All photos were taken with appropriate distancing measures in place.
“What makes a university experience is the extracurricular activities you partake in, the friends you get to share in an experience with, win a big game or share some laughs. And although you may not see it, it is student volunteers and staff that, for a large part, make those activities and therefore those experiences happen for you, other students. They help you buy a gym membership, sign you in for an event, referee your game, greet you for your 7am swim, or pull you over a 12 foot wall. It is their important work, their dedication, time and passion that make your experiences with UBC Recreation so memorable. So make sure to say thank you, for they bring you fun and the positive memories you’ll have from your time at UBC to life.” Events Coordinator, UBC Intramurals, Alex Northey
Here is part 3 and the final blog of our UBC Recreation Graduating Students series. In case you missed it, check out and .
Timme Zhao
Volunteer, UBC Intramurals – 4 years
Degree: Majored in Applied Animal Biology in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems
One piece of advice for incoming first-years? Put yourself in uncomfortable situations and be open minded! Obviously know where your boundaries are but don’t be too judgemental and experiment with new things whether that be events, people or even just the classes you take. Try new things and the more things you try, the more likely you’ll find something you truly love.
Favourite place on campus? Probably either the Recreation Intramural office or the UBC War Gym (I would always attend UBC Thunderbirds volleyball games)
Favourite class? FNH 330 (wine tasting), BIOL 324 (entomology), or BIOL 427 (ornithology)
Favourite event or activity? Storm the wall by far in terms of event and playing in the tier one open volleyball league.
How has UBC Recreation made an impact on your university experience? The UBC Intramurals student volunteer program has been the most impactful thing that has ever happened to me. I made some of my closest friends through the program. I learned about what sort of person I wanted to be and the full time staff pushed me to accomplish things I never thought I could. I experienced tough moments and learned from them and as a result, made some of the most amazing memories I have ever lived through. I became a more appreciative, loving and down to earth person through the program and it has provided me with skills that few others my age can compare to. I will forever appreciate the growth that I developed in the program and I can say with a big smile that I was an extremely lucky person to stumble on such an amazing community during my time at UBC.
What will you miss most about UBC? I will definitely miss being a part of the UBC Intramurals program. Without a doubt, COVID definitely cut my time with the program a bit short and I will definitely miss the memories that I would have made with the events team.
What do you look forward to most after graduation? I look forward to being able to travel!! I have always wanted to see the world so after school ends, I will definitely take some time to travel.
What is one thing every student should add to their UBC bucket list? Everyone should definitely look into the intramural events and league options and make some friends through intramurals!
Micayla Keiver
Operations Staff, SRC & ARC – 3 years
Instructor, UBC Camps – 2 years
Head Instructor, UBC Camps Summer ’21
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Major in Geography
What is one thing every student should add to their UBC bucket list? Day Of The Longboat at Jericho Beach. Bonus points if you join a team with people you don’t already know! One of my fondest UBC memories is DOTL 2017, when my Residence Advisor signed me up with eight first-years I hadn’t met before.
Favourite place on campus? Bean Around The World. In pre-COVID times, this was my favourite place to study. It has huge windows, is in a quiet area and feels separate from the rest of campus.
Favourite class? HIST 420D: Drugs in Canadian History with Dr. Laura Ishiguro. This course provides an insightful overview of the social, cultural, political and legal histories of drugs and their users in Vancouver and North America more broadly. Highly recommend, especially if you’re new to the topic like I was.
Favourite event or activity? TheCalendar’s Garden Party! This event is the ultimate opportunity to see your friends in September and is hosted at the UBC Farm.
How has UBC Recreation made an impact on your university experience? In addition to introducing me to an awesome group of coworkers, my experience with UBC Recreation has helped me navigate my post-graduation plans. Upon discovering my passion for working with others and especially children, I have decided to pursue my Bachelor of Education (Elementary & Middle Years Program, Concentration in French Immersion) at UBC this fall.
What will you miss most about UBC? The hustle and bustle of Main Mall during the 10-minute class break. It’s a love-hate relationship.
What do you look forward to most after graduation? I’ve formed some truly lifelong connections in my time at UBC. I can’t wait to watch everyone pursue their post-graduation plans and cheer them on, wherever they are in the world!
One piece of advice for incoming first-years? Take your time exploring all the opportunities on campus. If you’re like me, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and sign up for 12 clubs on the first day. Be patient and trust that you’ll end up where you’re meant to be.
Miranda Bahng
Move U Crew – 1 year
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
What is one thing every student should add to their UBC bucket list? Every student should either join a club or work on campus (e.g. Work Learn, etc.)! Taking on extra responsibilities on top of schoolwork is challenging but the connections you make and skills you learn are well worth it!
Favourite place on campus? A couple of my favourite places are the Nest and CIRS! I really enjoy the amount of sunlight both these buildings receive and the openness of the architectural design.
Favourite class? I have a lot of favourite classes from my undergraduate degree but the most memorable one was CPSC 110. I took it in my first year and one of the first things the professor told the class was a sentiment along the lines of “learning is pain; if you don’t feel pain, then you’re not learning” – I definitely learned a lot in that course and I’ve actually applied them to my work, to this day!
Favourite event or activity? Every year, I look forward to Imagine Day because I get to meet so many people on campus (e.g. first years, etc.) while also exploring all the club booths!
How has UBC Recreation made an impact on your university experience? Working with UBC Recreation has shown me the true strength of being on a team. Even through the pandemic, the Move U Crew was there to support each other and the UBC community to promote health and wellbeing! Not to mention, the staff at UBC Rec who were and are always available to give advice and help out student staff!
What will you miss most about UBC? Having everybody in the same place! Everyone is headed on their respective paths and I'll miss randomly bumping into them on campus!
What do you look forward to most after graduation? Right now, I’m looking forward to traveling (after the pandemic)! Traveling is one of my passions and I can’t wait to explore a new city/province/country and try local delicacies, once the pandemic is over!
One piece of advice for incoming first-years? Be open to new experiences! There are loads of events and programs to participate in on-campus and lots of interesting things to learn in courses - step out of your comfort zone and join a club, take a course you’ve never considered before, or participate in an intramural league; the possibilities are endless!
Jocelyn Dayal
Lifeguard/Instructor/Supervisor, UBC Aquatic Centre – 5 years
Athlete, TSC Artistic Swim Team – 4 years
Executive, TSC – 3 years
Degree: Bachelor of Kinesiology
How has UBC Recreation made an impact on your university experience? If I had never worked at the pool, I would’ve never made the lifelong friendships that I did. It was nice to know that whenever I’d stop by the pool, I would always see at least one friendly face, whether it was 8am on a Monday or 9pm on a Saturday.
Favourite place on campus? The pool! Not only did I work and swim there, I’d spend a lot of time hanging out with my friends in the mez too.
Favourite class? FIST 300: Cult Film - I took it as an elective during my last year and got to watch so many fun movies, plus it’s run by an amazing prof!
Favourite event or activity? Storm the Wall!
What will you miss most about UBC? Sprinting across campus in 10 minutes between classes!
What do you look forward to most after graduation? I’m excited to eventually get to travel the world (once it’s safe of course)!
What is one thing every student should add to their UBC bucket list? Watch the sunset from Wreck Beach - it’s worth it!
One piece of advice for incoming first-years? Whatever you do, DON’T take an 8am class.
Kyle Olsen
Athlete, TSC Men’s Lacrosse Team – 3 years
Executive & Club Lead, TSC – 1 year
Instructor, UBC Camps
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Major in Human Geography and Minor in English Literature
How has UBC Recreation made an impact on your university experience? My involvement with UBC Rec’s TSC made a significant impact throughout my university experience because I met some of my closest friends through the lacrosse team and I got to play the sport I have always loved growing up. Having the opportunity to play a sport I am passionate for, significantly reduced the stress from my school workload and gave me an opportunity to remain physically active throughout university. To anyone who wants to stay physically fit, play a sport with their friends, or want to make new friends at UBC, getting involved with UBC Recreation is a great outlet!
Favourite place on campus? Great Dane Cafè
Favourite class? GEOG 410 Environment and Society with Professor Loch Brown. I highly recommend taking any Geography class with Loch!
Favourite event or activity? Weeknight lacrosse practices
What will you miss most about UBC? The two things I will dearly miss going to UBC is seeing all my teammates at practices and games throughout the week and hanging out with my friends on campus after class.
What do you look forward to most after graduation? Fortunately, I was recently accepted into UBC’s PDP program to begin my teacher training in the fall 2021-22 where I will have an opportunity to come back to campus again and build new relationships with fellow teaching peers and begin a new journey teaching high school!
What is one thing every student should add to their UBC bucket list? Either attend Welcome Back BBQ or Block Party, both are incredible events that AMS puts on that normally include a lot popular artists who don’t come to Vancouver frequently!
One piece of advice for incoming first-years? I want to give two pieces of advice to all incoming students:
1) Although school can be stressful with a heavy workload, always make sure you are taking time to yourself to ensure your mental and physical health are in good shape, whether that be going for a walk/run, hanging out with your peers, binge watching your favourite Netflix show, or even baking/cooking. Remember, your overall health is your top priority and if you are able to maintain that, your university experience will be much better!
2) Get involved with your student body! You don’t have to get involved with UBC Rec specifically but getting involved on campus through clubs and organizations not only contributes to the UBC community overall, but it also gives you an opportunity to develop new friendships and find new passions you previously did not have an opportunity to explore!