Anonymous UBC student hides over 100 gift cards across campus
An anonymous student at UBC is helping spread some joy during stressful times for students, by hiding gift cards across campus.
According to the university, over the past year Reddit user “AJazzy69,” who goes by the name Jazzy, has been tucking coffee gift cards in library books, on shelves and on chairs in various locations.
He will take photos of the cards and post them on UBC’s Reddit page with hints of the locations, so students can enjoy a free coffee on him.
Jazzy said it all started when he was returning to in-person classes in the fall of 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“On Reddit, there was lots of gloom and negativity and stress. I was stressed, too, and I thought, ‘Is there any way I can help? I might as well try,'” Jazzy said in a news release from the university.
Jazzy said he purchased his first gift card that day, posting about it on Reddit, promising to hide more cards around campus in the coming weeks.
Since then, he estimates he’s handed out at least 100 gift cards to both Starbucks and Tim Hortons, with the value of the cards ranging from $5 to $75.
“I’ve experienced depression and anxiety in my life, so I’m passionate about giving back and improving mental health, just spreading a little bit of positivity across campus,” Jazzy said.
He adds that he’s fortunate his job allows him the financial flexibility to hand out the gift cards, which he typically distributes during stressful times for students, including exam season.
Jazzy has chosen to remain anonymous, not even telling his parents about what he’s doing.
“You just do it for the sake of doing it,” he said. “That’s why it’s anonymous. I was just raised like that. You give back. It gives me a sense of trying to do my part.”
Jazzy said he hasn’t decided what will happen to his project once he graduates, but he’s considering finding someone to keep it going.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.