If you love all things outdoor, choose UBC.  I, like so many others on exchange cited this as my main reason for travelling and Canada certainly did not disappoint.  With close access to surf in the summer, skiing in the winter and hiking all year round, it is an adventurer’s paradise.  But there is also so much more to the University of British Colombia and I hope this blog can help you navigate what is on offer.

Firstly, you need to be proactive, even before you get out there.  There are loads of group chats with a variety of topics from accommodation to running, which can really help break the ice before you arrive.  What’s great about exchange is no one knows anyone but wants to meet everyone.  So ride that wave of energy!  Most exchange students end up living so close to each other in Walter Gage, so organising and attending social events is super easy.  I was in the east tower on the twelfth floor which meant I had an awesome view of Vancouver harbour.

I am a second year Global Development student, who went on exchange for one semester.  Unlike the full year abroad, which is pass or fail, my grades counted towards my degree.  With one pre-requisite, Geography of Economic Development, I had a huge amount of flexibility to select what appealed to me.  I had really hoped to partake in one of the First Nation educational modules.  A department headed by Glen Coulthard, author of ‘Red Skin White Masks’, these small classes are highly sought after and unfortunately I missed out.  However UBC’s Museum of Anthropology and its carefully curated collections provided a fantastic educational piece, focusing on First Nation struggles in Canada.  A must visit.

The Geography Department has an enormous variety of modules and whittling my list down to three was tough but do not be overwhelmed.  You do not need to get it right first time.  The Global Opportunities office has lots of appointments and from my experience, all of the team are super helpful.  I changed last minute after realising ‘celebrity’ lecturer Naomi Klein was running a Climate Emergencies module.  I would wholly recommend this to any student even if Geography isn’t your major.  Exchange is about trying something new and you certainly won’t be the only one!  Watching her hard-hitting documentaries then being able to question and learn through her experiences was eye-opening.  She also invites multiple guest lecturers, ranging from youth activists to politicians, and provides access to her events at UBC’s Chan Centre.  This year I saw her interview Anohni on climate justice, who then went on to perform that evening with her band.

It is of course, impossible to write a blog about UBC and not mention some of the adventures I embarked on and share some of the options available to you to plan your own trips. The first day at UBC is called an ‘imagine day’ where all new students are divided into groups of around ten, I was lucky and met some good friends here.  This is also a great opportunity to explore all the student clubs, who set up stalls along the east mall.  It’s worth doing a little research in advance as there are so many, but I would recommend the Varsity Outdoor Club who organise weekly trips around BC and beyond.  A cheap way to get out and about, my first hike/scramble was organised through the group.

I would recommend doing your bucket list trips ASAP, for two reasons. One, summer doesn’t last forever and two, the work load at UBC is wildly different to QM.  All modules are weighted very differently, include grades for participation, midterms, finals and critical reflections throughout.  So be prepared to write an essay every week! That being said multiple trips are comfortably doable as long as you manage your time. 

With my ‘imagine day’ group we went to Kumsheen Resort to go white water rafting.  Interestingly kumsheen means ‘where the rivers cross’ in the local First Nation’s language. It was phenomenal, with an abundance of wild life spotted, some gnarly rapids and the option to go down a rapid in the water holding a line – terrifying but exciting.  I also went on to explore Squamish, Vancouver Island, Washington State and Whistler.  With so many different avenues to meet people, finding ‘your’ people to do trips with will happen. And if you’re the kind of person who likes to travel solo, or organise your own trips then car hire is surprisingly cheap. A company called Evo operates in Vancouver. Just sign up to the app, unlock and go (you do need a licence).  This is particularly good as it includes fuel in the daily price of around $105.

Finally I thought I would share a few lessons I learnt!

• Change your keyboard to English (Canada) to avoid losing unnecessary marks for grammar!
• Vancouver is not as expensive as every makes out.  Whilst grocery stores are more, and a bus journey from campus, everyday living is comparable to London and in some instances cheaper.  There are a host of affordable restaurants, my favourite was Koi Sushi, 15 minutes from campus and offers 3 sharing dishes for only $18.
• The beaches around campus, especially wreck beach, are ‘clothing optional’ and they mean it!  In the warmer months hundreds of people flock and let it all hang out.  It’s a great hippie-ish atmosphere with food being sold, people playing beach games and having parties but be prepared!
• There are lots of bears!  If you go out hiking around BC it is highly likely you’ll see black bears.  Generally they’re safe but best to be safe and carry a bear spray.
• Poutine (Canada’s famous chip, gravy, cheese dish) is not as nice as they make out!
• Finally the cheese and bread selection is very disappointing compared to Europe!

Whether you’re drawn to UBC for the breathtaking outdoors or seeking an academic challenge, this university offers it all.  Going on exchange is all about trying something new which is daunting but so so worth it.  Take the risk you won’t regret it!