A couple of thoughts that I had left in my mind to ponder over the past few days:

- We are too material.  Reiterating what I read in an earlier post by Tyler, having the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter with us this past week, the extras have been a mere afterthought.  I don’t need much more than I have right now, a feeling that I hope I don’t forget when I get home in about 17 hours from now.

- Personal relationships have somewhat trivialized this experience for me.  Coming into this, I was expecting the journey to be a lot tougher.  The fact that we have had so many donations (specifically in the form of food) as well as the company of friends and acquaintances is double-edged.  On one hand, I have come to really appreciate the generosity and compassion of everyone over the past 5 days, and they were integral in our group obliterating our goal of $5,000, as well as the national goal (we’ve almost reached 6 figures!).  However, I have never witnessed a homeless person receiving the care that we were extended, and that makes me quite cynical.  If there is something that everyone can take away from this, it’s that these people deserve the same kind of treatment that we have been extended during our short-lived experience.

I hope to blog again tomorrow.  Talk to you then!

After night one, there are a couple of simple pleasures that I have come to appreciate much more.

Mattresses - Sleeping on pavement is not fun.  It requires a lot of tossing and turning which makes it very tough to sleep for an extended length of time.

Insulation - Cold air is also not pleasant.  I have had a runny nose since this morning (probably aggravated by allergies from sleeping outside).

Companionship - The happiest times yesterday were when friends or people came by to talk to us or give us food.  Thanks everyone!

Please continue to read as to trek ahead…

Hi, everyone. My name is Calvin, a third-year Finance student at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. I am writing this minutes before we start the clock.

The intention of my blog posts this upcoming week is to provide you with a personal account of my psychological well-being as I live without a home. There are many factors that will be contributing to my mental state, which include hunger, isolation, and the physical environment. My hope is that in writing these accounts, you will better appreciate the things that bring you happiness in your life. By the end of the week, I hope that I too will cease taking the privileges in my life for granted.

Thank you for your continued reading until 5 PM on Friday, March 14. Please donate to our cause at 5days.ca.

Calvin