Returning to where I left off.... 8 years ago.

Today marks the first day of my triumphant (insert rolleyes emoticon) return back to school! I must admit that I've been having butterflies this past week leading up to today, accompanied by the occasional sleepless nights, the sudden thoughts of "omg what the hell am I getting myself into?", to the random thoughts of "maybe I wouldn't have to worry about anything if I fail my first course". Talk about lack of confidence; who on earth thinks about failing something before attempting it?

Anyhoo, I was pretty nervous all day today at work until I started driving to UBC. That was when everything suddenly seemed so familar and brought back many fond memories of my undergraduate studies there. Not much has changed, yet many things were noticeably different. Thanks to my supportive boss, I was given the go-ahead to leave work early so that I could sort myself out on campus; get my ID card, arrange for parking, orient myself (which took a mere few minutes). It was also interesting to see the changes (or lack of) in a span of 8-10 years.

Things that have changed:

• Parking passes are no longer a flimsy, plastic card (which you stored in a flimsy plastic pocket glued permanently to your windshield so you are left with a nasty residue when you try to remove it) that you insert everytime you enter/exit a parkade. It's a pass that is attached to your windshield by a suction cup. All you need to do is drive up to the gate, let your pass activate the gate through a sensor, and bam, the gate opens. It's high-tech, yo.
• People no longer use pagers, or cell phones. They use text messages, on their fancy blackberries.
• Roundabouts at W.16 and Wesbrook Mall (why would they build such a thing, when it seems like nobody understood how to use it properly?)
• A Timmy Ho's on campus!
• I'm actually one of the younger people in my class. Wow.
  
• I'm married.
• I don't have any friends or know anyone on campus! :(
  
• I can't carpool with my hubby to save money, or hang out with him at the arcade before or after class. :(
• Everyone carries a laptop.
  

Things that haven't changed:

• Houses (read: Mansions) along SW Marine are still very nice... and not very affordable.
• Parking is still expensive. $1.50 per half hour? Is this the airport or something?
• There are alot of Chinese people.
  
• Chinese people speaking (and giggle) very loudly.
• The Fraser Parkade is dark, filthy, and still plastered with moss and whatever weird looking flora that are all over the walls and stairs.
  
• Buchanan's washrooms are nasty.
• Plant Operations technicians working (or trying to look like they are working) in groups of 3 or more. Yet, nobody seems to know what they are trying to accomplish (imagine 3 or 4 guys holding shovels, gathering around a pothole, chatting over coffee).
• My stupid looking grad photo is still on the alumni wall in the Geography Building! Hahaha!
• Lack of healthy food/drink choices on campus.
  
• Bumpy highway.
• The average car found on campus costs no less than $30K. Popular brand names include BMW, Benz, Porsche - mostly driven by Asians.
  
• My last name; after many attempts in sending over proofs/documentation, the Office of the Registrar still have difficulty realizing that I've changed my last name. After talking to what seems like 10 different staffs at the office, I eventually gave up. I'm happy to announce that I'm still a Chiu! Puhaha.

One thing that was intriguing was how much information was associated with my student ID, and how far back UBC tracks my personal information. All I had to do was give my student number to UBC Parking Office, and they were able to retrieve my DL#, and all the license plates, make, model and color of the cars I use to drive to campus between 1996 to 2000. I mean, they don't even use the same parking systems anymore since I left. Freaky.

Anyways, I hope He gives me the sanity to get through this year.