Starting Strong: Vancity Photo Booth Joins UBC’s The Calendar Commencement Kickoff
In April 2024, UBC students kicked off the new academic year with The Calendar’s Commencement — a high-energy welcome-back bash thrown by the student-run brand that knows campus life better than anyone. Held at the Harbour Convention Centre in Vancouver, the event wasn’t your average “welcome week” icebreaker. It was a celebration of community, connection, and everything fun about being a UBC student — from the first-year nerves to the fourth-year swagger.
Vancity Photo Booth was there to bring the fun and help students capture the beginning of something big.
Why We Jumped In
We love firsts — first weeks, first events, first impressions. So when UBC reached out about the Commencement, we were all in. Our goal? Create a space where students could break the ice, strike a pose, and walk away with something instantly memorable — because nothing says “I go here now” like a perfect photo booth moment.
The partnership made perfect sense. UBC has their finger on the pulse of campus culture, and we bring the camera (and lighting) to match.
Planning & Strategic Approach: All About That Selfie Energy
For this event, we went with our Selfie Station — the most user-friendly, fast-paced booth in our lineup. It’s built for student events: easy to use, totally self-guided, and packed with features like GIFs, Boomerangs, and instant sharing via QR or SMS. No waiting, no awkward interactions, just instant content and pure “I found my people” vibes.
Live Event Experience: The Ultimate Icebreaker
Let’s just say… we were busy. The booth drew a crowd from the second it went live. New roommates, club teams, class crushes — everyone wanted a turn. And once they saw their shot? They came back for round two. Or three.
Some students even used the booth to make new friends on the spot — “Wanna take one together?” might just be the most underrated pick-up line of orientation week.
Emotional Highlights & Real Moments
One moment that stuck with us? A group of first-years who’d just met earlier that day came in, and absolutely owned their shoot like they’d known each other for years. It was one of those “this is going to be a core memory” moments — and we were lucky enough to catch it on camera.
Reflections & Takeaways: New Year, New Memories
The biggest win? Helping students feel like they belonged right away. There’s nothing better than watching people who showed up nervous leave with content, confidence, and new connections. That’s the magic of a good photo booth — it’s a social engine disguised as a camera.
If we had to sum up the event in one phrase? “New Year. New Friends. Same Lighting.” Because while the school year may change, the glow-up is always guaranteed with Vancity.
Want to see the UBC chaos and charm for yourself? Check out the highlights on Instagram and relive the best first-week energy ever.
