Student Scoop – Unofficial Student Guide To Langara University ft. Graciella Llagas

by Kristina - September 17, 2019

Welcome to the Langara edition of our Student Scoop series – a collection of insider student tips to UBC, SFU, Langara, Emily Carr and more. We tap into the nuts and bolts of student life interviewing student leaders to uncover secret campus corners, best coffee spots, where to satisfy your late night cravings, and the lowdown on campus and off campus living. Read on for more Langara tips.

Today, we checked in with Graciella Llagas, a first year Nursing Student who lives off campus.

Langara Quick Student Tips

Best Neighbourhoods for Off-Campus Housing

Langara does not have on campus housing options for students. However, the university is located near some of Vancouver’s more affordable neighbourhoods like Sunset, Oakridge, South Cambie, Killarney and Marpole. There are typically many suitable rental options nearby and further afield (Richmond) easily accessed by transit. International students can arrange for a homestay through Langara if they wish.

Here are some suitable liv.rent listings – one almost next door and the others in South Vancouver. Langara is easily accessible by transit from these places:

Langara: 2 bed, 2 bath
South Vancouver/Marine Gateway: 1 bed/1bath
South Vancouver/Marpole: 1 bed/1 bath
South Vancouver/Marpole: 1 bed/1 bath
South Vancouver/Marpole:2 bed/1 bath
South Vancouver/Marpole:3 bed/4 bath
South Vancouver/Marpole:3 bed/2 bath furnished

Commuting Tips for Langara

I recommend transit, walking or cycling. Given Langara’s proximity, it is well served by buses and there is a Canada Line stop nearby at Cambie & 49th.

I transit about an hour and twenty minutes each way to school everyday. I live in the Sapperton area, so I take the train and a bus to school.

Tip: The 49 UBC bus gets really full during prime hours in the fall and spring, around 7:30-8:30am. This route serves Killarney, Langara, and UBC students. I like to catch the bus by 7am so that I could get a seat on the long bus ride, and any extra time I have in the morning I use to review!

Best Off-Campus Eats

The best off-campus eats are just a few stations away on the Canada Line! We like to go to the Aberdeen Mall food court for affordable, Asian food.

Alternatively, fantastic, well-priced Indian food is walking distance away on Main St. from 49th South (Punjabi Market). Pick up samosas, tandoori chicken, or any variety of curry from All India Sweets or Tandoori Oven.

Tips for Meeting People

Get involved! As a nursing student, there’s three main student groups you can get involved with at Langara. I met so many people through the BCCNP Student Group that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. Having friends in different terms allows me to seek mentorship and get advice for life in nursing school.

Best Study Spots at Langara

3rd floor library, take a left at the top of the stairs and walk to the end u til you see the white individual study tables. It has A/C, multiple outlets, and is rarely busy.

Best place on campus to nap or pull an all-nighter

Unfortunately, the school is not open 24 hours – it closes at 9 pm so its not possible to pull an all-nighter on campus. However, Breka on nearby Fraser St. is open 24 hours and they have the best drinks and food to fuel us for those rough all-night study sessions.

Late-night caffeine fix on Campus

Late night + caffeine and I do not mix well; however if I were desperate I would still most likely end up at Breka for that late-night caffeine fix (technically not on campus though!)

Cheap eats/late night eats on campus

There aren’t many good choices on campus but my go-to cheap “meal” is a buttered bagel at Timmy’s (Tim Horton’s) at 49th and Main. Less than $2 and heavy enough to fill you up until you’re able to get home! Again, Breka is always an option!

GPA Boosters? Course Selection Advice?

The nursing program itself doesn’t really offer GPA boosters, as our semesters are block-scheduled and you just choose the courses with the schedule that works the best for you. Some schedules are more popular than the others, so I suggest that you sign up for your section as soon as registration is open if you truly prefer one over the other

Must-go Langara Events

Again, specifically talking about our nursing program, I highly suggest going to “Nursing 101.” It’s a fun, welcoming event held for the new nursing students that aims to ease the worries that come with starting nursing school. Students can ask their own questions, hear from older term students, and meet the students in their cohort! The friends I made at this event have helped me succeed through my first two semesters as well.

Advice to your first-year self

Don’t buy new textbooks. Always try to get used books, and try to wait until the first day of classes to purchase them to see if your professor truly requires you to purchase these books.
Take RateMyProf ratings with a grain of salt. Some professors may have lower ratings than others, but this wouldn’t necessarily reflect how you will do in their class because everyone is different! I have found that as long as expectations are clear on both sides, chances of miscommunications are greatly reduced.
Practice self-care. Most importantly, find a way to practice self care. Schooling is mentally and physically exhausting, but even the hardest working students need time away from that constant stress. I’m still discovering my own self-care practices, but I’ve found that a healthy mind and soul leads to more success in the long run.