Author: comblog

The COM Ambassador program is available to current and prospective COM freshmen. We are here to answer questions and help you learn all the great things that BU, COM and Boston have to offer. Be bold. Be creative. Be COM. @BU

Maria: Post-Abroad Life

It’s been almost two months since I’ve been back from the best semester of my college experience so far. I spent my first semester of junior year in London studying and interning through BU’s London Internship Program. Looking back on last semester, it’s crazy to think about how fast it all went, and how different it is to be home.

It’s actually weird to say this, but being back in America has given me more culture shock than I had when I first got to London! I quickly grew accustomed to everything that is part of London life, from saying cheers instead of thank you to co-workers to deciding to order food “for take-away” at a café so I wouldn’t have to spend an extra pound to sit down and eat. It even took me a while to cross the street and figure out which directions cars were coming from.

Even when it comes to being back at BU and taking classes, it’s a bit of an adjustment from last semester. Study abroad programs are known to have easier class and work schedules than a normal semester at college, and I almost forgot what it’s like to study for midterms and work on group projects. Especially with the London Internship Program, you spend the first five weeks taking two classes for four days a week, and then you spend the last eight weeks taking one class one day a week and interning the other four days. So now you might be able to understand how it’s a big change going from a leisurely semester in Europe to handling four classes, my involvement in COM, being President of my sorority, finding time to do homework, and having time to catch up with friends and family. Needless to say, I’m beyond thrilled to be back in Boston for another amazing semester here at BU.

Going abroad is probably one of the most recommended things to do in college by those who did and did not go abroad. Some people who did will say it’s the best time of your life, and some who didn’t will say they regret it. Feel free to shoot me an email if you’re interested in studying abroad in London.

Cheers!

Maria

Kevin: Top 5 Scary Things as a Freshman (and why they shouldn’t be)

1. College Classes

There’s no getting around it, college classes are a big change from high school. As long as you stay on top of things, they can actually be easier though. You won’t get the “busy work” you might have gotten in high school. There’s a whole level of freedom that’s really nice, but that means it’s up to you to keep up, and if you don’t do your reading then you’ll be behind come test time. So stay organized; get binders, folders, notebooks, whatever you need, and come up with a system. When finals week comes around and you’re sifting through a semester’s worth of notes, you’ll thank yourself for being organized.

2. Upperclassmen

You remember freshman year of high school; the pep rally chants of “sit down freshmen,” getting shoved into lockers… (Ok maybe that sounds like a John Hughes movie but you get the idea). Now you’re going into college and you’re going to be a freshman all over again. Well don’t worry, college isn’t like high school. Everyone is excited to have new people on campus! When you join clubs and groups on campus you’ll realize that nobody cares what grade you are, they’re just excited that you share interests. So don’t be afraid to join clubs because you think that senior with the “President” nametag seems intimidating, they want you to join! Lots of upperclassmen will be more than happy to offer you advice or help if you need it, too! (Like COM Ambassadors! #subtlenamedrop)

3. The T

Ok so maybe this one isn’t for everyone. For those of you who are like me, from a small town where you’re more likely to see Sasquatch than some form of public transportation, the T can be a little freaky at first. The first few times I went on the T, I had no idea what I was doing. I got on at a subway station, but when I looked out the window suddenly I was above ground… it can be confusing. You’ll quickly learn that the system is made to be easy to understand and you’ll get the hang of it after riding it the first few times (and maybe a couple unplanned adventures around Boston…). My suggestion is to walk as much as possible though. It’ll really help you to get a feel for the city, and you’ll find a lot of cool things you didn’t even know existed!

4. Dorm Life

Living in a dorm depends a lot on what you make of it. My advice would be to make friends with your floor. Leave your door open during the first couple weeks and make an effort to meet as many people as you can. You’re going to live with them for a year, so it’s great to have friends right down the hall. I’ve met some of my best friends because they live a couple doors down from me. Just be friendly!

5. Office Hours

All professors have office hours, and if you’re willing to take advantage of the chance to ask them one-on-one questions, it can be a great chance for you. Not only do you get to ask questions, but also having the chance to know the professor can be great. Even if you just go to chat, a lot of professors will be glad to get to know you. BU is a big school, and if you sit in the back of the class and never interact with the professor, you’re missing out. So be sure to go visit office hours and volunteer in class, I promise you’ll see a difference in your grades. The professors are just people who are excited to meet you too!

Abby: How to live your life and still read 400+ pages by Monday

In light of recent events (aka, I was assigned over 400 pages over one weekend and still wanted to live my life), I decided to construct a “how to” that I hope you will never have to use but will prove helpful if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

Read while doing laundry- From start to finish, doing a load of laundry usually takes about an hour.  I use to put my laundry in the washer, go back up to my room (and wait at least 5 minutes for the elevator), then have to head right back down in less then 20 minutes (another 5 minutes in the elevator.)  This is a lot of wasted time, my friends!  So I had a stroke of genius and decided to bring my reading down to the laundry room with me.  An hour later, I had plowed through two whole chapters and even did reading check questions.

Read while eating- Another place that I sometimes feel takes up an unnecessary amount of time is taking a trip to the dining hall.  While eating with friends and socializing is fun and a necessity of college, it is not always practical.  If I go to the dining hall with a group of friends, I expect to spend at least an hour to an hour and a half there.  With a lot of reading on your plate this is not the best idea.  Instead, bring your work with you and multitask.  In the beginning of the school year I thought it was nerdy or lame to share a meal with your laptop, but this is college! And if you look around you will notice that more people then you think bring their work with them to eat.  A couple dinning halls on campus even have quiet rooms or study areas that are specifically designed for this purpose.

Some foods to avoid while also trying to read- soup and cereals (too many drips) and sandwiches or anything involving both hands (you will lose your place when your book flops shut.)

Read on the T/BU Shuttle/Other Public Transit- At first, reading while on the go seemed impossible to me- I mean who wants to lug around huge texts when all you have to read is a couple pages?  With the popularity of e-readers, this option is more do-able.  If, like me, you don’t have an e-reader(I personally prefer real books to e-readers, but that is an entirely different blog post), you can take a picture with your phone of the passage you need to read.  I will also add that this requires some precautions.  Be smart about using your phone in public- you don’t want to get it stolen! And reading too much on a tiny screen may cause your eye to twitch… Even with all that in mind, it gets the job done.  If the passage is available online, another option is to print out the pages you need to go over and take it with you.

*This method works best if you have a short passage or excerpt from a text to read.

Read at FitRec- Okay so you’ve caught me- I don’t go to the gym as often as I should. But every time I do go, I see at least one person reading while on a treadmill or elliptical.  (Don’t they only do that in romanticized movies about college??) Personally, I am not coordinated enough to read, understand what I am reading and, oh yeah, run all at the same time.  But if you are gifted with this talent, go for it!

How to not fall asleep while reading (not that that has EVER happened to me…)-  So far I have found that the best way to avoid getting sleepy while reading is to change up where you read.  Read for 15 minutes sitting at your desk, then for 15 minutes on your bed (but not lying down), at your roommate’s desk, then sitting on the floor, in a chair that spins, while pacing the length of your room, at a booth in a coffee shop, on a couch in the study room… You get the idea.  One other thing I have found to help keep me alert is to take tiny breaks.  During these breaks don’t just sit there and think of how much more reading you have to do.  Get up and do some jumping jacks, take a shower, dance to some fun music, call your mom, re-organize a desk drawer, paint your fingernails, or microwave some popcorn.

* REMEMBER- Sometimes part of your education is the problem solving needed to get it all done and not just in the words you read. So don’t stress if you miss a couple of pages.

Anneliese: How Did I End Up Here?!

The last Sunday before winter break at 11:30am, I found myself decked out as a flapper, dancing with a stranger, and downing straight-up grenadine from a wine glass. (Point of reference: Grenadine may look pretty, but it tastes like bubble bath mixed with cough medicine.) No, this wasn’t a Dude, Where’s My Car? situation, where I was left muddled after a particularly chaotic night. In fact, I was participating in schoolwork—acting in my friend’s film for her Production I class, to be more precise.

This is just one of many strange and enthralling situations I find myself in, thanks to my life as a film major. I’ve had so many wonderfully bizarre experiences around Boston, courtesy of my enrollment in COM. At times, I may be stressed to the point of eating a spoonful of peanut butter to procrastinate on my work, but I will never be able to say that I am bored as a BU COM student. Here’s a countdown of my four weirdest and most exciting moments as a member of COM’15:

Stalking “James Franco” outside of CAS

To this day, I’m not sure if this is fact or fiction, but rumor has it that James Franco attended last year’s Redstone Film Festival at Tsai. I attended last year’s Redstone Film Festival. I was (possibly) in the same room as James Franco and hadn’t even known it! Thankfully, a photog for the FREEP, (short of The Daily Free Press, our on-campus newspaper), had the decency to shout loudly into his cellphone as I passed him on the street, “We have people posted at every exit of CAS, just in case Franco exits!” As soon as he had hung up the phone, I planted myself in his path and demanded, “Franco?! As in James Franco?!” He explained to me that James had purportedly been working on a project with a film professor at BC and swung by BU when he heard about the festival. Needless to say, I spent the next 45 minutes skulking around CAS in the dark and the drizzle with my friend who was armed with a camera, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the sexy Harry Osborne himself. Sadly, I never did.

Bay State Memories

I work on COM’s soap opera, which is the longest running college soap opera in the country, and there was no way I could choose only one Bay State memory for this list—oh lord, the things I have witnessed! My first day onset kind of created the mood for the entirety of my experience working on the show: One of the Executive Producers marched up to me and asked ever-so sweetly, “You—what’s your name? Can you take down your hair?” I told him my name and awkwardly yanked the bobby pins from my bun as the 1st Assistant to the Director moseyed up beside him. “She’s perfect,” she had said. And the EP exclaimed, “Congratulations! You just won the role of dead Whitney!” It had turned out that they killed off a cast member and let her go abroad without filming the scene where her boyfriend discovers her body, and I was the only girl with hair color similar enough to play her corpse. Congratulations, indeed. I’ve had my share of death experiences on Bay State, since I have witnessed many creative murders, and have even participated in the murder of Dean Elmore—err President Bennett. The big question surrounding his death scene had been: In which direction should we splatter the fake blood to make it seem most realistic? No doubt, a heated debate had followed.

Being serenaded by Viggo Mortensen in Elvish

Okay, so it’s not as if Viggo Mortensen gave me a private concert and serenaded me to sleep with his ethereal voice, BUT the situation was almost as good. Last March, I attended a triple feature Lord of the Rings marathon that Coolidge Corner Theatre hosted in honor of Viggo Mortensen’s achievements in film. Though they weren’t presenting him with his award until the next day, he made a surprise in-person appearance right before The Return of the King started rolling. He looked so adorable with his floppy, grey locks and infectious smile as he sang that I was racked with guilt for not being able to sing-along like the more dedicated fans.

Interviewing my favorite filmmaker, Taika Waititi

All of my friends know (and probably many acquaintances) about my New Zealand obsession. I’m obsessed with the country and the culture to the point that I’ve gorged on as many New Zealand films, books, and TV shows that I could order from Amazon.com. One New Zealand writer-director whose work I love and admire—to the point of his becoming one of my favorite filmmakers, regardless of NZ-affiliation—is Taika Waititi. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for his wonderful short Two Cars, One Night; he directed and co-wrote a few episodes of Flight of the Conchords; he has most recently directed MTV’s version of the British show The Inbetweeners; and he has two hilarious feature films Eagle vs. Shark and Boy. It was at a long awaited, 2012 Boston screening of the latter where I weaseled my way into interviewing Taika. I had cornered him on an online Reddit Q&A and asked for an interview at the screening, and he had consented. It was a dream come true (literally—I had dreamt multiple times about interviewing him about his work). I don’t know what made the night more perfect: The fact that my feature ended up being published on Popmatters.com, or that he kissed me on both cheeks and called me “love” after I thanked him for the interview.

Since I’m only a sophomore, I look forward to seeing how many more bizarre, film-related adventures I can add to my repertoire before I graduate. I’m certain there will be plenty more to come. All of you, my COM peers, should be on the lookout, too—on Facebook, the COM corkboards, and on various Boston websites—for exciting ways to infuse film into your everyday lives. You never know where you might end up!

Jason: Back in the USA

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday and I am back in the United States watching football.

That's right guys, COM Ambassador Jason has begun life back in the states again and everything is under full swing. I'm living in Stuvi 2 again (but in an apartment this time) and I'm taking 3 classes: Production 2, Creative Producing 1, and Understanding Film. I've only had a few weeks of classes but I can tell this is going to be my favorite semester.

So far in Production 2 we've shot a small mock scene from the Social Network as an exercise and will be shooting an entire scene in full for our first project. Understanding film is great for all you film buffs out there because the class is structured around watching and talking about films- pretty simple. But the producing class just might be my favorite. We're learning about how to take ideas for talk shows, reality shows, and documentaries and turn them into viable projects. And next month we'll actually be skyping with Andy Cohen from Bravo to pitch reality show ideas to him.

Because I'm only taking 3 classes I've also just begun a new project that could turn into something pretty big. But I'll save that for the next blog and keep you guys in suspense. Oooo.

Mostly I'm excited because this semester is going to be the semester of concerts. I wen to fun. on friday, and lined up I've got Mumford and Sons, Lady Gaga, Matchbox Twenty, and I would love to go to Imagine Dragons, Chris Thile, and a couple others. Check out those guys if you don't know 'em.

As always shoot me an email, tweet, or post card if you have any questions!

 

Alexa: How to Survive the Cold in Boston

To be fair, I was warned about a New England winter. They said it would be a cold; but you’d have to live in to understand. My freshmen year, winter in Boston wasn’t that bad so I was pretty confident I could survive the cold, however this year is a different story. It’s not cold, it’s freezing. However, I’ve found three things that help keep a California girl warm.

 

  • Invest in a good jacket

Seriously, it’s worth the price. You can try and compensate with layers of sweatshirts but nothing is better than a good down jacket.

  • Wear gloves

I learned the hard way that gloves are not a fashion statement; they are a necessity. It’s quite hard to function in class when your hands are numb from the cold.

  • Be Positive

My dad used to tell me that being cold was a state of mind. In California, cold is definitely a state of mind but in Boston I can’t say the same. However, the cold isn’t fun for anyone so complaining about it won’t make it any warmer. (I’m looking at you everyone who tweeted: "OMG it’s 2 degrees out!? NO!”)

Instead look at the positives of colder weather! Like, still being able to wear your favorite scarf, witnessing the magic of snowfall or still being able to order a hot chocolate from Starbucks because it’s cold and no one can judge you.

On the brighter side, spring is almost here! That means, we’re closer to open house in April where I get to meet all of you wonderful, perfect prospective students! It also means Marathon Monday is closer, but that’s another blog post discussion.

Jon: Winter Blues and Comfort Foods

Hello all! The spring semester has kicked off in true Boston style: with bitter cold winds and flurries of icy snow. Californians and Southerners may be horrified by the reality of such severe conditions, but they can take comfort in the knowledge that even for us born and bred New Englanders, winter sucks.

So you might be wondering how to deal with such frosty temperatures, which cut right through even the wooliest scarves, gloves and pea coats? Good question. Toasty clothing is a start, but my personal favorite is a steaming plate of home-style deliciousness served up hot in a cheery and lively restaurant. Thus I present to you my guide to some of the best eats to cheer up those dark and dreary winter nights.

1. Mr. Bartley’s Burgers (Harvard Square) – Perhaps the king of comfort foods, there’s nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a juicy, meaty, medium rare hamburger. Whether it’s slathered in Swiss cheese or buried under bacon and avocado, a well-made patty on a hearty bun is a great way to warm up the winter. Mr. Bartley’s is known for their phenomenal homemade burgers, all of which are named after celebrity people and places (I’m partial to the Michelle Obama myself). Come into this Harvard Square haunt for a cheery, pub-ish atmosphere with lively conversation, packed tables, friendly waitresses and , of course, delicious burgers. Don’t forget the fries and pickle!

2. Pizzaria Regina’s (North End) – For those who are adventurous enough to make it over to the North End, the original Pizzaria Regina’s is a must for comfort dining. Now a small local chain, this location is the restaurant that started it all. Some people question the quality of certain pizza joints, but located in the heart of Boston’s North End, you can be confident that Regina’s is steeped in all the authentic Italian qualities of that district. Need more reassurance? Look no farther than the menu. When a restaurant only serves pizza and beer, that’s when you know they mean business. Come in for a slice or a pie, and don’t be off-put by the somewhat gruff manner of the staff: that’s just business when you’re the most popular and authentic pizza palace in Boston.

3. Osaka (Coolidge Corner) – For those looking for something a little more eastern in nature, Osaka is the go-to place. Stemming from a restaurant in the Western Massachusetts college town of Northhampton, Osaka provides authentic, exquisite Japanese food for a reasonable price. Split between a vibrant and noisy Hibachi grill, and a quieter and extremely pleasant dining room, Osaka has something to offer for everyone. Though sushi might not be your first thought when trying to escape the winter cold, exploring the menu further reveals a whole host of delicious and comforting options. I personally recommend the Katsu Don: Warm panko-breaded pork over rice with a fried egg on top reminds me of down-home cooking with an eastern twist. It just goes to show that people need a little bit of comfort from their cuisine everywhere.

4. Clam Chowder (New England) – Okay, so this one isn’t an actual restaurant, but nothing is more regionally delightful and comforting as a steaming bowl of New England clam chowder. Great recipes can be sampled all over the north east, but for a Boston fix, Legal Sea Foods has you covered with a great upper-end option (their chowder has been served at several presidential inaugurations!),  and some of the Quincy Market restaurants do a great chowder-in-a-bread bowl, sure to warm up the coldest of winter nights!

Hopefully you’ve worked up an appetite by the end of this post – now go out and explore! After all, 9 out of 10 moms say a hearty meal is the perfect cure to the mid-winter blues.

Until next time,

Jon

 

Richie: Film Studies and the Insurmountable Mountain of Editing

Hope you guys all had a great holiday break and are finally in the swing of your spring semester. I have to say, as a senior in my last semester, I am incredibly happy with all the classes I am taking. I’m finally taking a break from some production classes and actually focus on two different Film Studies courses, a higher level screenwriting course, a beginning acting class offered through CFA, and an introductory class on the Adobe Suite. After, many classes focusing on production, I decided my last semester I would devote my time to becoming a better filmmaker in a different manner.

I have to say I’ve been extremely happy with the American Independent film course taught by Professor Carney.  We really get to see quite a diverse selection of independent films throughout the semester and are introduced to the work of some really incredible filmmakers. However, I’ve been very intrigued by the different manner we try approaching films in class. We try avoiding formulaic and symbolic approaches of character psychology and focus more on the perspective and intentions of the actual filmmaker on the audience. Sounds extremely boring as I write it here, but I’ve been having a blast!

I’ve also started to take on the incredible task of organizing and editing all the footage I shot for my independent short film last semester. With close to 200GB of video footage, I’ve spent days on end just naming files and organizing them into folders. The other day I actually woke up at 830am and stayed near my computer until 7pm simply transcoding and organizing all the bins on Final Cut so that I could finally start editing! It seems like it’s going to be a lot more difficult than I thought, but has been a huge learning experience, as I’ve never taken on such a massive editing project before! I’ve also entered a few talks with students at Berklee interested in doing the Sound Design and mixing of the film, which is really exciting as well. I have a close friend who is already composing a score for the film and I’m waiting back to be notified on my application to work at the Cannes Film Festival once again this May! Hopefully if all goes right, I’ll be back in Cannes with my short film and trying to make some moves!

I have to say to all you Film and TV students: If you have an idea for a project or a passion to create something that doesn’t quite fit into your classes while here, then please just go and make it! Making this film has been one the biggest learning experiences of my life and I feel I have come such a long way in learning everything from writing, pre-production, casting, rehearsing, shooting on location, and now editing and post-production! Balance all your classes and do the absolute best on your projects, but don’t be afraid to throw yourself into an unfamiliar territory outside of class and tackle that additional film short you always wanted to do for yourself. I promise you won’t regret it.

 

Taylor: Got News?

New Year. New Students. New Roles. NEWS…is the first word that enters my mind in the morning and sweeps my dreams at night. Radio has become a silent killer taking over every aspect of my heart. I am the news director for the student-run campus radio program WTBU (which recently won Station of the Year at the College Radio Awards). Having this responsibility is really turning my college experience into something that I will never forget.

WTBU offers live shows everyday with a variety of music and commentary that are insanely humorous and enlightening. Participating in this organization has furthered my passion for broadcast and I continue to learn more and more.

Radio has a weird yet remarkable ability to resurface thoughts and ideas through sound. With an incredible staff of dedicated show hosts and interns WTBU is able to produce weekly shows attainable online and by radio connection.

As news director I am in charge of all of the news-based shows and I also host WTBU News, which airs Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 6-8pm. The evening shows doesn’t solely focus on news coverage, we also feature guest that run the gamut from politicians to actors and professional experts. My semester highlight so far involves a phone interview with Doritos Super Bowl Challenge Finalist Ben Callner, creator of “Goat for Sale.”

I couldn’t be more excited about the shows, coverage, and guests ahead!

Peace, Love, & News.

 

Kaitlin: CrossFit

As some of you may already know, I’m a Cadet in BU’s Air Force ROTC program.  On top of school, added ROTC work offers quite the experience (which I wrote about here).  But after almost three years, I’ve finally begun to find my true passion in the program: working out.

Yup, I’m talking about the sweat until you’re basically bleeding, face in the dirt, can’t even breathe working out.  And to make it even more intense, my instructors decided to add a little extra to our regiment: CrossFit.

When I first heard about CrossFit, the only things I really got out of the idea of it was huge, bulky men doing Olympic weight lifting, using steroids, and growing so large they could barely walk.  After beginning my own CrossFit experience at 6:00am last Wednesday morning, I was proved seriously wrong.

Of course, the practice is incredibly intense, and should only be done if one is in great shape, but it’s also a lot different than I expected.  In fact, it could even be done out of a gym, and if you have a yard big enough, at your own home.

The program has WODs, which are Workouts of the Day, relatively short but highly extreme schedules of exercises that will make you ache and maybe even cry.  The WODs we do as a part of the AFROTC (three times a week, I might add) consist of either AMRAPs (as many rounds as possible [in a given amount of time]) or rounds for time (which means you do the scheduled workout until you finish).

In a given WOD, you might run up to two miles, do 200 squats, perform 200 pushups, or something of the like.  But the best part? It doesn’t matter how good you are.  You push yourself to YOUR limit, whatever that might mean, and challenge yourself.  You finish with the mindset that you couldn’t have done another burpey or another situp or another lap.  The progress that you note, and even the satisfaction that you feel after doing that last pushup, even when you felt it wouldn’t be possible, is incredibly uplifting and motivating.

CrossFit is about being the best you can be.  Sure, using your fellow CrossFitters around you for inspiration can be helpful, but at the end of the WOD it’s your progress against yourself.  Even after just a few sessions, I’ve noticed serious improvement in my endurance, strength, but most of all my patience and motivation.

Like I said, these workouts can be done on your own, at the FitRec or otherwise, just visit www.crossfit.com for WODs.  If you’re interested in getting into it, and want to do it with professionals, there are several CrossFit gyms around Boston, some that even offer a free class for beginners- just check online for more details, or shoot me a message.