With the start of second semester, we see many of the constituencies (undergraduate societies) celebrating their faculty-weeks with a series of events. Being a fourth-year Arts student myself, I had never really given a second thought to engage with other faculties, that is until Land and Food Systems (LFS) Week caught my eye. Having the impression amongst my peers as being a faculty of foodies and farmers, I didn’t know what to expect; but LFS Week was my chance to learn more about other students, what they study, and why they’re passionate about their faculty.
Monday: Bunny Yoga
The week kicked off with Bunny Yoga featuring the UBC Yoga Club and of course, bunnies hopping about. Were they distracting? Without a doubt. Was yoga the main draw of the event? Not necessarily. What was most notable about the session was its emphasis on akhanda yoga – akhanda meaning whole and indivisible, and its relation to the LFS philosophy towards food. As the instructor, Timurlane Cakmak, put it “Food is sacred as we return to what we started as.”
We eat in a way to give back to nature
Valentina Mata, LFS|US Health and Wellness Coordinator
Wednesday: DIY Succulents
Next in the lineup, we had a classic succulent planting event which despite its prevalence, never seems to lose steam in popularity. In fact, with a never-ending queue, the event sold out in 30 minutes. Speaking briefly to some attendees, it was nice to see a mix of students from faculties outside LFS hard at work trying to curate Instagram worthy dorm decor.
Thursday: Tie-Dye T-Shirts
Although it wasn’t quite as popular as prior events in the week, the tie-dye shirts certainly showed careful consideration yet again for the intended audience of LFS students. Andrew, Nguyen, LFS|US VP Student Life, explained that “We think LFS students are very DIY and love to express their creativity” and I concur that tie-dye definitely fits the fun, spirited image of LFS.
We think LFS students are very DIY and love to express their creativity.
Andrew Nguyen, LFS|US VP Student Life
Friday: Greyhaven Bird Sanctuary
Lastly, LFS|US brought in a last minute addition to the week with a visit from the Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary. With Applied Biology being a LFS major of nearly 500 students, this was a good opportunity for students to get up close with exotic birds from cockatoos to lovebirds. I was only able to attend the first half of the event but nevertheless, it was incredible to see first-hand how intelligent these birds are.
Overall, it was remarkable to see that LFS Week was a set of curated experiences that often represented the ideals of the faculty and were designed purposefully for its students.
I would recommend to take the time to explore beyond your faculty and see the breadth of what UBC has to offer. You never know what you might learn.
To stay up-to-date and find more cool events like this at UBC, follow @UBCevents and check UBCevents for new events everyday.
Photography and words by Alicia Lau