get your first card for free by going up to the Dining Hall office by the dessert station.

 

  1. Learn how to #SortItOut. UBC is pushing to achieve 80% diversion by 2020. Right now we are at 50%. You can see a simple guide here: http://sustain.ubc.ca/campus-initiatives/recycling-waste/sort-it-out/what-goes-where

 

  1. Take shorter showers! Try to limit your showers to 5 minutes. Pumping water takes a huge amount of resources, so let’s try to limit it. When others see you taking shorter showers it will also affect their behavior – selective peer pressure!

 

  1. Join the sustainability committee in Vanier! Ask your RA to get involved. You can collaborate on a larger scale to create behavioural impact here in Vanier.

 

  1. Turn off those lights. Not only in your room, but in the floor lounges when no one is using them.

 

  1. Say hi to your floor! Behavioural change does not occur in silos, and if we don’t have connections that target sustainability in multifaceted approaches, nothing will ever change. Social sustainability feeds into everything.

 

  1. Check out the toolkit to get more info: http://sustain.ubc.ca/get-involved/students/sustainability-residence/sustainability-residence-toolkits

 

  1. Lastly, come to Place Vanier Sustainability Week! Not only will you learn new things and get free hankies, but you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a residence advisor auction! All the proceeds will go to Forest Ethics which seeks to protect BC’s prime wilderness.

This Year’s Place Vanier Musical: Why You Should See It!

By: Anna Chen

The Place Vanier Musical team is hustling and bustling in preparation for this year’s musical. Through cast and band rehearsals, meetings, and various preparations, many members of the Vanier community, including some of your fellow Vanier residents, have been working very hard at bringing forth a musical that will rock your socks!

 

For those of you who haven’t heard, this year’s musical is Rent. Rent is a rock musical, with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, inspired by Giacomo Puccini’s opera, La bohème. Rent tells the stories of several young artists in the course of one year. These artists were seeking to live the Bohemian life in the Lower East Side in the thriving days of the Bohemian East Village of New York City in 1991, during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Within the group, the artists endure sickness, AIDS, poverty, and prejudice, all while trying to live their young lives.

 

Why should you come and see Rent? Rent has won a Tony Award for Best Musical and also won a Pulitzer Prize, to note just a few of the awards that this musical has received. Rent has an impeccable storyline, following several characters that will inevitably charm you. Rent is also one of the first Broadway musicals featuring bisexual and transgender characters. Rent highlights many controversial topics and has been able to bring them to a Broadway setting. Rent is a musical put on by residents, for residents! Residents from all around Vanier are members of the cast, crew or executive team, where they act, sing, dance, help out backstage, or plan and work with other members of the team to create the musical.

 

Through the many meetings, rehearsals and band practices, we are currently hard at work for our big shows, which are set to be playing the in Vanier Ballroom on March 5th, 6th, and 7th. Ticket sales will be occurring in the Vanier Commonsblock during the week prior to shows. Watch out for posters and other advertisements around Vanier!

 

Are you interested in joining our team? We are currently looking for more behind the scenes help, including, but not limited to: stage hands, members for our marketing team, members for our costume & make up team, and members of our props team. Please email the Place Vanier Musical Committee at musicalPV@gmail.com, and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

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You Are NOT Defined by Your Grades

By: Reed Eaglesham

“If I had a choice there would be no grades in my courses, but those are the parameters we work in”

At this week’s Prof talk Dr. Erickson, a PhD in Political Science, spoke about the problems with our educational system and the way that most students look at their grades. Going into the talk, I thought that he would say the usual about grades just being a number, and “you’re more than that,” and “don’t worry, just put more effort in,” but he didn’t. Erickson challenged the way our society chooses to think about the numbers that we spend so much of our lives trying to achieve, and he said it in a way that can only be described as poetry.

I had Erickson for Poli 100 last year; to be honest, I ditched most of his classes and hardly paid attention in lectures, but this time, when he spoke, I found myself stuck in my seat. From the onset he showed a kind of genuine care for those in the audience that made you want to lean in and listen to every word he said. In the span of an hour he covered everything from what we perceive as the other, how we react to crises, the beauty of learning, and how we define ourselves. There was a lot to take in, but the main message was that the grades we aim for is not why we as students are at UBC. We are here to question, to wonder, to dream, and to create. Some of Erickson’s best students – the ones that became PhDs at Harvard, Yale, etc. – were the ones that usually had bad grades. It was not because they were bad students; it was because they were excellent students. By not looking at their grades, but diving into what they found passion in, they were able to learn, enjoy learning, and have what they learned stick. Often the way we study is simply to get the grade; we get an A in the course and can’t remember a thing about it after the exam. When you graduate and go into the work force, you’ll quickly find out that your major doesn’t mean as much as you thought it would, and your transcripts mean nothing to your employer. This may sound bleak, and it is if grades are all you’re hoping to get out of a class. Challenge yourself to have questions answered, follow your curiosities, and don’t just take information in – make connections. When we look at learning through that lens, change can happen and differences can be made. Erickson finished his talk with these powerful words:

“No person can be defined by a number; we are so much more than that. We are complex, creative, and wonderful individuals. Please don’t let a grade take that away from you.”

Building a Respectful and (Trans-)Inclusive Vanier: How YOU can help transgender residents in your community feel safe!

By: Marlee Laval (R.A. in Robson House)

At UBC, there is no denying that a dynamic range of identities can be found within lecture halls, libraries, and residence areas. Unfortunately, society – which, in many ways, includes UBC – often does not acknowledge the unique experiences and needs of transgender people.* As Residence Advisors, it is our job to help build communities that are supportive, positive, and inclusive of all identities, but there are many ways in which all residents can help create safe spaces for trans residents. Here are some quick, simple tips that you can use to make living in residence safer and more empowering for all gender identities!
* Note: For the purposes of this article, a transgender person will be loosely defined as someone whose gender identity is different than the social expectations of the sex that they were assigned at birth. For example, if a baby is assigned “female” according to their sexual characteristics (ie genitalia), and the gender of “woman,” and is later a gender other than “woman,” they are transgender.

 
1.) Respect names and pronouns – and normalize asking for them.

People using the wrong name and/or pronouns – often called misgendering – is a common obstacle that transgender folks face. You cannot determine a person’s pronouns (what you refer to them as in the third person – they/them, she/her, he/him, ze/hir, etc.) simply by looking at them! If you are unsure which pronouns someone uses, ask them, and try to use gender-neutral pronouns for them (such as they/them) until you know. It’s not rude to ask someone for their pronouns – it’s respectful! Use someone’s preferred name and pronouns, even when they are not around. If you accidentally use the wrong name and/or pronouns for someone, apologize, promise that you will work to not do it again, and move forward.

 
2.) Help make conversations and spaces gender-inclusive.

Using gender-inclusive language makes conversations safer and more relevant for trans people in your communities. A simple example of this would be saying “people with vaginas” instead of “women” if you are talking about vaginas (which, in respectful contexts, is A-OK). This change in language acknowledges that not all women have vaginas, and not all people with vaginas are women, which is inclusive of trans folks!

For a more gender-inclusive environment, accessible spaces such as gender-neutral washrooms can make a big difference. Something as simple as going to the washroom can be a huge barrier for transgender folks. Talk to your RA about making your floor’s washroom(s) gender-neutral if they are not already. If you are planning an event, ensure that at least one accessible washroom at your venue is gender-neutral. Go here for more information on why gender-inclusive washrooms are important!

3.) Learn about transgender lives and experiences, and advocate for transgender rights.

If you identify as cisgender (a person who identifies as the gender that socially “matches” the sex that they were assigned at birth), learning about and centering the experiences of trans people is a very important step in creating respectful and trans-inclusive spaces. The Talon’s resource page is a great online place to start, along with campus organizations such as The Pride Collective at UBC, The Sexual Assault Support Centre, the Equity and Inclusion Office, and Access and Diversity. Look out for opportunities to take a Positive Space training course to help you gain the skills to create LGBTQ-inclusive spaces. Avoid asking extremely personal or invasive questions to transgender people – it is not their job to educate you! – but respect and center the knowledge and experiences that they choose to share.

From there, stand in solidarity with trans people as they work to claim the rights that they deserve. Remember that this is about them, not you – prioritize their voices, support them when they need it, stand up against transphobia and discrimination, and advocate respectfully. This is what you, as an ally to trans folks, can do.

 

To conclude, I hope that you will take these tips and apply them to your communities – not just within Vanier, but within the rest of your spaces. Transgender lives matter, and it’s time to create a gender-inclusive community where trans folks can live and learn safely.

 

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Improv Comedy: It’s Good for You

By: James Twaites

Maybe you’ve heard of improv. Maybe you haven’t. Here’s the gist: people make up plays as they perform them live in front of you. It’s pretty great, and I recommend it.   Getting out to the opera or an edgy art exhibition for your “cultural education” can feel like hard work, and it feels easier (and cheaper) to stay at home and watch six consecutive episodes of —insert running sitcom—. Although —insert character— is oh-so relatable and funny, it’s no substitute for getting out there and experiencing theatre.

This is why improv is a good culture fix; it isn’t homework. No one will make you watch it, you aren’t expected to take away a life lesson or gain a better understanding of your place in the universe. Granted, sometimes good improv is transformative, but it’s not why people go to see it. We go to see danger. Like a tightrope walking act or a roller-coaster, improv gives the sensation that something could go wrong at any time (and it does). When groups of people make up stories on the spot, sometimes it doesn’t work; that’s what makes it interesting. You see the players adjust in real time to the unexpected, and like a good game of sports, the outcome is discovered by the audience and the players together.

“Enough talk”, I hear you say. “When and where does this happen?”

I’m glad you asked. Here are some cool improv crews and events that run in Vancouver.

UBC Improv

We have our own personal brand of surprisingly poignant hilarity, and it’s great. Shows are $3 or $10 for a year’s membership (which includes access to workshops and all the shows for free). Come to Scarfe 100 every other Friday for an underground-rock-concert atmosphere and a ton of fun! The next show is January 30th, and you can find more information at www.ubcimprov.com.

Grad School Improv

Grad School Improv is a collection of current and past UBC improvisers who perform at Seven Dining Lounge (53 West Broadway) from 8:00pm-10:00pm every Tuesday for only $4! That’s less than a grande mocha! Every week you’ll see a collection of fun games, scenes, and some bigger long-form pieces.

 

10 Speed

10 SPEED is a monthly improv show that features Vancouver’s finest improv groups doing 10-minute sets on the first Tuesday of every month. If groups exceed their allotted ten minutes, hosts Tom and Devin disrupt their sets in boorish, uncouth ways.  In the past, disruptions have included live crabs, flying sharks, dance troupes, and pizza-eating dogs. The show makes it home at the China Cloud Theatre – 524 Main Street.

 

Instant Theatre

Instant Theatre also runs its shows Sunday nights, starting at 9:00pm at the Havana Theatre (1212 Commercial Drive). Shows are $8, and extra great. Instant Theatre has popularized several show formats including STREETFIGHT and CAGEMATCH. Don’t worry, they aren’t as scary as they sound. Instant Theatre is better known for its classes and workshops. Check them out online and enroll if you’ve ever wanted to give it a try!
The Sunday Service

This weekly show features two halves of fast paced, absurd and hilarious improv. The first half is a mix of classic/reinterpreted short form games, performed in the group’s unique style. The second half is long form story-telling improv combining high energy scene work, characters, and interwoven stories. This happens every Sunday at 9pm at The Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main Street. It’s $7 bucks, which is the best value for entertainment you’ll ever get.

 

They’re all good. Pick one at random. No wrong answers. Go do it. It’s fun, and it’s good for you.

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