the (un)real thoughts of realbt

Since the opening of the new Hugh Dempster Pavillion and so-called “CS/2″ buildings at the south side of campus, I’ve spent much more time down this way. Thanks to the provincial government’s Double the Opportunity program, the computer science department has undergone a huge expansion. Apart from some class size issues (which perhaps has less to do with the expansion, and more to do with class size policy at UBC), it has worked out quite well. Dempster (DMP) is the home of 2 big lecture halls, plus 1 very large lecture hall, and 2 tutorial rooms. And it’s all for computer science. And the expansion to the original department building, CICSR, has opened up much more lab space, student study and social space, as well as a much needed UBC Food Services outlet (which has limited hours, but we can only wish for so much, can’t we?).

Having the new space in the “new wing” of CICSR (now called ICICS — don’t ask me what it stands for) is great. The lounge area is terrific. Before, there really was nowhere in the CS building to sit around and talk, eat, or anything else really. Sure there were labs, but being the good students we are, we obeyed the signs, and never ate food in there. There’s also many new labs, which I haven’t yet fully explored, despite the fact they’ve been open since September, as well as small rooms and study space you can randomly drop-in on and use for group study.

It’s odd — in my last year at UBC, I’m enjoying spending time around the department. It makes the 10 minute walk from the Student Union Building seem like less of a chore.