comblog – Page 106 – COM Ambassador Blog

Julianna: How to Stay Sane

Now that it’s the middle of September I’m sure you’re already on your way to becoming a pro at this thing called college. Getting aimlessly lost in CAS and misjudging when to stop in Starbucks before class…that was so last week. Calenders begin to fill up as clubs and organizations reconvene for the school year and professors announce important test dates. As the semester rolls on your time management skills will most likely be put to the test. Speaking for myself I dove into my junior year with a full (maybe overflowing) plate: classes, part-time job and an internship. Here are three tips on how to stay sane and manage your time wisely when you are at your busiest:

1. Planner = Life

A little organization goes a long way. Go all out with different colored pens to represent all your priorities, highlighters and sticky notes. Thumb through those syllabi and mark down future deadlines and exam dates. I refer to my planner at least 2-3 times a day to see that I am accomplishing everything I need to, and to remind myself what I have in store for the next day.

2. Try your hardest to not fall victim to procrastination

We all do it. We’ve all been there. You’ve got a paper due in t-minus 12 hours, endless reading, but you can’t seem to pry your eyes away from social media or the TV. Install Self Control on your computer and turn off your phone. If the latter is just to difficult to imagine then try this: I like to set 1-2 hour increments solely fixated on doing work, and when the time is up, I reward myself with 10-15 minute breaks. Another great way to avoid procrastination is to try to get work done in between classes and at awkward off-hours rather than saving everything for nighttime. Scope out some study spaces on and off campus like Marciano Commons and Espresso Royale Cafe.

3. Find one thing that calms you

Do yourself a huge favor and carve out the time to do something that brings you inner peace, such as taking a run a long the Charles, reading a magazine rather than a textbook or meditating. For me I’ve found unexpected pleasure in walking to and from 1019 and East Campus, especially in the mornings when I put Drake on full blast.

Steph: COM- Truly Interdisciplinary

COM: Truly Interdisciplinary

Hey guys! For you new Terriers out there, I hope all of you have had a great first week of school! I know I have. So far, one of my favorite things about my classes is that they all seem to overlap—the things that I’m learning in one class inform the things I’m learning in another. For me, that’s awesome. One of the best things about COM is that everything is related, which shows what a truly well rounded education it provides.

For example, I’m currently taking a history class called American Pop Culture, which spans the Victorian Era to the present day, or in other words, Vaudeville to “Jersey Shore.” Right now we’re talking about the early 1900’s, and how the Industrial Revolution created the concept of leisure time. One thing that people in the 1920s and 30s would do for leisure is listen to the radio. Approximately 4 hours later, I’m sitting in my Understanding Television class, learning all about the birth of the radio and how it served to unify the nation in times of hardship. We also learn about how at a certain point, advertising agencies really dominated radio by creating product-sponsored shows. The next morning at 8 am, I listen to my professor talk about the early days of product integration in my Intro to Advertising class.

And then there’s my wildcard class, called Magic, Science, and Religion. Our last lecture we talked about ancient Egyptian spells. I’m still waiting to see how it will connect to my other classes. 😉

Hope all of you guys are enjoying your classes as much as I am!

Kate: Three Tips to Picking Classes Abroad

I cannot believe I am finally in London! After a six month long countdown, I finally made it over The Pond and have been living the abroad life for the past 10 days. So far it has been everything I had hoped for and more and I am so excited to everything to come. In fact, I just booked my fall break to, wait for it... ITALY! Five days of eating pizza, drinking wine and sight seeing until I can't walk anymore is just a mere four weeks away (I'll be sure to catch all of you up on that in my next post)!

However, study abroad is not all about traveling the world, there are courses involved too. So here are my tips to getting the most out of your classroom experience:

Find the Program you will get the most out of. You don't necessarily have to do the same program as your major. Do something that interests you or that you have always wanted to try because that is what your core class will be in and the field in which you will do your internship. For me, I live and breath PR so that decision was a no-brainer. However, I know a fellow COM student who is majoring in Journalism, however he chose to do the Pre-Law program because he has aspirations of attending law school when he graduates. The Study Abroad office offers hundreds of options (there are at least 15 just in London!) so you will definitely something that works for you.

2. Take one class that takes care of a requirement. Whether it be a liberal arts requirement or a class towards your minor, find something will check another class off your list. All your major specific classes must be taken at BU so don't spend all your time taking electives here and then stress about getting all your requirements done in Boston. There are a lot of options for CAS courses and you will easily be able to fulfill at least one required course.

3. Take something fun! Again, as someone who dreams about PR in her sleep, I took a COM-related course for this one. Its called International Brand Management and I am literally jumping out of my pants excited. BUT, my best friend is taking a British Pop Culture class. Hello, Beatles! Also, every class in the London program has at least one field trip (and I am sure this applies to other locations too) so a fun class equals an interesting field trip!

The first word in Study Abroad is study so make sure to work hard in your classes and get good grades. But, have fun and learn a lot because most people will never have this experience again. I have already learned so much about British culture and daily life from my professors (who also happen to have fantastic accents). And if I have any other advice it is to STUDY ABROAD. Go. Do it. I've been here a week and I already never want to leave.

I'll be sure to update y'all later in the semester (be sure to follow me on The Twitter @KateScott10) and I hope you are loving BU so far!

Cheers!

Richie: Back to Bay State Road!

Welcome back to Boston everyone! I hope you all had a great summer, I know I definitely had one of my best experiences this past summer! Interning at the Cannes Film Festival, traveling Europe and visiting Los Angeles for the first time in August all made for an incredible time! However, I’m even more excited for everything in this upcoming semester. I moved back to my on-campus apartment on Bay State Rd and am loving it even more than last year. The new Student Center on 100 Bay State is directly across from my building and I have to say it’s absolutely amazing. Obviously my lack of a dining plan make my visits seldom, yet having such a modern and incredible building nearby changes the atmosphere of my area for the best from when it was just a construction site.

I’m also extremely excited for all the classes I’m taking! Advanced Directing and Acting for Writers and Directors already seem to be my two favorite classes. Being primarily interested in directing, learning acting will be a huge benefit. Not only being able to communicate with actors, but gaining a stronger appreciation of the vulnerable position they put themselves in will definitely be a huge help in my directing.

I was also recently selected to help in recruiting more interns for the Creative Mind Group which brought me out to the Cannes Film Festival. I’m starting to reach out to students in the Boston area, and I’ve been getting some good responses.

Probably the project I’m most exited for this semester though is the short film my friends and I will be shooting outside of class. We’re working off a script I wrote during the summer and have been in intense pre-production meetings since we got back. It’s still in the early stages but I’m happy to say we have a crew set, our budget finalized, shooting schedule and even some of the main actors. It’s going to be a very ambitious film close to twenty minutes in length, but we’re all psyched to get started!

Kaitlin: If Not for the Education, then for the Eggplant

Well folks, this week I think I found my absolute favorite thing about BU.

For a while I thought it was my state of the art room in StuVi2; then I considered it being the top notch instructors; of course, the convenience of being in one of the coolest cities in the country was a plus.

All of these features are incredible, and really add to the uniqueness and perfection that is Boston University, but no. The number one reason why I love my school is simple: the Farmer's Market.

Since I've been a student here for two years, I knew about the weekly Farmer's Market for quite some time, but because I lived in a dorm, I saw no reason to visit it. After luckily landing a spot in an apartment I decided to check it out, since I had some space in my refrigerator to fill- And boyyy was my vegan, health conscious heart smiling.

As soon as I walked in front of the GSU this Thursday afternoon, the sight and smell of all of the fresh fruits, vegetables, and baked goods made me feel like I was in heaven. Farmers with friendly faces stood by their locally grown and made foods, talking to students about their products and even giving away free samples.

Ward's Berry Farm, one of the many small businesses at the Market, give students the opportunity to purchase a box of deliciousness for $22 a week. This box is filled with a random assortment of fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and is more than enough to last you the week, if not two.

But if you're not into the whole foods-from-the-earth thing, the Farmer's Market definitely offers some choices that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Taza Chocolate, which in my opinion is some of the best chocolate around, is represented, informing students about its delicious, rich product, and even giving away some samples of different favors.

The Market also features AKA Marvelicious, a vegan cookie company based in Jamaica Plain that has treats to die for. Seriously. Even if you're not a vegan, you'll fall in love with the Almond Carrotoons or Orange Chocolate Chip cookies. I'm drooling just thinking of them.

You can also buy different flavored nuts, local honey, maple syrup, or yummy baked breads.

Be sure to catch the Farmer's Market-whether you have a kitchen or not- every Thursday until October 25th from 11am- 3pm. I can almost guarantee you'll see me there.

Visit http://www.bu.edu/dining/about-us/sustainability/farmers-market/ for more information.

Dany: The First Week

Well, it’s official. You guys are officially college students! I hope your first week has been going fantastic and you’re enjoying all your classes and meeting a ton of people and just having an awesome time.

I can’t believe I’ve only been back in Boston for a few days. So much has been going on that it feels like I’ve been back for weeks. Before I even got back to campus, I was already busy getting things ready for PC’s first events. I hope some of you were able to come out to our Drive-In Movie event on Saturday night! We played “The Avengers” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and it was a great success. I landed on Saturday morning, spent half of the afternoon semi-unpacking and then went straight to work on setting everything up. Time is definitely not wasted at BU!

Sunday was SPLASH and I had lovely chats with a lot of you at the PC table. As secretary, I now have a stack of sign-up sheets to go through and get our listserv going for the new year. It’s a lot of work but I’m so excited for our first general interest meeting coming up soon. Definitely hope to see some of you there!

We have so many awesome events this semester for you guys. Our next big one is of course Childish Gambino this Friday at Metcalf! It’s going to be an awesome show and it’s only $15 with your BU ID! Tickets are online and they’re going pretty fast which is good news for us. We always want to make sure that we’re giving students the best events we possibly can and when a response is so overwhelmingly positive, we know we’re doing the right thing!

Anyway, my schedule has been nonstop since I got here and I really wouldn’t have it any other way. Life has just been a blur of PC, COM, Admissions, classes, catching up with friends, completing my study abroad application, checking out the new dining hall, and revisiting my favorite Boston locales. It’s a miracle I have time to breathe, honestly. I hope you all have a chance to get involved with everything you signed up for at SPLASH. Take advantage this year and go to as many meetings as you can! Find out what really interests you and stick with it. There’s no reason to ever be bored in Boston. Trust me.

As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have questions about anything I’m involved in or just general classes, life, etc. Good luck these next few weeks! And have fun!

Alexa: First Day of School

I’ve come to realize that the first day of school will always have its similarities. However in college, I might prepare for my first day a little differently, since I’m living in a dorm room and not my house, oh also I am 3,000 miles away from home.

First, I will try going to bed at nine o’clock. Instead, I will stay up until midnight or more just laying in my bed thinking, “Why? Why is this happening?”

Next, I will continuously wake up through the night in a state of panic that I might have missed my alarm, only to be reassured that it’s 3:11 AM. I always wake up at something: 11, it’s strange but that’s a whole different conversation.

Finally, when I realize I can sleep in no more, I will put on the outfit that, I’ll admit, I have picked out weeks ahead of time. First impressions count! I will also try to straighten my hair. However, this will probably not work out as well as I would like since my hair has a mind of its own and will only look nice right before I get in the shower.

Next, I will gather all of my things hoping that I don’t forget anything important, more than likely I will. Last year it was my dorm key and I’m really sure my roommate enjoyed that.

Before college, right before I headed out the door, my dad would always give me a few words of encouragement. He has now shortened it down to a simple text stating, “It only matters if you win.” Obviously words to live by. Thanks dad.

I will try to take the BUS (the BU Shuttle) to class but since obviously everyone has the same idea that I have, it will be full unless you shove your way in, normally I like to avoid shoving people and convince myself that a walk is exactly what I need. After taking a nice fifteen minute stroll to class I will continuously debate in my head whether or not I should stop for Starbucks before class in Warren. While my heart says yes, my brain is begging me not to because no one wants to be the person that comes in late to class clutching an iced white mocha, trust me. The argument in my head will continue until I see the long line that is Starbucks and will suffice to getting to class a little early.

Once I get to class, I will again debate between myself and the voice in my head of where I should sit. Should I be attentive and sit and the front? Should I just blend in and sit in the back? Middle it is. Life is all about compromise people.

My point is, don’t take the first day of college too seriously. In all likelihood, you’re going to have a lot of first days and you should enjoy them, not stress about them. With that being said, have fun in COM101!

Julianna: My Journey to Israel

An Open Letter to My Fellow Travel-Hungry BU COM Kids

Shalom BU COM Class of 2016!

Quick re-cap of my summer away from BU: I returned to my summer office job for two months, cranked out a story a week for the college news section of NextGen Journal, got hooked on HBO’s The Newsroom, warmed up to the new cast members on the Real Housewives of New York City and prepared for my trip to Israel.

Now I am Stateside again after participating in the Anti-Defamation League’s Campus Leaders Mission to Israel with 17 other college students from across the country. It was a whirlwind eight days of touring and learning first-hand about Israel’s domestic issues, the Arab-Israeli conflict and Israel’s relations with nations outside of the Middle East. I met journalists, political analysts, new immigrants at an absorption center, IDF soldiers, a world renown professor of Holocaust studies, university students, among others.

The mission to Israel was most definitely the best experience I’ve had in my 20 years of living. Dramatic? Totally. But, I really mean it. Since returning I’ve perused my 600+ photos countless times, daydreamed about zatar (the most delicious spice ever) on everything and reread my notes to further absorb everything that I learned. All this nostalgia and post-travel blues has me longing for another adventure. I want stamps on stamps on stamps in my passport book. I want more culture, another foreign language in my ears and new (or some more ancient) roads to conquer.

I know that I am one of many college students with an endless hunger for travel and adventure. If you find yourself with the very same desire, think about how that aligns with why you chose BU. Speaking for myself, I was completely won over by BU’s location in the heart of Boston. You’ll see that with living in Boston comes constant adventure, whether it be taking the T to the last stop of a particular line, exploring the quaint South End or meandering through the famers’ market at Haymarket. So get ready for the adventure that awaits you in Boston, and along your path to graduation you’re bound to make some stops in near and far places whether through educational or volunteer missions, study abroad or trips for pleasure. Check out www.bu.edu/abroad to begin mapping out your study abroad options for junior year or keep Alternative Spring Break in mind for spring 2013.

Lauren: Internships- Finish Strong!

With the end of summer comes the end of summer internships. During your time at BU, you’re bound to complete an internship at one point or another. While first impressions are very important, you should treat your last days at your internship just like you treated your first. Here are five things you should do as your internship comes to a close:

Ask for a recommendation letter.

About two weeks before your last day, approach your supervisor, or a person that you have worked with closely, and ask if they would write you a letter of recommendation and serve as a professional reference. Specially tell them what you are looking for in the recommendation letter. Suggest, for example, that they highlight your work ethic or comment on your writing skills. If you have a LinkedIn account, you may also want to ask if they could recommend you on that social networking site. In return, offer to write a little internship testimonial that the organization can use to promote their internship program. Don’t be nervous to ask for a recommendation letter or reference- you’ve worked hard, and you deserve it!

2. Set up a meeting with your supervisor on your last day.

On your last day, ask your supervisor if you can sit down with them for a few minutes to get some feedback on your work. Learning about your strengths and weaknesses can be helpful when you have other internships and jobs. This can also teach you how to take constructive criticism, a skill that will be beneficial in the future. Also, let your supervisor know what you thought of the internship program, but make sure you express how thankful you are to have had this opportunity. After all, it’s hard to get an internship nowadays.

3. Give out hand-written thank you notes.

Writing a thank you note is the perfect way to express your gratitude at the end of your internship. A hand-written note is much more thoughtful than simply sending a thank-you email. You can visit this Her Campus article to find thank-you note templates! Be specific in the note by thanking them for either helping you with a particular project or assigning you an exceptionally rewarding task. I always sign professional thank you notes using “Sincerely” or “Best wishes.” Last impressions really count, and writing a note is a great way to stand out and be remembered.

4. Update your Resume.

Internships are great professional experience and can help bulk up your resume. Make sure when you add this experience to your resume that you list specific examples of assignments you completed. Update your resume and LinkedIn page right when your internship is ending so your work is still fresh in your mind. Also, ask for permission to use some of the work that you completed (like writing assignments, design work or video clips) in your portfolio. It will look great when you apply for another internship or job!

5. Keep in touch.

Connect with your fellow interns, supervisors and other employees at your internship site. Add them on LinkedIn and exchange contact information. Make sure that you stay up-to-date with what’s going on with the company by following them on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media sites. You may also want to email your supervisor every three months or so just to stay connected! You never know- staying in touch may help you get a full time job with the company!

Follow these simple steps to make the most out of the last days at your internship! Remember to start strong and end strong!

Dany: What to Leave Behind

Hey everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your last few weeks of summer before the semester finally starts! These last days can be pretty bittersweet: saying goodbye to all your friends, enjoying the last of your mom’s home-cooked meals, trying to decide what to bring with you and what will stay behind. Anyone remember that scene in Toy Story 3 when Andy can’t decide whether to bring Woody or Buzz Lightyear with him to college? A more accurate dilemma has never been portrayed.

That said, I’m sure many of you are now beginning the most daunting of tasks: packing your life away. I am here to bring you some advice. While mostly everything you read will be frantic reminders of things you absolutely must have in college, here are five things you definitely won’t need:

1. Your high school t-shirts

All those senior shirts, club t-shirts, spirit day shirts that have been accumulating in your drawer for the past four years - take it from me and leave them all behind. BU loves to give out free stuff, especially t-shirts. Within a few weeks, you’ll have a whole new set from all the clubs you joined and all the giveaways you took advantage of.

2. Old school notebooks

You thought you were clever saving your tenth grade world history notebook didn’t cha? Let’s be real: your upcoming courses will render your old notes useless. Chances are you’ll forget you even brought them and they’ll just sit in some dark corner of your desk collecting dust for a year. Your professors, classmates, and the Internet is all you need.

3. Candles

They’re not allowed. They’re dangerous in a dormitory setting. I know it sucks. I love candles and how they make a room smell so good and how relaxing they can be. But really, just don’t bring them. They’re banned, it’s a fire hazard, trust me, it’s not worth it. Those wall plug-ins and air fresheners will work perfectly in their place.

4. Surplus storage units

Here is the irony with storage units - they take up space. I’ve found that the most useful and necessary storage units are the ones that go under the bed. Anything else, I would suggest waiting until you get to your room and seeing how much space you have left and how much stuff you still actually need to store away. That way you can make sure you get one or two that will fit your needs, and not four or five that will take up the entire room.

5. School supplies

You need something to write on and you need something write with. Anything else (rulers, glue, markers, etc.) is totally unnecessary. And I would just wait and pick up a few notebooks once you’re here instead of bringing stuff from home. Each class is different. For some, you’ll get by with taking notes on your laptop. Others you might need a binder for all the handouts and papers. Wait until the first day and your syllabus will tell you everything you need to know. Same goes for textbooks!
I hope this helps as you begin the packing process and saves you at least a little space in your suitcases and boxes! I know it’s hard to leave but it’s important to remember the amazing journey you’re about to start and how many incredible moments you have ahead. You all have so much to be proud of and it only gets better from here! See you all in a few weeks!