Goye 2013 at Orientation Week after winning the Small Group cheer competition.
As many of you may know, first year students at UBC Law are grouped into eight different small groups, completely at random. Your small group is the group of approximately twenty-five other people with whom you will take every single one of your classes in first year. Needless to say, you spend a lot of time with them.
One of the most vivid things I remember from the Welcome to Law School session during Orientation Week was then Attorney General Mike de Jong telling us that our small groups would become like our families, that some of our best friends for the rest of our lives would be members of our small groups, and that some people he went to law school with are still married to people they met in their small group in first year law. He was right.
At UBC, every small group is named a person or phrase that is meaningful in the history of the law school. I was part of the small group “Goye”, so named after Georges Goyer, B.A., LL.B., 1967, “a Director of the UBC Legal Aid Clinic who acted for those who could not afford a lawyer and who served the Canadian Bar Association in many capacities,” according to a sheet I was handed during Orientation Week.
My group was full of people with diverse personalities and backgrounds, but it is amazing how quickly you become great friends with your small group. In my small group, we had students who had just finished their undergraduate degrees and mature students with young families. We had students from across the country and many who are born and bred Vancouverites.
The individuals in your small group are the people you take every class with, and so naturally, the people with whom you will study, share CANs, and discuss the concepts learnt in class. They will become your best resource in law school, both in helping each other to learn and in keeping each other sane when exam crunch time arrives. My small group used our Facebook group page to answer each other's questions about readings and assignments and to discuss or complain about exams. We shared notes with each other when someone was sick or missed class. When necessary, we posted funny stories and videos to get each other through studying (or class).
You’ll also get to know them as great people, with whom you will have lots of fun. My small group got together for small group dinners out at Vij’s, for potlucks at someone’s house, and to socialize before law school events like the boat cruise and the Halloween party. We took a number of road trips together to Whistler and to Portland. Another great thing we did was Tuesday morning breakfasts: we created a schedule for each member of the small group to bring breakfast for everyone else on Tuesday mornings, as a way of having something to look forward to after the three day weekend. I had many memorable breakfasts from cupcakes, to scones, to fresh smoothies and hot pancakes. On Saint Patrick's Day, we made Irish Carbomb cupcakes:
One of the most vivid things I remember from the Welcome to Law School session during Orientation Week was then Attorney General Mike de Jong telling us that our small groups would become like our families, that some of our best friends for the rest of our lives would be members of our small groups, and that some people he went to law school with are still married to people they met in their small group in first year law. He was right.
At UBC, every small group is named a person or phrase that is meaningful in the history of the law school. I was part of the small group “Goye”, so named after Georges Goyer, B.A., LL.B., 1967, “a Director of the UBC Legal Aid Clinic who acted for those who could not afford a lawyer and who served the Canadian Bar Association in many capacities,” according to a sheet I was handed during Orientation Week.
My group was full of people with diverse personalities and backgrounds, but it is amazing how quickly you become great friends with your small group. In my small group, we had students who had just finished their undergraduate degrees and mature students with young families. We had students from across the country and many who are born and bred Vancouverites.
The individuals in your small group are the people you take every class with, and so naturally, the people with whom you will study, share CANs, and discuss the concepts learnt in class. They will become your best resource in law school, both in helping each other to learn and in keeping each other sane when exam crunch time arrives. My small group used our Facebook group page to answer each other's questions about readings and assignments and to discuss or complain about exams. We shared notes with each other when someone was sick or missed class. When necessary, we posted funny stories and videos to get each other through studying (or class).
You’ll also get to know them as great people, with whom you will have lots of fun. My small group got together for small group dinners out at Vij’s, for potlucks at someone’s house, and to socialize before law school events like the boat cruise and the Halloween party. We took a number of road trips together to Whistler and to Portland. Another great thing we did was Tuesday morning breakfasts: we created a schedule for each member of the small group to bring breakfast for everyone else on Tuesday mornings, as a way of having something to look forward to after the three day weekend. I had many memorable breakfasts from cupcakes, to scones, to fresh smoothies and hot pancakes. On Saint Patrick's Day, we made Irish Carbomb cupcakes:
Your small group is a great way to meet some great people with whom you will form great friendships and with whom you will likely work for many years to come. And while I encourage you to embrace your small group whole-heartedly, it is also important to remember that there are also great people outside your small group! A great way to do so is to attend one of the icebreakers we will be hosting this summer, long before you realize who is in your small group.
And this is my sneaky way of giving you all an update on what is happening here at UBC Orientation! The icebreakers are currently being organized, and there has been a huge amount of interest. Thankfully, I am happy to announce that my good friend and classmate, Raylene Smith, is now assisting me in planning and organizing Orientation Week. Raylene is currently setting up our icebreaker events, and we both look forward to getting to know you all in the next few months!
Again, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at orientation@law.ubc.ca, or call 604.827.3552!
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