Monday, July 11, 2005
A Day in the Life at UQTR
UQTR... Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.
5:00am
«look outside» Looks like it's going to be a nice day... meaning it's going to be HOT. «look at the clock» Right, it's only 5am. So I grab my handkerchief and throw it over my eyes to keep the light out while I try to snooze for the next 3 hours.
6:30am
Screw it! It's too bright and I can't sleep. I'm glad to be up, but am still a little pissed off because the heat makes it really difficult to get a decent night's sleep.
The alarm hasn't even gone off.
I get up and go swimming or head outside for a run along the bike path that passes through the university residences. ((I was one of the luckier ones and got a room in the brand new Michel-Serrazin residence. The old campus residences are pretty run down and definitely need a thorough cleaning! But being in my building is a mixed blessing. It's a nice apartment style abode with 4 rooms, 1 full and 1 half bathroom, a kitchen and a main common room. It's on the top floor (3rd), however, and there is no air conditioning or even a ventilation system. As a result, it get's unbearably hot))
7:45am
Shower. Dress. Makde bed. Tidy room. Books. Food coupons. Keys.
8:20am
In the cafeteria for breakfast.
((Caf side-note: If you ever lived at the UBC campus, namely Totempark or Vanier, and complained about cafeteria food... well, that was gourmet compared to whatever it is we're getting here. Except for breakfast, each meal is a surprise and you're never really sure what you're about to get. Mystery meats and cold over-boiled vegetables, or questionable pasta with a bit of salad seem to be the staples. How do you screw up pasta??? And amazingly, as Y noticed today, there's a new soupe du jour each day but they all somehow end up tasting more or less the same. Bizarre, non?))
My go-to breakfast: Muslix cereal with soy milk, fruit and yogurt.
And on the occasion: les oeuffs tourner, sausage, fried potatoes, toast, milk.
9:00am
Class begins.
((I'm in a class entitled 2Q where Q indicates the level of difficulty you're at. 'A' is beginner and 'Z' is the most advanced. How I ended up in Q I'm not entirely sure because I was only expecting to be in something like G or H after having not taken any French in Grade 11! But the class is good and challenging enough it keeps me constantly on my toes without making me work too hard. I quite like my teacher as well and it really helps that he talks with a LOT of exagerrated hand gestures to make understanding français easier.))
10:45am
Pause-Café
11:00am
Back to the grind. Write a short composition, attempt to decipher the lyrics to a song you've never heard in a different language, or complete a particular activity in a small group.
Brain is begins to shut down. Can't wait for class to be over!
12:00pm
I'm starving. Attempt to acquire at least a semi-nutritious meal at the caf. Meet up and chat with Y, C, M and J.
1:30pm
Monday and Wednesday: Chanson de Musique Atelier
(i.e. expect and learn to sing 2 different songs in the span of an hour that includes the workshop leader explaining the lyrics in detail before singing the song once and having you sing it the second time. I've had a fair bit of musical training and find this a bit more than difficult to do even decently well, not sure how other people are faring!)
Tuesday and Thursday: possibly check out the movie playing in the library, do homework or nap.
3:30pm
Tuesday and Thursday: Conversation Atelier
(Chatter chatter chatter)
Monday and Wednesday: homework, sleep, email, swim or run.
4:00pm
On special days - group sports. Ultimate Frisbee has only happened once!
6:00pm
Typically reconvene with the crew for soûper. Hmmm,wonder what surprises are in store for the evening...
Talk about what to do later that evening.
7:00pm
On the other special days - group sports. Volleyball, soccer, basketball, etc.
9:45pm
Meet up with the crew at some pre-determined location before heading to:
Monday - «Campus Pub» for karaoke
Tuesday - «Manchester's» for $1 ladies drinks (though we don't usually go)
Wednesday - «Chasse-Galerie» pub on campus connected to a high school gymnasium style dry dance floor
Thursday - ???
Friday - ???
.
5:00am
«look outside» Looks like it's going to be a nice day... meaning it's going to be HOT. «look at the clock» Right, it's only 5am. So I grab my handkerchief and throw it over my eyes to keep the light out while I try to snooze for the next 3 hours.
6:30am
Screw it! It's too bright and I can't sleep. I'm glad to be up, but am still a little pissed off because the heat makes it really difficult to get a decent night's sleep.
The alarm hasn't even gone off.
I get up and go swimming or head outside for a run along the bike path that passes through the university residences. ((I was one of the luckier ones and got a room in the brand new Michel-Serrazin residence. The old campus residences are pretty run down and definitely need a thorough cleaning! But being in my building is a mixed blessing. It's a nice apartment style abode with 4 rooms, 1 full and 1 half bathroom, a kitchen and a main common room. It's on the top floor (3rd), however, and there is no air conditioning or even a ventilation system. As a result, it get's unbearably hot))
7:45am
Shower. Dress. Makde bed. Tidy room. Books. Food coupons. Keys.
8:20am
In the cafeteria for breakfast.
((Caf side-note: If you ever lived at the UBC campus, namely Totempark or Vanier, and complained about cafeteria food... well, that was gourmet compared to whatever it is we're getting here. Except for breakfast, each meal is a surprise and you're never really sure what you're about to get. Mystery meats and cold over-boiled vegetables, or questionable pasta with a bit of salad seem to be the staples. How do you screw up pasta??? And amazingly, as Y noticed today, there's a new soupe du jour each day but they all somehow end up tasting more or less the same. Bizarre, non?))
My go-to breakfast: Muslix cereal with soy milk, fruit and yogurt.
And on the occasion: les oeuffs tourner, sausage, fried potatoes, toast, milk.
9:00am
Class begins.
((I'm in a class entitled 2Q where Q indicates the level of difficulty you're at. 'A' is beginner and 'Z' is the most advanced. How I ended up in Q I'm not entirely sure because I was only expecting to be in something like G or H after having not taken any French in Grade 11! But the class is good and challenging enough it keeps me constantly on my toes without making me work too hard. I quite like my teacher as well and it really helps that he talks with a LOT of exagerrated hand gestures to make understanding français easier.))
10:45am
Pause-Café
11:00am
Back to the grind. Write a short composition, attempt to decipher the lyrics to a song you've never heard in a different language, or complete a particular activity in a small group.
Brain is begins to shut down. Can't wait for class to be over!
12:00pm
I'm starving. Attempt to acquire at least a semi-nutritious meal at the caf. Meet up and chat with Y, C, M and J.
1:30pm
Monday and Wednesday: Chanson de Musique Atelier
(i.e. expect and learn to sing 2 different songs in the span of an hour that includes the workshop leader explaining the lyrics in detail before singing the song once and having you sing it the second time. I've had a fair bit of musical training and find this a bit more than difficult to do even decently well, not sure how other people are faring!)
Tuesday and Thursday: possibly check out the movie playing in the library, do homework or nap.
3:30pm
Tuesday and Thursday: Conversation Atelier
(Chatter chatter chatter)
Monday and Wednesday: homework, sleep, email, swim or run.
4:00pm
On special days - group sports. Ultimate Frisbee has only happened once!
6:00pm
Typically reconvene with the crew for soûper. Hmmm,wonder what surprises are in store for the evening...
Talk about what to do later that evening.
7:00pm
On the other special days - group sports. Volleyball, soccer, basketball, etc.
9:45pm
Meet up with the crew at some pre-determined location before heading to:
Monday - «Campus Pub» for karaoke
Tuesday - «Manchester's» for $1 ladies drinks (though we don't usually go)
Wednesday - «Chasse-Galerie» pub on campus connected to a high school gymnasium style dry dance floor
Thursday - ???
Friday - ???
.
# posted by doris : 6:03 PM
