Below are some Frequently Asked Questions from previous years.
Can I join Walk for Joy even if I am not a UBC student, faculty or staff?
- Yes! Walk for Joy is open to everyone. Share this walking challenge with your friends, family and department! (On the registration form, put “N/A” if you do not have a student/employee number)
Will I have to get my steps in during UBC led walks/movement activities?
- Nope! You can get moving anywhere. Check out UBC Walking Programs if you want to get moving with the community.
Do teams have to have exactly 5 people?
- Each team is limited to a maximum capacity of 5 people.
- Teams are able to compete with less than 5 people.
What if I don’t have a team?
- Participants are welcome to join as individuals. If you would like to be part of a team but do not have one, let us know on the registration form and we will add you to a team of other “free agents” (those without teams who wish to be placed on a team).
- Please note: If you would like to be placed on a team, you are required to attend the opening ceremony on January 29, 2025.
What are Hidden Gems?
- Hidden Gems are photo challenges that are posted weekly that can get your team 10,000 steps each week!
- If the photo at the hidden gem has 3 or more team members in it, you will receive 10,000 bonus steps.
- If you are an individual or your team has less than 3 members, you can still participate! Please submit a photo your team or as an individual.
What are Social Steps?
- Social Steps are any steps or activity equivalents completed with another participant of Walk for Joy (they do not have to be on your team). Social steps can be reported on the weekly step upload and have to be intentionally completed with another registered member. These steps will count for double the amount.
- (Ex: A 5,000 step walk with another member of WFJ will give each of you 10,000 steps TOTAL for that activity – 5,000 actual steps and 5,000 social steps)
Where do I record my/team steps?
- Visit the Resources page under the ‘About’ section where you will find Step Tracker Spreadsheet templates to help you record your steps easily. We recommend converting these to a Teams or Google sheet and sharing with your team members so that everyone has access.
- If you missed the weekly step submission deadline or need to correct step submissions from previous weeks, please complete this step edits form! We are working to update step counts from previous weeks as soon as possible and we appreciate your patience as we process all of the edits.
What if I cannot attend the Opening Ceremony?
- Attendance at the Opening Ceremony is only mandatory for individual registrants wanting to be added to a team.
- The event will be offered with an In-person and Virtual format to accommodate both UBC and UBCO participants. A recording will also be made available after the event for all Walk for Joy participants.
If you have additional questions please email physical.activity@ubc.ca.