What?

This Life

Well, it is true: I am finished my first year at The University of British Columbia. Can you believe it? It was an interesting eight months with lots of downs and a memorable couple of ups (like getting my first A+ on an essay I worked really hard on).

I've learned a lot about myself. I am definitely an introvert, I am very sensitive, I can actually do a lot of things in 24 hours and the importance of keeping myself healthy and feeling good. 

I also learned that university is only going to be one part of my life and that it's up to me to make this part of my life the best it can be. No one is going to sign me up for clubs or that guest lecture, I have to do it myself. I also have to grocery shop myself, get myself out of bed and remember my own keys when I leave my place. I have and continue to become an independent being and as it's happening, I don't even really realize it; but I'm excited for it. 

This term really taught me that nothing in school is really as important as everything outside of school, which is weird because I've spent thirteen years believing the opposite. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that my first year has been a learning curve. I'm excited for the future and at the prospect of being an Imagine Day leader in September. I'm also excited to spend this summer with people who I hold so very near to my heart. 

Last night I got to spend a few hours around a fire with some of my best friends and it just felt so nice to be there, with people who know me and who I am very comfortable with. It's also a very strange experience to notice how much they've changed with their 8 months at University. 

This is the longest break from school I've had since I began kindergarten. 

I am welcoming it with open arms. 

Well… Exams...

Valentine's Day

Personally, I really love Valentine's Day. Not because of the chocolate or gifts or whatever but because it just makes everyone really optimistic about love. I don't know if real love is real or not or even what that means but Valentine's Day means that people are thinking about love and they're imagining themselves in love and I think that's a very beautiful feeling and idea.
I know a lot of people get sad about Valentine's Day because they're single or because it's heteronormative or because it commodifies love and all the things that go along with it but, I think February 14th can be about more than that. It can be about spending time with people (more than one!!) who you enjoy or it can mean being alone and celebrating your independence. Or you can act like it doesn't even exist and it's just another day!!
I don't know if it's my own hormones or personality but all of the red and pink and hearts and talk of love or happiness that come along with Valentine's just makes me really happy and excited for other people.
Of course, I hate capitalism (as I sit here writing on my MacBook Air) and I hate the idea of love being commodified but I don't think it has to be like that. Not if you're doing right. Valentine's Day can be about much more than spending money on someone or sex and instead, I feel it should just be about surrounding yourself with individuals who make you feel happy whether that be your family or friends or significant other.

so here is a dog being surrounded by the things it loves. 

GoPro and Piggy

This is the best!!!

Hoffman

I'm not going to write some sort of weird fan eulogy about Phillip Seymour Hoffman but, hearing his passing today made me think of him as Lester Bangs, my favourite character in Almost Famous, one of the best movies of all time. I guess I just relate to this and feel it necessary to pay a small tribute. So, here you are internet:

Life at UBC

Cries

Dat Fawg

The fog horn is constantly blaring and you can't see 100m in front of you but it's pretty. 

This is usually a vast view of English Bay

The Norm

I finally went to The Norm! For those of you who don't know, it's UBC's student run movie theatre! Tickets are only $5 and the place is HUGE! I couldn't believe how big it was and how new too! It's even nicer than the Hope cinema.

We saw Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen's newest film! I enjoyed the film, it was very very Woody Allen.

Bernoulli's // Falling // Work

Kevin and I tried out Bernoulli's Bagels for the first time since being at UBC and I'd rate their bagels at about a 7/10. I got the breakfast sausagewich on Italian Cheese and you know, for $4.25 I think I need a little more sausage and cheese on that bad boy. Still yummy though.

It was really strange, the 24 hours leading up to me falling I had seen TWO PEOPLE FALL. One was on a bike and fell into the bushes and the other one just kind of tripped out of nowhere. IT WAS LIKE A CURSE OR SOMETHING. So, yeah, I fell and now I have the cosmos on my knee. 

I actually kind of like bruises because they're the only thing that can't be taken care of by some sort of medicine like a cut or a cold or any other illness can. Sometimes they look kind of pretty too. You just have to wait until they go away. 

Finally, I got a job! I call UBC alumni for donations. Did you know that 70% of UBC's scholarships and bursaries are funded by alumni? That's a pretty impressive number. 

Unblogged Images

Pride and Prejudice at UBC!

I was honoured with receiving the Floor Rep of the Term Award! Yay! 

Going home selfies! 

Max da cat! 

I knit Kevin gloves! 

Finally went to Jethro's and was defeated! So yummy though. I love pancakes.

Finally went to Grounds for Coffee on Alma and tried THE cinnamon bun I have heard SO MUCH about. It was delicious. 

ALL YOU CAN EAT SUSHI. It should have cost us $70+ but it was only $13 each. Ohhh ya. 

Lincoln's drawing of a germ.

My first angel at home! 

Kevin helped the boys build a snowman! 

Merry Christmas!

PIG!!! Valentina's puppy that is so cute I want to die/ eat it.

New years! The boys stayed up to drink apple cider with us.

Pretty christmas gift.

BACK AT SCHOOL!! 

An Unlucky Beginning

If someone were to ask me how the beginning of 2014 has been so far, I would tell them it has started off very very unlucky. Here is a list of the crappy things that have happened to me so far, all of which has made it very hard to continue being an aspiring optimist.
1. I forgot my razor at home.
2. My water bottle spilled all over my backpack into my new books and now those books smell funny and the books STILL aren't dry.
3. Kevin and I went to see the Wolf of Wall Street and it was sold out.
4. No yoga.
5. The strap on my umbrella that you are supposed to put around your wrist, BROKE.
6. I got a stain on my new shirt.
7. Last night I spilled spaghetti sauce on my WHITE sheets.
8. My political science class got cancelled on Friday.
9. The cafeteria has been out of earl grey tea for the last four days.

BUT, at least I'm not stuck in the middle of some monstrous weather vortex and can go outside without having to put on an extra 30 pounds of clothing on and at least I am enjoying my classes and professors. I also found out that Mad Men begins again in April so that's good and I got to see my Nana and Fred last night and eat yummy food. There are also a lot of puppies on campus right now so that's nice and I am not sick anymore and my family is in good health especially Papa, Gloria and Gordon because they get to be in Mexico. It is not so bad I suppose, just a little unlucky.