By Chandy Dancey & Darien Johnsen
Being a student perfectly combines the stress of academic performance, looming student loan debt, and the post-graduation job search all in one. It’s a unique stage of life that not everyone is privileged enough to experience, and a surprising amount of people miss it once it’s gone. While you’re still at UFV, why not get the most out of being a student by seeing what’s out there, taking advantage of opportunities, and checking things off our university bucket list bingo card? It’s (somewhat) guaranteed to enhance that sweet university experience while it’s still yours.
1. Use your student discount around town
SUS is in the midst of developing a student perks program that will give students with an active U-PASS access to discounts at select businesses. According to Vice-President Internal, Duncan Herd, this should be rolling out shortly so students can begin raking in the savings. Everyone likes to save money, right?
2. Take a class outside your degree
Did you know learning doesn’t have to be solely toward your degree? That’s right, education isn’t just a way to land a bougie, well-paying job — it can also be about personal development and fulfillment, or hey, even fun! There are tons of interesting classes that you can take on cool topics or even hobbies. Take SOC 385 for example: it’s an entire course on The Simpsons! Yeah, that’s right; a whole course about a cartoon.
3. Listen to CIVL Radio
Did you know we have a radio station that’s our very own and that you pay for? Heck ya. Tune in to 101.7 CIVL to fill your ear holes with tasty, tasty sounds and gourmet radio shows such as Birds of Canada and The Wheelbarrow Show. Hey, if you’re a broadcasting student, you could probably even work for them. Hit up Aaron Levy if you want to get more involved. You could even host your own radio show and make it big in the university radio world! Look out world, we’ve got a star on the rise.
4. Crash a lecture you’re not in
This one only really works during the first few weeks of classes before everyone gets settled in, starts remembering faces, and eager keeners are allowed into classes from the waitlist — but bonus points to those that manage to pull this off in the middle of the semester. If you want to do this in a more legit way, audit a course.
5. Volunteer
Although volunteering means trading in precious minutes of your time without pay, you can still get a lot out of it. Think about how it helps you gain new skills, network, make new friends (and they said it couldn’t be done at UFV), have a positive impact, bulk up your resume, or even gain a discount or access to an event. There are lots of volunteer opportunities at UFV if you seek them out: ambassadors for student orientation, campus living assistants, PRLC assistants, UFV’s Lead or Sexualized Violence Prevention programs, the UFV-SUS Food Bank, myCampusLife, and more.
6. Witness the university geese
A staple on The Green, these Canadian geese grace us with their intimidating presence every spring. It’s a great motivator to get to class on time when you have to run past screaming, hissing birds blocking the path to A building. UFV has yet to see any geese-related fatalities — emphasis on yet. They’re coming, and you’ve been warned.
7. Attend a career fair
Fact: this is where you find your dream job. Bill Gates? Found his wealth at a career fair — literally just sitting there on the ground. Obama? Got elected at a career fair. Don’t believe me? Good, you probably shouldn’t — just like how you probably shouldn’t go to one of these fairs unless you’re in business or finance (because, let’s face it, that’s the majority of vendors). One time “Careless Whisper” played at a UFV job fair; I had to look a potential employer in the eye while gentle sax played, and I’ve never been the same since.
8. Vote when you can
Now that you’re 19+ it’s time to flex that voting power with federal, provincial, municipal, and school trustee elections. Go wild. Did you know that only two thirds of Canadians voted in the 2019 federal election, with the demographic of 18 to 24-year-olds seeing the lowest voter turnout? It’s time we realize that having a say in who makes our laws is kind of punk.
9. Wear pajamas to a lecture
Say a big screw you to social expectations like pants by showing up to a lecture in leisure wear. You don’t need that kind of restriction in your life. Let it all hang, baby. Get in those jammies and show up with those bunny slippers. Who can learn when your blood circulation is cut off by those tight skinny jeans anyway? Got a big class presentation? Nothing says classy like the pair of hot pink fleece Snoopy pajama pants your grandma bought you for Christmas last year.
10. Go to an event on campus
If you missed the SUS Kickback this year, don’t fret; now that COVID-19 is totally and completely over and never coming back, we can probably still meet on campus in large groups without worry, right? In all seriousness, UFV has some pretty awesome events on the regular. Coming up soon: UFV Oktoberfest at the Legacy Sports Centre on Friday, October 1st — a fundraising event featuring beer (must I even go on?), food, and music. To find more events, myCampusLife and our events calendar will keep you in the loop on events, news, and even job opportunities.
11. Make an appointment with your advisor
This one’s a bit like forcing yourself to make your own doctor and dental appointments. It’s necessary because it means you have to face reality and accept that you won’t be able to handle seven courses in one semester while studying abroad and working part-time. The Advising Centre can help you select or change a program, prepare for post-graduation, plan and select courses, withdraw from classes, deal with academic difficulties, and more. They’re kind of the unsung superheroes of UFV that’ll help you get through your degree. You’ll need to see them at some point to declare your major, so you might as well rip the bandage off and book one this semester.
12. Throw a dinner party
Why not cram 10 of your closest friends into your tiny one bedroom apartment that costs 90 per cent of your income? They’ll all probably have to bring their own bowls of instant ramen noodles because let’s be real, what student can afford to even feed themselves, let alone others. You could even make it themed. Something like Harry Potter would be great for the types of spaces that students can afford. Just pretend you’re all secret wizards living in a cool, dank room under the staircase. Except instead of Uncle Dursley shouting about owls flying in with pieces of mail, it’s your landlord banging on your door for the overdue rent money you spent on textbooks.
13. Reconsider your major
Hey, everyone reevaluates their life path sometime during university; you might as well get it over with sooner than later. Be prepared for the five stages of grief with this one: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Bonus points if you reconsider your major during your last year or, god forbid, your last semester (I’m so sorry).
14. Participate in student government
Like playing pretend but for grown-ups, student government is a great way to exercise your diplomatic muscles for when you become Prime Minister one day. In all seriousness, student government (like independent, autonomous student press) is incredibly important to the health and well-being of the student body. If you weren’t already aware, UFV’s Student Union Society is managed by a body of our lovely, beautiful, intelligent peers who have a passion for diplomacy.
There are four elected positions to be filled each Spring constituting the President, Vice President Internal, Vice President External, and Vice President Students. These shining individuals have dedicated themselves to advocating on behalf of students and connecting with UFV administration and public government. If that doesn’t suit your fancy, look into filling the vacancies in UFV’s Senate committees.
15. Write for the student newspaper
You had to know we’d try to self-promote somewhere here. But honestly, the student newspaper offers a chance to write articles on a volunteer basis, make some money from paid positions, and let everyone know your thoughts on just about anything. The newspaper is produced every second week and distributed free of charge all across campus and throughout the communities of Mission, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack. For those bold enough, you can request interviews and make solid connections with some amazing people as a student journalist. And in the end, there’s nothing like holding up a physical newspaper and seeing your name in print.
16. Get a part-time job on campus
Opportunities to work on campus are abundant and make it super convenient to hop from class to work in a jiffy. You could sling drinks at Fair Grounds, swipe gym passes like a baller in the UFV gym, or work for Student Life and be super cool and popular because you always have those good, good snacks. Whatever your fancy, there’s probably an opportunity on campus for you — and in this economy, you’re probably going to need one.
17.Take a fitness class on campus
Fitness may not be your passion like so many flashy Instagram influencers proclaim it is for them, but exercise is important for your physical and mental health — not to mention it’s a great way to connect with your peers. Fitness classes are free for all UFV students through their Rec Pass and run out of both the Chilliwack and Abbotsford campuses. The full schedule can be accessed from the UFV website’s Campus Recreation page. Recreational classes range from fun things like belly dancing, to sweat-inducing spin classes, to self-care focused yoga — there’s something for everyone.
18. Participate in a club
No, not the kind of club that serves watered-down cocktails and is full of overly intoxicated crying girls spilling out of the bathroom. We’re talking about nice clubs with minimal crying girls and non-watered-down drinks. Want to make Friends Without Borders, join a hacky sack session, or shoot some guns? myCampusLife is once again your go-to for finding connections on campus. You could even start your own club filled with distinguished individuals looking to fill a gap in UFV’s commuter campus.
19. Go to a Cascades game and cheer on our home team
You better show up in a cheerleading costume or don’t even bother. UFV Cascades has women’s and men’s varsity teams for basketball, soccer, volleyball, and golf with full schedules posted to their website. Nothing lifts the spirit like team spirit, so get out there and watch people who are way more athletic than you chuck balls at each other.
20. Take part in a student protest
Between rising housing costs and tuition, student loan debt, and jobs that refuse to pay you a liveable wage, students have a lot to be upset about. Find a cause you can support to bring about political, environmental, economic, or social change and bust out those witty signs. You might be more far removed from these problems in the future, so fight for a better tomorrow while they’re still fresh in your mind (who knows; you might become the next billionaire who goes to space for fun). It’s also a great excuse to yell at passing cars about things you’re passionate about.
21. Pull an all-nighter
Who needs daylight to study (not that there will be much after 5:00 p.m. this fall) when you can burn the midnight oil? Staying up all night in a vain attempt to cram for an exam, finish an assignment, or finish writing a newspaper feature (oops) is a rite of passage for students everywhere.
22. Research for a professor
Want the experience of writing a thesis but during your undergraduate degree? Plenty of professors are conducting research outside of class, and you can be a part of it with a volunteer or paid position. There’s also the Office of Research, Engagement, and Graduate Studies to back you up and help connect you with resources, partnerships, and hands-on graduate-level experience. Doing research during university is both challenging and rewarding, but at the end of the day it’ll be worth it: you’ll have a shiny new achievement on your resume, a foot in the door for graduate studies, and a pretty poster made of blood, sweat, and tears.
23. Land a co-op placement
Want to be a student but not actually be a student or maybe just extend your degree for a year and make money instead? Co-op is for you. Jokes aside, co-op is a great opportunity for those looking to gain relevant work experience in their field, get paid for it, and still gain credits as a student. The Centre for Experiential and Career Education hosts co-op intakes regularly on their website for those with the noble (but maybe unrealistic) goal of getting a job in their degree once they graduate.
24. Get tutored at the Academic Success Centre (ASC)
In case you aren’t in the know, UFV has free tutoring available at the ASC both virtually and on campus. They operate from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday (and even have availability on Saturdays), and they offer support for a wide range of subjects and departments. If you’re looking to study with someone, get feedback on your writing, learn some tips for a specific class (cough, organic chemistry), or even practice your language skills, check out the ASC. When it’s free, you can’t go wrong, right?
25. Get coffee at Fair Grounds
Do you ingest food and/or drink? Of course you do, so why not stop by the local coffee shop that calls the Student Union Building home on the Abbotsford campus. They boast being Fairtrade, eco-friendly, organic, and ethical, making it easy to choose local. They offer Doi Chaang coffee, brewed teas, bakery items, and to-go food options made in house. It’s essentially the UFV Starbucks to counteract the conglomerate that is Tim Hortons on the opposite side of campus. Your wallet’s going to hate me for this one, but they also sell seasonal drinks like Pumpkin Spice Lattés.
Image: Elyssa English/The Cascade
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after.
She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.
