In the two short weeks, I have grown to be much more responsible and independent, and surely I feel ready for college life!
Student, UBC Future Global Leaders
What was the first thing you noticed about UBC Future Global Leaders when you arrived?
When I arrived at the University of British Columbia, the first thing that caught my eye was the beautiful main campus on Vancouver’s west side. It is surrounded by forest on three sides and ocean on the fourth. I enjoyed the quietness of the campus and felt extremely comfortable walking around. I stayed in Place Vanier; it was close to a Shopper’s Drug Mart, a ramen/udon restaurant and my favorite bubble tea hangout Chatime. In addition, the main campus is also only a short 30-minute bus ride to downtown Vancouver!
Everyone I met on campus was extremely friendly. I enjoyed meeting other students from all over Canada and even met some students from China and Singapore. It was such a fun experience getting to know them and learning about their cultures.
What motivated you to register for UBC Future Global Leaders, and why did you choose Intro to Engineering?
UBC is a top-ranked university in Canada and well known worldwide for its academic research. When I did some research for the pre-university summer program to get better acquainted with university life, the UBC FGL program intrigued me, especially the Intro to Engineering course. Although I am primarily interested in computer engineering, Intro to Engineering exposes students to different engineering disciplines including chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental and mechanical engineering.
In addition, this program included a residence program where after classes in the morning, I would participate in workshops and on-campus activities in the afternoon. I believed this combination would give me a taste of university life, while also being a fun way to end my summer break.
How does your experience in Future Global Leaders compare to high school life?
UBC’s Future Global Leaders program is very different from the typical high school summer programs! Through FGL, I could fully immerse myself in university life and learn the many responsibilities of university students. From waking up early in the morning on my own, attending classes, to participating in the different workshops and the excitement of meeting new students who came from different parts of Canada and from all around the world.
In the two short weeks, I have grown to be much more responsible and independent, and surely I feel ready for college life!
How has the Intro to Engineering instructor impacted your experience?
My instructor was very patient and understanding. Here is one example: my classmates and I were confused about the concept and applicability of forces in physics. Our instructor not only understood our concerns, he even changed the original schedule and repeated several key concepts, ensuring that we fully understood the applicability. The instructor was focused on ensuring that we were learning about engineering concepts, therefore allowing us to fully appreciate the field of engineering.
What has been the best part of UBC Future Global Leaders summer program?
Throughout this program, my favorite part was the wide range of activities offered to me.
As part of my Intro to Engineering Course, my class conducted some hands-on activities to learn about different fields of engineering. To learn about environmental engineering, we designed a feasible but also effective filter to filter dirty water. We even created fruit caviar in teams to learn about chemical engineering. After these activities, we witnessed UBC students make fresh nitrogen ice cream in front of us for us to eat!
We were also offered many different on-campus and off-campus activities in the afternoon. My favorite on-campus activity was exploring the Nitobe Gardens. Not only was it fun to hang out with my friends, but I also loved learning about the history of the garden and just relaxing.
I liked the off-campus activities because they offered us a chance to explore the city of Vancouver. When we were traveling to Robson Street and Gastown, we got to experience riding a public bus. Since I do not usually take public transit, this was a cool experience, especially since I was riding it with my friends and not my parents. On the weekend, I chose to go to the Capilano suspension bridge, which was so much fun. At first, being 230 feet above ground was terrifying, but I enjoyed the breathtaking scenery from above and eating yogurt with my friends on the other side.
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