Welcome! As an incoming student you may be feeling apprehensive about how you will fit in to the UBC community. We want you to know this is normal and nearly everyone who has come to this university has felt the same way.

That is why at UBC, students, staff, and faculty work hard to support you in your journey to be who you are—and who you want to become.

Go by the name you want

Did you know that you can have your preferred name on your UBCcard?

At UBC, we recognize that many students prefer to go by a first name that is different than their legal name. A legal name is the one you initially provide to the University to identify yourself. Giving everyone the choice to be identified by the name they commonly use is one of the many ways we’re supporting students to express their whole selves on campus.

Support others to be who they are, too

As a member of the UBC community, you play a key part in creating an inclusive and welcoming space where everyone can thrive. To that end, it’s important to get to know UBC’s expectations about what is okay and what is not okay. These are covered in our “Respectful Environment Statement”, which helps us find the balance between expressing our own ideas, opinions, and beliefs, and respecting those of others. We expect that there will be disagreements—that’s part of what it means to attend an incredibly diverse university—and those differences are welcome if they are delivered in a respectful manner.

Each of us has an impact on those around us (sometimes more than we realize!), so it’s up to every one of us to build and uphold a caring campus culture. The best part is that none of us is alone in the journey. There are a number of UBC community resources to help you explore and learn what this may mean for you as a UBC student.

Take care of yourself

The campus experience can be a challenge, but it also opens up opportunities for growth and learning about yourself and others. Taking care of yourself is foundational to growing and learning, like feeling rested from getting enough sleep, taking the time to be physically active, and eating nutritious foods. These actions will help to support you through difficult moments and challenging experiences. Stress is part of being a student, but if you ever need more support, UBC has many people and systems in place to assist you throughout your time here.

And don’t forget to explore!

UBC is a great place to build community and friendships.There are life-long relationships waiting to be made and new and interesting people and topics to explore. Not only will you be meeting a lot of people, you will be making friends and deciding which friendships you would like to expand and deepen. You might even explore parts of your identity, including your gender identity/expression and/or sexuality, political affiliations, as well as your spiritual and/or religious beliefs, just to name a few. If you are interested in learning more about diversity-related student leadership and training opportunities, resources, and events, connect with the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office.

We are excited for you to join our community as you start your journey at UBC.