Is it not true that time flies when you are having a good time? In the blink of an eye, VSP 2022 has ended. One month truly felt like one week. With everyone slowly returning to their routines now, let us take some time to reflect and reminisce about how our program went.
You celebrated your arrival to VSP well…
VSP 2022 kicked off with a Welcome Event where you enjoyed performances by members of the larger UBC community, ate good food, played some Kahoot, and took some pictures with your friends at our photo booth. As everyone got into the grove from the lovely tunes our Cuban band performance had put up, a conga line was quickly assembled. It was truly amazing and heartwarming to see everyone coming together for it! This was the only event where the entire VSP student cohort was gathered in one place, but we hoped you had a lovely time meeting new peers and could still connect with those from other faculties.
You played hard…
We are all in for a good time, right? On your City Tour, you took a 2.5 hours tour around Vancouver to catch a glimpse of what this city has to offer. On your Campus Tour, you walked from one end of UBC campus to another as your faculty volunteers shared numerous fun facts about campus. Additionally, you also got your heart pumping during our Sports Day Event. All these events must have already been an exciting time but we shall not forget all the other fun events your own Faculty had planned for you. Some of you went to the Richmond Night Market for delicious foods, while others visited Playland. We are sure that you had an amazing time, nonetheless!
You worked hard in your classes…
While VSP organized a series of engaging sociocultural events for you, you still had academic courses to work on. You studied two uniquely designed courses taught by world-class UBC instructors over the course of a month. These courses might have utilized new ways of delivering and evaluating your understanding of the curriculum, but you adapted and persevered. You should certainly be proud of yourself and the efforts you have displayed!
You thought about future possibilities…
You are currently attending VSP as an undergraduate student at your home institution and graduation might still be years away. In fact, post-graduate studies might not even be on your mind right now, but many of you still came out and attended the Graduate Studies Information Fair. You asked your questions and learned about the various graduate programs offered across faculties at UBC. Hopefully one day we will be able to see you as a grad student on campus!
Most importantly, you made new friends and memories that will last…
What are events and classes without friends? You have spent a large proportion of your time with your peers as you shared a residence building, went out for meals, studied, and expanded your perspective of the world around you together. While the time with your friends during class time and organized VSP/ faculty events was fruitful, it is very likely that your new friendships might have developed outside of these times because it is often in the unexpected and unstructured times that you can really bond with one another. We hope you will continue to treasure these friends and memories for a long time.
What Now?
VSP cannot last forever but we can certainly take what you have learned during the time in the program to your academic, social, and cultural lives back home. Even better, build on it and share it with others! What you have gained here is truly remarkable so maximize these learning experiences to the fullest, and take it beyond the “boundaries” of VSP. We are proud of all you have achieved during your time with us, and we are excited for what is ahead of you.
If VSP was a memorable time for you, be sure to let your friends know about this amazing opportunity too! Stay tuned for more information about VSP 2023 through our social media page and sign up for our newsletter, if you have not already!