Welcome to the Arts First-Year Bucket List—a fun, low-pressure journey made just for first-year students. It’s all about getting out there, trying new things, feeling at home in the Arts community, and starting your next chapter at university. This is your chance to make your first year truly unforgettable.
Stay tuned for the next bucket list starting in January 2026! Think of it as your guide to discovering cool events, hidden gems on campus, and opportunities to meet new people. It’s not just a list, it’s a way to start your UBC Arts story.
Check out our list of prizes and sponsors
Thanks to the generosity and support from campus and community sponsors, first-year students have the chance to win over $1,500 worth of amazing prizes.
UBC Bookstore
$100 Gift Card
UBC's one-stop shop for campus essentials – from textbooks to Thunderbird and UBC merch, from art supplies to passport photos and much more.
Cultivara Tree Tours - Expedition Lift Tour
2 Tickets (Value: $200)
This experience offers all the wonder and perspective of our Expedition climbs, made accessible for anyone who prefers not to use manual climbing equipment,may have a tight schedule or have physical limitations.
Museum of Anthropology
Indigenous Design awi’nagwis (Land) T-shirt (Value: $40)
Make a statement with this shirt by Kwakwaka’wakw, Dzawada’enuxw, Namgis, Métis and European artist, Michayla King. Her design features a cityscape in contrasting earth tones, which represent a sophisticated approach to the ever-relevant issue of all people’s connection with land.
Tea Time with Dean Clare
Value: Priceless
You (and a friend!) can join Dean Clare Haru Crowston for a special and intimate conversation over coffee, tea, and treats. This is your chance to ask questions, share what's on your mind, and have a real conversation in a relaxed setting.
UBC Athletics & Recreation: Personal training
Two sessions (Value: $142)
Whether you are new to fitness, looking for a specialized program, or an experienced athlete, UBC Rec's friendly and personable trainers can help you reach your full potential – whatever your goals might be!
UBC Athletics & Recreation: Fitness passes
Two passes (Value: $120)
UBC Recreation’s fitness memberships offer access to the ARC & Rec North Fitness Centres where you’ll discover opportunities to add group fitness activities such as spin, yoga, and Pilates.
Great Dane Coffee
Two $25 Gift Cards
Great Dane Coffee was started in 2012 by mother and son combo, Toni and Andrew. Andrew, an alumni of UBC, missed the energy of the campus. When they found the space, they immediately fell in love with the beautiful patio, cozy atmosphere, big windows, and off-the-beaten-track feel.
UBC Food Services
Three $25 Gift Cards
Serve yourself deliciousness at a variety of cafés, eateries, and markets on campus including Hero/Harvest Coffee & Market, Da Bao, Open Kitchen, and more!
LOAFE Café
$25 Gift Card
With warm welcomes at two UBC locations at UBC Alumni Centre & Sauder School, LOAFE Café features student staff, locally roasted coffee, fresh baked goods, gourmet sandwiches and fresh salads – and loads of outdoor seating.
Wildlight Kitchen + Bar
$50 Gift Card
A celebration of West Coast culture and cuisine, Wildlight Kitchen + Bar is a MICHELIN® Guide Recommended selection. Wildlight is located in UBC's Lelem Village just minutes from campus.
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
Two tickets (Value: $60-$138)
Singer-songwriter and Juno Award winning artist Dominique Fils-Aimé is a rising star in the Canadian music scene. Born and raised in Montreal to Haitian parents, Fils-Aimé’s music is infused with the history of Black music in North America. She weaves jazz, gospel, soul, and R&B into a sound that is uniquely her own.
UBC Old Auditorium: Candide operetta
Two tickets (Value: $30-$100) for February 5-8, 2026
Candide is a brilliant satire about humankind’s capacity for mindless optimism, set to a dazzling score by famed West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein. There isn’t a dull moment in this fantastical and fast-moving comic operetta – come along for the ride! Featuring our student UBC Opera Ensemble with members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Frederic Wood Theatre: Pyper
Two tickets (Value: $22) for March 11-28, 2026
Ten cyborg-AI teens try to build a time capsule to prove they exist in case they’re “retired” before graduation. Tracing their origins back to a mysterious piper in the town of Hamelin and an old puppet maker who discovers a talking block of wood, these algorithmic adolescents search for meaning in an ever-accelerating world of rapid obsolescence and hyperconnectivity. The Breakfast Club meets The Terminator in this angsty sci-fi odyssey about youth, identity, and what it means to be human in a digital-dependent world. This play is directed by Leona Morris.
UBC Old Auditorium: Giulio Cesare opera
Two tickets (Value: $30-$100) for April 9-12, 2026
Giulio Cesare tells the epic story of the meeting between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, painting a surprisingly intimate, human portrait of love, jealousy, revenge and desire. This is a show that would be as at home on Broadway as in an opera house, an operatic smash-hit that takes no prisoners. Featuring our student UBC Opera Ensemble with members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Browns Crafthouse
$40 Gift Card
Crafthouse is more than a restaurant—it’s our home and our community. As a proudly Canadian, locally owned and operated company, we’re committed to delivering quality, and true Canadian hospitality in everything we do.
Blue Chip Cookies
$25 Gift Card
A campus favourite. At Blue Chip we serve a wide selection of coffees, teas, baked goods, sandwiches, vegan, and gluten-free treats. We serve Spirit Bear coffee, specialty barista drinks and cold drinks.
What is the Arts First-Year Bucket List? 📝
The Arts First-Year Bucket List is a path to your next chapter—from visiting the Museum of Anthropology or cheering at a Thunderbirds game to attending a career development workshop or exploring Nitobe Garden—helping you discover all that UBC Arts and the broader campus have to offer.
Complete at least three experiences each term, share your experience, and you’ll have a chance to win some exciting prizes!
How it works 🎯
1. Explore the list of experiences below
2. Attend events or visit featured spaces
3. Take photos of yourself solo or with a group at the event
4. Submit at least three photos to be entered for a grand prize draw
What you can experience 🎟️
From ongoing campus classics to unique programming that will help you explore new interests, your Arts First-Year Bucket List is your guide to exciting events and workshops.
While only the experiences listed below count toward your Bucket List, there are a wide-range of campus events and activities that we encourage you to check out too.
Enter the draw to win a grand prize 🏆
Complete at least three Arts First-Year Bucket List experiences and make sure you take photos of yourself (solo or with a group) at the event! Using our form below, submit what you captured for your chance to win fun prizes—think limited edition merch, gift cards, and more!
