Home campus life

By the AMS Office of Academic & University Affairs and the AMS MarCom team

On average undergrad students pay over $1200 per year on textbooks. With affordability being one of the largest concerns amongst students, rising textbook costs mean students going without course materials because of other financial burdens, like food or housing.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are free learning resources tailored to your courses. Resources include textbooks, journal articles, test banks, videos, and more. OERs benefit everyone – they reduce student costs for learning materials and give instructors more flexibility with adapting resources to their courses and teaching goals.

RMST_V 202 with Dr. Jon Beasley-Murray

RMST_V 202 (Introduction to Literatures and Cultures of the Romance World II: Modern to Post-Modern) with Dr. Jon Beasley-Murray integrates videos, podcasts, blogs, and openly licensed textbook.

PHAR 203 & PHAR 304 with Dr. Alexander Smith

PHAR 203 (Genetics for the Pharmaceutical Sciences) & PHAR 304 (Techniques in Molecular Biology and Pharmacology Theory and Laboratory) with Dr. Alexander Smith uses free software, manuals, notebooks, virtual textbooks, and other online tools.

POLI 260 & POLI 360 with Dr. Arjun Chowdhury

POLI 260 & POLI 360 with Dr. Arjun Chowdhury uses fully accessible online readings, with a focus on important texts in the field that students can access for free.

ECON 317 with Dr. David Green

ECON 317 with Dr. David Green uses openly available or self-written course materials.

CONS 200 with Dr. Fernanda Tomaselli

CONS 200 with Dr. Fernanda Tomaselli has long involved students in an open pedagogy project where they create and publish OER related to conservation.

POLI 375 & POLI 464 with Dr. Peter Dauvergne

POLI 375 & POLI 464 with Dr. Peter Dauvergne creates a cost-free learning environment by using free materials and activities and selecting useful, thought-provoking readings.

MES 300 with Dr. Pheroze Unwalla

MES 300 with Dr. Pheroze Unwalla accessible readings that give students a broad overview of the field and expose them to different perspectives and debates.

COMM 205 with Dr. Zorana Svedic

COMM 205 with Dr. Zorana Svedic uses a free open-source textbook, which reduces financial barriers and keeps the course materials accessible.

Home campus life

By Sheldon Goldfarb, AMS Archivist, the AMS Archives team and the AMS MarCom team

Course registration starts soon and you might be stressed – but could you have survived it in the days before the internet?

Line up for multiple hours

If you had been at UBC in 1949, you would have been lining up outside, in-person, to get into the old Armoury building (this continued until 1987). You might even have to go building to building, scurrying across campus, and it might not be done in one day!

Here’s the 1986 version, this time in the War Memorial Gym.

Fill out forms by hand

Once inside, you would go table to table, maybe meeting your prof-to-be who would be there with forms for you to fill out to get into the class you wanted. 

Picture time!

After filling out forms and waiting in line, you get your picture taken, presumably for an ID card. 

Pay your fees

Don’t forget to pay your fees!

1988: UBC introduces Telereg ☎️

People back in the 60s suggested registration by snail mail, that didn’t happen. In 1988, we got registration by phone with old-fashioned landlines with touchpads. You’d punch in your student number and your course numbers!

2001: Online course registration

By the mid-90’s people became frustrated with Telereg. By 2001, Telereg was gone and we’ve had online registration ever since!

Some of you can’t even win the Workday war 👀 Could you have survived in-person course registration at UBC?

Home campus life

Hajar Al Nabilsi
Bachelor of Science, University of British Columbia

After spending more than eleven years in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan, Hajar arrived at UBC carrying resilience, hope, and a belief in the power of education to transform lives.

For Hajar, the journey to UBC began long before lecture halls, assignments, and campus life. It began in Jordan, where she spent over eleven years living in the Zaatari Refugee Camp. Growing up there shaped not only her understanding of hardship, but also her determination to build a better future.

Despite the challenges of life in the camp, she remained deeply committed to her education. That determination led her to achieve the first rank in the camp- an accomplishment that opened a life changing door. Through the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program, she received a full scholarship to study at UBC.

Coming to UBC was more than starting university. It was the beginning of a new chapter marked by hope, independence, and purpose.

One of the moments that continues to shape her most happened before she ever arrived in Canada: teaching English to children in Zaatari. That experience showed her how deeply education can empower others and spark change. It also planted the values she continues to carry with her today.

Arriving in Canada, however, was not without challenges. A new country brought a new culture, a new academic system, and a new sense of uncertainty. There were moments when she questioned where she belonged. But over time, she found support in the people around her friends, professors, and mentors who reminded her that growth does not have to happen all at once.

Through that transition, she discovered her own resilience in a deeper way. She learned how to adapt, how to lead, and how to trust herself. Today, those lessons shape how she moves through student life, not only in pursuit of academic excellence, but also in the compassion she brings to others.

For Hajar, home is no longer defined by one place alone.

“Home is more than a place,” she says. “It’s the people, the values, and the sense of purpose that stay with me wherever I go.”

She stays connected to where she comes from by speaking Arabic, celebrating cultural traditions, and sharing her story with others. That sense of connection also shows up in the way she gives back on campus. Through her work with WUSC UBC and as a Vantage Peer Mentor, she helps other students feel seen, supported, and less alone in their own transitions.

Looking back, what makes her proudest is not just how far she has come, but what that journey has taught her. From growing up in a refugee camp to studying at one of the world’s top universities, her story is a reminder that hardship and hope can exist side by side, and that courage often begins quietly.

Her message to other students is simple, but powerful:

Home campus life

By Khushi Nanda; transcribed by Oliver Quezada and the AMS Team

What’s something that you’re glad you brought with you to Orchard?

My family pictures. Being an international student and moving so far away from your family feels disorienting and uncomfortable in some ways. Having those personal items around made me feel at comfort during this transitional phase of university.

What’s something that you wish you DIDN’T bring with you to Orchard?

Something that I wish I didn’t bring to Orchard is half of my wardrobe. I have so many clothes like winter jackets, winter coats, winter sweaters, and just-in-case outfits which don’t get used.

What’s something you heard/read about Orchard that is true?

Their beautiful views! It’s so pretty. I just love the fact that after such a long day I get to see out a million dollar view. I’m just very grateful to be here.

What’s something you heard/read about Orchard that is NOT true?

Something that I heard about Orchard that isn’t true will have to be that it isn’t that unsocial. You will just have to make a conversation with people, reach out to them and it kind of flows from there. You will have a great community. It is just a matter of reaching out.

Final advice for folks moving into Orchard? 

My final advice for people moving into Orchard will have to be making the most out of your residence events. They are really fun they are really interactive and you feel a lot more belonging to the Orchard Commons. It might look a bit uncomfortable at the beginning or it might sound a bit intimidating, but eventually if you reach out to people, say hi to them, they are really friendly. These events help you to build on those connections that can lead on to your life. So don’t hesitate. Attend those events and you will be good. You will feel at home here.

About AMS Residence Reviews

Every April, the AMS (UBC Vancouver’s student union) interviews first year students just before they move out of residence. We then post these interviews on the AMS social media and website so that incoming first years can learn about residence life from a fellow student.

Home campus life

By Hayne Cho; transcribed by Oliver Quezada and the AMS Team

What’s something that you’re glad you brought with you to Totem?

My coffee machine. I’ve saved a lot of money making my own drinks here in my room instead of going out to cafés on campus.

What’s something that you wish you DIDN’T bring with you to Totem?

Something that I don’t think I needed to bring to Totem Park is my TV, because of how big an appliance it is. I don’t really end up using it because I don’t have time. Other large appliances that I would I need are all here on residence.

What’s something you heard/read about Totem that is true?

Something I found was actually true about Totem Park is just how social of an environment it is. I found that it’s really easy to talk to people in the dining hall where everyone’s just really open to meeting new people and starting different conversations.

What’s something you heard/read about Totem that is NOT true?

I heard that the old Totem buildings and the new Totem buildings are comparatively super different. While I can agree with that, at the end of the day the old Totem buildings are still pretty nice and very renovated. It’s still super enjoyable to be here.

Final advice for folks moving into Totem? 

You need to take advantage of being here on residence. I think a lot of people end up taking it for granted, but it is such an amazing opportunity to talk to new people and make new experiences. Say yes to as many things that you can.

About AMS Residence Reviews

Every April, the AMS (UBC Vancouver’s student union) interviews first year students just before they move out of residence. We then post these interviews on the AMS social media and website so that incoming first years can learn about residence life from a fellow student.

Home campus life

By Anaya Mundamattam; transcribed by Oliver Quezada and the AMS Team

What’s something that you’re glad you brought with you to Vanier?

One thing that I am really glad I brought to 1st year residence is an extension cord. As an international student, a lot of my plugs didn’t fit the Canadian plugs. The rooms don’t have a lot of plugs, so it’s just a really useful thing to have. So I could plug in my kettle and charge my laptop at the same time.

What’s something that you wish you DIDN’T bring with you to Vanier?

One thing I wish I didn’t bring was a lot of clothes. I thought I would be using all of them. Now that I’m at the end of the year and I’m packing up, they ended up just being a hassle. Vanier doesn’t have a lot of storage. I ended up buying some plastic bins to store my extra clothes. Be mindful of the clothes you’re bringing and be selective.

What’s something you heard/read about Vanier that is true?

I was on Reddit a lot when I was researching Vanier. Something I heard about Vanier that is true is it was a lot easier to make friends and talk to people because the buildings are a lot smaller. So that’s something to look forward to.

What’s something you heard/read about Vanier that is NOT true?

I heard that Vanier is really old and hellish to live in, but it really isn’t that bad. I stayed completely warm throughout the year. Honestly, I was expecting a lot worse. Vanier can be pretty nice. If you have maintenance issues, the front desk gets back to you as soon as possible and it’s usually fixed in less than a day or two.” 

Final advice for folks moving into Vanier? 

I actually got this from a friend: it’s really scary in the first couple of days to go to the dining hall on your own, but I would recommend you go and do it. For every single meal, I sat with a new group of people and introduced myself. It ended up being a really good experience because I met so many different people. Some of those people you end up staying friends with and some just become people that you know or wave at from a distance. But it was just a really good experience overall.

About AMS Residence Reviews

Every April, the AMS (UBC Vancouver’s student union) interviews first year students just before they move out of residence. We then post these interviews on the AMS social media and website so that incoming first years can learn about residence life from a fellow student.