10/26/12

Getting in the Last Bit of Sun before the Monsoon Season – By Brandon Wong

If you still haven’t gone to the beach you might want to go soon, before the rain starts. It’s the perfect place for a picnic or just hanging out. We’ve been pretty lucky so far this year; September usually has much more rain. There’s still enough sun around to hit up the local beaches.

The closest beaches to UBC are Wreck Beach (where the naked people are) and Tower Beach. As it is getting chilly outside, less nudists frequent the beach during this season. Wreck beach is nice and sandy, and fairly open when the tide is down. To get there, take the trail by Vanier, and walk down a long flight of stairs. Keep in mind that it is a long way back up, and there is no light either.

Tower beach is North of Gage; to get there you can take Beach Trail #3. The beach itself is quite rocky compared to Wreck. Moving away from UBC in the eastern direction, you can find Spanish Banks, Locarno Beach, and Jericho Beach. They are easily accessible using the C19 or the 4 or 84 and a quick walk. Alternatively, it is a fun bike ride down Northwest Marine Drive (UBC has a higher elevation than the beach; it’s a long way up).

The beach is a great place to watch the sunset (super romantic). Especially now that the sun sets earlier, you can go right after dinner. It’s a tad cold at night so bring a blanket and cuddle up 😉
*note, drinking in public is illegal in BC (no wine, beer, etc)

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04/2/12

Looking for a place off-campus

By Molly Lai, Residence Advisor

For some of us, our time in residence is swiftly drawing to a close and it is time to start thinking about where we want to go next. By where, I mean where am I going to live next year. I personally had no idea how to go about the next step of moving out of residence and finding an apartment. As a person who always needs a plan the uncertainty of this change sent me into a near panic, so I took a deep breath and started to ask everyone I knew where I needed to start. Here are the three first steps that everyone seemed to agree on:

  1. Be realistic. What are you able to afford? Will you need a roommate? If you need a roommate, who would you be able to live with? (This is probably one of the hardest questions. It is not always your best friend.) Are you able to live on your own? Do you need to live about the 12th floor?
  2. Location. What are your top three priorities for a place to live? Do you need to be close to campus? Close to bus stops? Grocery store? Library? Work? Do you have a car? Do you need water access because you’ve decided to kayak to UBC everyday? All of these questions are important factors in the choice of where to live. Maybe you need to have access to parking or maybe you want to live along the 99 B-Line route.
  3. Amenities. What are your top three must haves in an apartment? Do you need a dishwasher? Laundry on-site? A north-facing bedroom? A furnished apartment? A personal chef?

After you have made a decision on these questions and (possibly) decided that you cannot afford to live in a penthouse in Yaletown with a boat launch and a personal chef, check out the UBC housing site for some other helpful hints. They have a brief guide to the more common abbreviations used in classified ads as well as some places to start your search.

PS. If you can afford the Yaletown penthouse, I’m looking for a roommate willing to pay most of the rent on a similar apartment. If not I guess I’m resigned to be just another average student.

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04/2/12

PLAN AHEAD. PACK SMART.

by Sonia Shao, Residence Advisor

Have you ever noticed that you always have A LOT more stuff when you move out than when you moved in? And then you wonder to yourself how you managed to accumulate so much more stuff in 8 months?

Well, it’s almost time for us to move out, so let’s figure out a plan to PACK SMART! Continue reading →

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04/2/12

Do you need an extension of your Residence Contract?

by Johanna Webber, Residence Life Manager

Your residence contract terminates at 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 26th, 2012.  Residents are required to vacate their room by this date.  For information on check-out requirements, please refer to this link on our website:  http://www.housing.ubc.ca/moving-out/moving-out-single

The following residents may be eligible for a Residence Contract Extension, if they apply for a contract extension by April 15, 2012.

1.    Residents holding confirmed, pre-paid travel arrangements.  You may be required to provide proof of confirmed, prepaid travel arrangements.

2.    Residents moving to off-campus housing where their rental agreement commences no later than May 1, 2012.  You may be required to show a copy of the off-campus rental agreement. Continue reading →

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04/2/12

Volunteering Abroad

By Julie Nguyen, Residence Advisor

Are you interested in volunteering abroad, but would like to know more about it?

Volunteering abroad, otherwise known as Voluntourism, has become somewhat of a trend among students at UBC. It is not uncommon to hear about students travelling to developing countries and doing humanitarian work. At the same time, if you have ever considered doing so yourself, you may be unsure of what to expect on voluntourism trips. Continue reading →

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