Ever tried accessing the UBC website from your smartphone or tablet? So many tiny words! UBC recognizes that your eyesight has started to fail because of all those late-night exam study sessions and endless textbook readings.  That’s why it’s time you discovered UBC Mobile – the latest innovation to the already awesome UBC website.

What is UBC Mobile? Think of it as your personal hub for everything UBC, right at your fingertips!

Currently, the UBC Mobile platform consists of several core services for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors to UBC, including:

An Interactive Campus Map – Easily navigate around UBC with the mobile campus map. Zoom in or out in any direction and instantly display the nearest restaurants, parking areas, libraries or gyms.

Staff and Faculty Directory – Need to find your professors email address or office location? It’s easier than ever before with UBC Mobile. Search by first and last name for phone numbers, email addresses, and office locations for UBC faculty and staff members. (Contact details vary and are informed by individual privacy settings).

Dining Listings – Whether you are craving pizza or a Frappuccino, UBC Mobile makes it easy to find any dining establishment on campus. A green dot beside the name of the restaurant indicates if it is open or not — preventing you from disappointment.

News – Get the latest news from the UBC newspaper, featuring stories about the UBC community, arts and culture, as well as science and research. You are also able to share interesting articles through email, Facebook, or Twitter.

Transit Schedules – Find out when your bus is coming with real-time tracking. Select by community bus route and direction to view the expected arrival time at the stops on that route. Clicking an individual bus stop will show its location on the map.

Event Listings – Find out what is going on at UBC today with the event calendar. Categorize each event by date, time, or location, ensuring that you never miss the next big event on campus.

Emergency Broadcasts – Stay informed for critical information on the UBC campus and get quick access to important emergency contact information.

This is just the first step towards creating a better UBC mobile experience for all students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors. We plan to continue developing new features and important updates to the mobile website to foster and develop greater UBC community interaction.

In the upcoming months, UBC Mobile will be working to create a more user-friendly experience for the admissions, alumni engagement, student services, and library modules. In addition, keep an eye on the Mobile home page for more information about the Digital*U Competition, beginning in October, which is focused on improving your mobile experience. With a grand prize of $5,000, this contest is one to watch out for.

To learn more about UBC Mobile, please visit m.ubc.ca

Happy New Year! (New School Year that is),

Welcome to Thunderbird and Ritsumeikan Residences, whether you’re a returning student or here for the very first time.  We’re so excited to have you here!

The next couple of weeks will be extremely busy on campus and in Residence.  Come out and join us to get to know your advisors as well as neighbours for the upcoming year.  This blog will be a great source to check for upcoming events right in your own backyard!

Coming up next (Monday September 3rd), is our free Welcome BBQ at 4pm on the field just beside the Thunderbird Commonsblock- where the front desk is located. Come grab some dinner and catch some rays. It will be immediately followed by our Community Meeting at 7pm- a chance to meet the advisors as well as learn some useful info about living in Thunderbird and Ritsumeikan-UBC House for the year to come.  Hope to see you there!

When: Saturday, August 25^th  10 AM – 3 PM

Registration: Wednesday (August 15^th and August 23^th) during T-bird Coffee Hour in Activity Room (7-8 pm)

Cost: Free! (Only a $10 fully refundable registration fee is required to guarantee your registration)

Attention:

A bus will be available at the Thunderbird Commonblock to take and return you from the park.

*A light lunch and snack will be provided

Please note that the location of Thunderbird’s Karaoke Night has been moved to the Thunderbird Activity Room.

Come out for snacks and entertainment Friday July 27th at 7pm.

See you there!

* Running Club: Every Tuesday and Saturday at 6pm (Meet at the Tbird Gym)

* Decorate Your Own Cupcakes: Saturday July 21^st @ 1pm for 4000 Block

* Karaoke Night: Friday July 27^th at 7pm in The Old Barn

Is money tight? Looking to buy a new laptop? Trying to pay back some student loans? Here are a few tips to keep you out of the red and feeling confident about your finances:

• Track your money. Buy things with cash so that you can see how much money things are costing you.
• You’re a student- take advantage of every student discount you can find!
• Treat credit carefully! Set a realistic credit limit so you can’t get in over your head. Be wary of high interest rates.
• Set a budget after determining how much money you’ll have each month and commit to it. This will help keep your purchases in line.
• Put away some money for emergencies.  Add a just little bit each month to an account and you’ll hardly notice but it is money that is now tucked away in case you ever need it.
• Be aware of due dates! If you’re strapped for cash, the last thing you want is to be paying extra for late fees.  Mark things in a calendar or set up automatic payments so that you never miss a date.

Exams are coming up before you know it! Here are some tips of how to avoid major time wasters to help keep you on track, instead of sidetracked.

• The TV: Don’t just sit down and watch whatever’s on.  Instead, choose shows specifically so you can schedule them around your work.  If you really need to surf, give yourself a time limit!
• Video Games: Some people can play video games for hours and hours every day.  Try using it as a reward for getting work done instead: “When I finish my readings I can play COD.”
• The Internet: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, email, news sites… All of these are constantly updating, meaning you have an endless supply of new distractions. Limit yourself to certain sites as well as how long you’ll use them each day.  Some people even deactivate certain accounts during exam time to help them focus!

Parties are permitted in residence on Friday and Saturday nights (or dinner parties Sunday -Thursday).  A maximum of 25 people are allowed in the unit per party and three parties can be registered an evening.  To register a party, see the Senior Advisor  72 hours prior to your party.

Your Senior Advisor lives in: 3135 Thunderbird
Unregistered parties are a violation of the standards contract, and will be documented.

Residence Advisors student staff that work to ensure a safe residence community suitable to positive living and learning conditions. Here are just some of the ways that Residence Advisors are here to support you:

•    Answer questions about Rez, UBC, Vancouver and to provide you with information about campus life and services;
•    Plan activities and programs that are offered in residence;
•    Help ‘keep the peace’ in the residence community;
•    Are available to offer a listening ear;
•    Address issues in residence that may be bothering you such as loud noises, safety concerns, roommate conflicts; and
•       So much more!

Overall, Advisors work to ensure that residence can be a constructive living and learning community for all residents.