As an only child growing up in New Delhi, India, Sabhya Arora had never travelled outside his home country. When he decided to attend UBC Okanagan for his undergraduate studies, he thought living in residence his first year abroad was the most practical solution.
“I thought it would be useful to be close to my classes every morning, but I soon discovered what an important role my fellow residents and Residence Advisors (RAs) play in campus living,” explains Arora, who is studying computer science in UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science.
“This whole group of people makes the campus so welcoming through all the community-building exercises and opportunities to interact with one another. If I lived off campus, I wouldn’t have the same opportunity to meet people.”
Arora points to his upbringing, where he missed the experience of having an older sibling around to guide him through life.
Undergraduate student Sabhya Arora (left) found a friend—and a roommate—in Aradhita Arora (no relation), his Residence Advisor.
“This is where my RAs were so helpful, because they’ve already lived on campus and been asked many of the questions first-year students have.
“I think it’s great learning from someone older than you.”
As a RA for the last two years, nursing student Kudzi Nehumba echoes these sentiments of creating a sense of safety, community and family for students.
“A lot of these students are away from their families or countries for the first time, and that’s hard.
“University and everything involved with it is also all new to them, so that’s why I see myself as a little bit of an older sister,” explains Nehumba, who immigrated from Zimbabwe to Canada with her family in 2018.
“You can ask me anything, because you know your sister is always there for you.”
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“I know everything about UBC Okanagan and its campus, so if you’re coming in as a new resident, I’m there to guide you. If you ever need anything, I’m there for you. If you’re in trouble or you’re homesick, I’m here to make sure you’re ok. Your residence is your safe space, and I’m going to help create that.”
Becoming a Residence Advisor
RAs help enhance students’ residence experience—both by connecting students as well as linking them to available campus resources.
“Our Residence Life staff play an important role in inspiring communities, planning events and just lending an ear when needed,” explains Steve Brodrick, Associate Director of Residence Life at UBC Okanagan.
“Most importantly, they help create lifelong memories for residents and themselves.”
More than 2,100 students live across ten residence buildings at UBC Okanagan’s campus.
All students hired as an RA undergo a comprehensive, two-week training that covers commonly witnessed scenarios, effective communication skills and other resources for them to succeed in their role.
Residence Life managers further provide RAs with ongoing support and resources after their training is complete, including pairing new advisors with experienced, returning ones.
“We learn so many useful life skills like time management, conflict resolution and leadership,” says Aradhita Arora, Sabhya’s roommate and an RA for the last two years.
“The role has particularly helped me with my confidence in terms of putting myself out there, meeting people and resolving conflicts.”
But perhaps most importantly, says Aradhita, RAs can model behaviour for other residents.
For Sabhya Arora (left), living on campus was initially a practical decision, but he soon relished the welcoming and fun atmosphere residence living provided.
“When you have a floor full of 40 or 50 students, they’re all from different places with unique cultures, practices and expectations. For some people, it’s their first time leaving home.
“An RA can really help students acclimatize to the university, while also providing them the tools to succeed socially and academically.”
Why living on campus is beneficial
Initially, both Nehumba and Aradhita Arora had practical reasons for living on UBC Okanagan’s campus, since neither is originally from the Kelowna area.
“I thought living on campus would be easy in terms of going to class—they’re just right there,” laughs Nehumba. “And you have a meal plan, which was really convenient for me.”
UBCO Heat soccer players Medea Chiba (left) and Ciana Dawydiuk-Clozza get in on the fun of move-in day.
Heat athletes like volleyball player Kirsten Hill are one of the many volunteers who make move-in day successful.
Carl Arndt from men’s golf helps with move-in day. All UBCO Heat photographs courtesy of Krista Carlson.
Arora adds that trying to find off-campus housing while still at home in India—along with figuring out how she would eventually commute to UBC Okanagan—was incredibly difficult.
That’s why she advises international first-year students to take advantage of guaranteed housing on campus and to try and arrive in time for Jumpstart, a three-day orientation to university life, faculty and fellow students.
“Jumpstart introduces you to a nice range of different people before classes even start,” Arora says. “It’s a great way of creating a community on campus and easing into the residence experience.”
While the practicalities of life initially drew them to campus, the Residence Life community life ultimately led to Arora and Nehumba staying on campus for their entire degree program.
Two of UBC Okanagan’s residence towers, Skeena and Purcell. Skeena is the first Passive House student residence in Canada, while Purcell offers a fifth-floor rooftop terrace with incredible views of the Okanagan Valley.
“Becoming an RA definitely contributed to me staying on campus, because it was my way of stepping into the community while making one of my own,” Arora says.
Nehumba adds: “If you’re looking for a university that has a close-knit campus community, UBC Okanagan is the place for you. My professors all know me by my name and I know most of the students who live in residence.
“For me, I love the community I found living on campus.”
