comblog – Page 93 – COM Ambassador Blog

Abby: Pleasantly Proved Wrong

With classes starting again I am again reminded just how much actually goes on around campus. Towards the end of last semester and my first year at BU, I thought I had really found my groove and knew what was what around campus. I thought I had it all figured out and that I knew exactly how my sophomore year was going to go. But this past week I have been pleasantly proved wrong.

The amount of clubs, organizations, events and causes is overwhelming but in the most inspiring way. In an “any thing is possible” or “I can be anything I want to be” kind of way. I am determined to keep this feeling all year even as more class projects get underway. I feel like I could be a part of anything I want. This fall it has also come to my attention that my friends do more than I thought and I can’t wait to join friends who are already involved in something awesome.

One of my fellow COM Ambassadors, Anneliese, is a DJ on a radio show on WTBU and has really made me want to know more about the radio station. My roommate and best friend is very involved with dance on campus and has inspired me to take a Ballet PDP. I also love seeing the freshmen in my COM Ambassador group get excited to get involved. They have inspired me to try some new things and are even letting me tag along with some of them to new member meetings. I can’t wait to see what this semester has in store for me and BU as a whole.

Kate: Getting Your Hands Dirty

Hi y’all! I hope you all are excited to be in Boston and your first week went well. Since meeting my freshmen over the last couple weeks, I’ve had a bunch of questions about how to get practical experience in your first year. As valuable as COM 101 and 201 are, I can understand wanting to get your hands on something in major sooner than later. So here are my three suggestions for getting involved right off the bat:

Get involved in hands-on activity. Whether its BUTV10, WTBU Radio, or The Daily Free Press, COM offers so many groups where you can actually get your feet wet. At the first BUTV meeting (September 11 from 7-9pm in COM101 ) you’ll get to hear from each Executive Producer about the different shows, time commitments, and shoots. For WTBU Radio, you can intern for a semester before starting your own show. All of these groups will teach how to use the equipment and give you invaluable experience.

Join a professional organization. I’ve been a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America since freshmen year and its been one of the most rewarding groups I've been involved with. They bring in fantastic speakers every week, take the group on agency tours, and put on a professional conference every February. For journalism students, there is the Society of Professional Journalists and Ed2010. Not only are they great for your resume, they also teach you things you probably won’t learn elsewhere.

Network, network, network. In all communication industries, networking is incredibly important and it is never too early to start. In COM 101, Professor Vigil brings in great speakers and panelists. Introduce yourself to them and get their business card. Attend networking events and keep in touch with people you think could be important to you in the future. And lastly, network with your professors. I’ve never met a professor who wouldn’t go out of their way to help you at any time and is happy to get to know you.

If you didn’t make it to the Ice Cream Social or Splash this past week, check on the Facebook/Twitter and websites of the groups you’re interested in getting involved with for information about their first meetings. Good luck with week two and be in touch with your COM Ambassador with any questions!

Abby: Baby, It’s Cold Outside… But Not Quite Yet

I can remember this time last year FREAKING OUT about moving to Boston and starting my freshmen year. I had been planning and organizing all summer since before I had even officially graduated high school. (You can see my ridiculously color-coded packing list on the first episode of last season’s COMLife http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A021MmXvZo). One of my biggest stressors last summer was getting all of my things from Florida to Boston. And making sure I had every thing I needed or could possibly need at my new home away from home. This summer I feel a little bit calmer about entering my sophomore year mostly because I know a little bit more about what to expect. One obvious thing that did not occur to me until after I arrived in Boston was there are stores in Boston, too, because other people live there too. There are clothing stores and office supply stores and Bed Bath and Beyonds. So it is okay if you forgot something because there is nothing you left at home that your family can’t ship up to you or you can’t buy.

The cold weather was also another unknown that I was trying to plan for. I thought that it would be a snowy blizzard outside the second I stepped off the plane and I had no coat because it is impossible to buy fleece in Florida. But you know what? I was wearing shorts on move-in day and bought a fan for the first couple of weeks in the air-condition-less dorms. There was plenty of time for me to find a winter coat, boots and hat once I was in Boston because it doesn’t get cold until at least after Halloween.

Will: Move-in Mayhem

Alright, so you’re about to leave for school. Wow. Wow wow wow. You’re packing up your car, stuffing random socks into any extra pocket you can find, and looking in spots in your home you didn’t know existed for things that probably don’t. But that’s good, you gotta be sure, right?

Well, let me tell you something: as soon as you coast down Comm Ave to the front of Warren Towers or West or wherever, your first experience as an independent adult is gonna come right at ya. Move-in…

It’s going to be nuts. It’ll probably be hot, it will be overwhelming, but it will be awesome. So I’ve got some tips for you.

1) Keep your cool, people.

Just remember that there is no rush. You’ll have plenty of time to figure everything out and everything will come together just fine because, well… it just does.

2) Tell your parents to keep THEIR cool.

“Mom, just chill out for a sec…” You can say that! It is okay to say that because more than likely your parents will be much more overwhelmed than you will be. Not only do they have to deal with moving you in, but they have to deal with you going off to live your own life and fulfill your dreams and yada yada yada.

3) Say “Hey” and smile!

There’s going to be about a million people there helping you move your things, check you in, and just be friendly so go ahead and be friendly back! If you’re happy and optimistic from Day 1 it’s going to make your whole semester just that much better.

Hopefully this helps and if all else fails, count to ten and go to your happy place.

Morgan: Life as an Advertising Intern

So you want to go into advertising? So you want to work at one of those big fancy ad firms like on “Mad Men” and hang out on comfy couches while you create some pretty awesome stuff? Well get out your Mason Jars and sporks then friends - you’re gonna need ‘em!

I was lucky enough to snag an awesome internship at Digitas (now DigitasLBi) this summer - the largest (and best!) advertising firm in the Boston area. I was so excited about everything that I would learn from my summer at Digitas, but what I didn’t expect was to be treated like royalty. Let me explain...

- On day 1, the fed us breakfast AND lunch. And we got lots of Digitas swag.

- Every Friday, we get free bagels.

- On day 4, we got to attend the annual All Staff Meeting - held at the Boston Opera house, followed by food & drinks!

- There is candy. Everywhere. All the time.

- There is also free coffee all day everyday. Keurig cups GALORE.

- On day 10, we got free ice cream sundaes (summer solstice, duh).

- On day 13, we had breakfast with the CEO of the entire North American branch of DigitasLbi - Tony Weisman. Who is awesome, BTW.

- On day 16, we had lunch with former Digitas interns - who told us about their experience here.

- On day 24, all of the interns went to Cradles & Crayons for volunteer day, followed by more free food, of course.

- Next Tuesday we’re having dinner at Barb’s house - the President of Digitas Boston (casual), and on Thursday, we’re going to a Red Sox Game!

Best summer ever, anyone?

But in all honesty, all 25 of the Digitas summer interns are smart, hardworking, and innovative individuals and I have felt so lucky to be a part of this intern class. The interns are placed in a variety of capabilities - from Account Management, to Creative, to Strategy & Analysis, and are placed on client teams. Our days consist of about 75% real client work, and 25% “Digitas University” content - including training sessions and a case study competition. Although Digitas encourages its employees to have fun, we also work really hard, and in the last 8 weeks I’ve learned more about the industry than I ever could have learned in a classroom.

So my advice to you?

INTERN INTERN INTERN. Do it as many times as you can in as many places as you can. Its an awesome experience overall, and you might even get paid 😉

Hope you’re having a great summer and I can’t wait to meet all of you in the fall!

Sara: Surviving Transfer Student Orientation

Hello all! I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer and looking forward to the fall semester ahead in Boston, I know I certainly am. In fact, I’m already dreaming of Red Sox games, cozy scarves and pumpkin flavored everything. I know I shouldn’t be wishing away summer but hey, fall is my favorite.

Shout out to all the new transfer students coming into BU this year! A year ago I was in your exact position and I know I wasn’t exactly looking forward to going through another college orientation. But I will say it was well worth the experience, I met my best friend and now current roommate and it really helped me to get my feet on the ground and get my transfer credits taken care of before school started. I also walked away with a great mantra that Dean Elmore, our Dean of Students, shared with us. He quoted Howard Thurman saying, “Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

This really stuck with me because it made me feel in the right place at the right time. There’s nothing better than feeling like your decision to leave a school was the right one. It is not easy to transfer schools and it takes courage to make the leap of going to a new school. So basically what I’m trying to say is take a deep breath because you’re in great hands.

That being said, I came in as a transfer student last year knowing I wanted a career in the entertainment field and soon after I realized this dream, I read Dany’s blog post- a fellow COM ambassador and transfer student- about her amazing internships in LA for the summer. That really lit a spark in me and I swore to myself that this summer I would be interning in Los Angeles. Being someone who lives and breathes the awards season December-February, I feel so grateful to find myself in my dream internship at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. I have had the best experience and I know this never would have happened if I hadn’t come to BU.

My biggest piece of advice to transfer students coming in is to not be afraid of your dreams. Don’t feel like you’re already behind just because you’re coming to a new school as a sophomore or a junior. You still have time to figure out what makes you come alive and go do it. The best part is, there are so many people here who will go out of their way to help you make your dreams a reality.

So enjoy the rest of your summer, bond with some fellow transfer students at orientation and get ready for a great fall semester!

Dany: A Summer in Sydney

G’day from the land down under! I hope everyone has been having a great summer (even though it’s technically winter over here!) I have been having the most incredible year traveling the world through BU’s study abroad programs. Last spring, I spent four months working in London and I am now wrapping up two months living in Sydney. Only a few more weeks before I get back to Boston for my senior year!

That said, I don’t know how I’m going to leave Sydney. Our program ends on Tuesday but I get to stay a few more days because of my internship. I’m working as a publicity intern at eckfactor, a public relations agency focusing on entertainment. It’s a small team (I’m only the 7th person in the office!) but I have learned and done so much in the past two months, it’s going to be really hard to say goodbye.

The reason I’m staying is to work an event called the ASTRA Awards (basically the Australian Emmy’s for subscription television). The event is on Thursday, so since I have been working on it the whole semester, my supervisor and internship advisor worked it out so that I would be able to stay a few days after the program and see it through.

Our office has been working hard, especially this past week, to put it all together. I have met so many great people, both in talent and behind-the-scenes, through photo-shoots and media calls, and I can’t wait to see how it all comes together.

Besides work, I have been having the time of my life exploring this city and safe to say, I’ve completely fallen in love. I am seriously considering returning for good after I graduate. I can either hope to get sponsored (maybe through my same internship!) or get a year-long work study visa. Two months just isn’t nearly enough time. I’ve done so much, but I know I’ve just barely scratched the surface.

Either way, there’s plenty to look forward to in the fall! I must say I really can’t wait to be in Boston again. And I’ll also have one month to just relax back home with my family in sunny South Florida before classes start, so no complaints there.

If anyone is thinking about going abroad, I have one thing to say: stop thinking and just do it. I can’t even begin to tell you how much these experiences have done for me. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to shoot me an email (vasquezd@bu.edu) or check out my blog (www.danyvasquez.com). Hope you guys have a great rest of the summer, and can’t wait to see you in Boston!

Until then, cheers mate xx

Steph: Freshman Dorm Décor

Hey there future freshman! As the summer starts to wind down, it's time to think about how you're going to make your freshman dorm feel like a home away from home. A lot of it comes down to simple things that will make your smalls space feel your own.

1. Photos and Posters

Pictures and posters are an easy way to make those bare white cinderblock walls feel more homey. Whenever you're feeling a bit homesick, its nice to have some family pictures up on the wall. A fun way to display them is to hang a thin rope from the walls and attach photos with clothing pins to the rope!

2. Pillows and Blankets

Trust me, there is nothing like coming back to your room after a long day of classes and just collapsing on your bed amongst comfy pillows and soft blankets. You can also have a lot of fun with them, by having a plain white comforter and accessorizing with pops of patterns and color in your pillows and blankets!

3. Lighting

While every dorm room comes with wall lights, its always nice to add a tall lamp to add some illumination on late night study sessions. Picking a lamp with colored shades will cast warm glows in the room and make it feel a tad less like a prison cell...those florescent bulbs can be pretty harsh sometimes.

The most important thing is that you feel at home at BU, and that starts with your dorm room! So don't be afraid to go all out and bring all the comforts of home with you.
See all of you SO SOON! (Counting down the days already!!) 🙂

Taylor: COM is Magical

Life is becoming extremely surreal for me at the moment. About two years ago, I shared the same nervousness and enthusiasm as many of you. I can recall drafting lists with ideas on how to decorate my room, bulleting last minute items to purchase, and stalking the information pages of extracurricular clubs I found interesting. Images of friendships to come, future lectures to note, and adventures to embark on would constantly enter my mind. My imagination envisioned BU akin to Hogwarts.

I pictured myself becoming the Oprah of our stellar Quidditch team. Unfortunately, the sorting hat thought otherwise. I was heartbroken when Student Services denied my petition for a time turner. Regardless, the magic of collegiate experiences is contagious. There have been moments where I have missed the BU Shuttle platform by just 9 ¾’s of a second (It happens to all!). Here’s a handy life warning: DON’T walk over the university crest, located in Marsh Plaza, before graduating (it’s literally the dark mark!). FYI: Fluffy creatures are often spotted on university lawns during study periods and at random as therapy.

COM is an extraordinary school full of phenomenal beings. Just thinking about all of the legendary footsteps that Terriers follow daily sends chills down my spine. I am convinced that we posse individual Marauder’s Map- which steers us towards our passion and dreams! Get ready for a journey of a lifetime.

WelCOMe

-JTaylor

Tom: The Best Broadway Summer

Hey all! After spending the past two summers in Boston, I am finally back in my home state (NY) spending the summer interning in the greatest city in the world, New York City! After coming back from London, I transitioned right into my summer internship at AKA NYC, a live-entertainment marketing and advertising agency right near Times Square. I am interning in the Marketing & Promotions department, which basically means all of the promo deals, events, and corporate sponsors you see sprinkled through the Great White Way come from our department.

tom — Meeting Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez at 'Broadway Rocks'

Transitioning from my soon-to-be-completed degree in Advertising to the world of Marketing & Promotions was an interesting jump, but my time at BU has helped me in more ways than one to navigate my first real-time Broadway internship.

BU Lifesaver #1 – The COM Connection

While I am sure you are tired of hearing “network with COM alumni” – this advice could not be truer. While searching for NY internships while I was still out in London, I messaged a past “BU On Broadway” President, Abby Schreer, for any leads for Broadway advertising internships. She sent me the contact information for my now-supervisor at AKA. I sent an email with my resume, had a phone interview two weeks later, and finally got the confirmation email a week after that. Word to the wise – join clubs and meet as many people as you can. Friends can end up being your greatest lifeline.

BU Lifesaver #2 – Presentation 101

For our summer intern project for the company, all of the company interns are collaborating to create a mock advertising pitch for the fake musical adaptation to “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (the 90’s, Julia Roberts and Burt Bacharach, anyone?). While this project would seem daunting, I am helped by class experience (shout-out to Intro to Advertising) in presentations that have made this project a bit more manageable. Powerpoint is every agency’s best friend.

BU Lifesaver #3 – Know the Industry

The biggest lifesaver of them all was my knowledge of the industry. Back in Professor Cakebread’s Account Management class, we had to research agencies that interested us, which is how I stumbled upon the Broadway agencies. Having a working knowledge of the theater industry and how it related to advertising have helped me every day. Most importantly – my recent internship in London Theater was even more helpful, especially since I now intern at a global agency (with a base office in London!).

The big take-away is make the most of your time at COM, because you will find little “lifesavers” that will help you throughout your internship and eventual job search. Without these BU connections and experiences, I am not sure I would have been able to make the most of my dream internship.

See you all on campus in the fall!

tom3 — Hanging Out with Spider-Man at the Brooklyn Cyclones