COM Ambassador Blog

This weekend, a group of COM students confused countless Engineering students by appearing at Photonics on a random Saturday.  This invasion was, however, not without good cause.  This weekend, Boston University’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (BUPRSSA) hosted its 9^th Annual Regional Conference, bringing together PR students from a handful of colleges in the Northeast of the United States.

For those of you who don’t know, BUPRSSA is a pre-professional society for students interested in public relations.  When I came to BU, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to major in, so I joined BUPRSSA to learn more about the field of public relations.  The chapter meets in COM each week, almost always with a PR professional who speaks to the chapter about their involvement in the field. 

Saturday’s conference, PR Advanced: Breaking Barriers, brought speakers from a conglomerate of speakers from companies such as Facebook, Jack Morton Worldwide, John Hancock, and major PR firms Fleishman-Hillard and Schneider Associates.  The program also included keynote speaker Graham Kahr from Digital Royalty.  The conference was meant to emphasize the changing role of PR professionals in our modern world.

A major point of emphasis during the conference was media.  I was able to listen to a presentation by two representatives from Jack Morton Worldwide who discussed the power of viral content in modern public relations.  I was then lucky enough to attend a panel that included three journalists, who were asked to discuss their relationship with PR professionals.  As a journalism and PR student, this panel was especially interesting to me. The relationship between PR professionals and journalists can be complicated, and this panel allowed students to get a better idea of how they should interact with journalists in their careers.

The program of the conference closed with a career fair.  The fair had representatives representing some of the different areas of public relations.  Students were able to network with potential employers and to inquire about internships.  It was a great opportunity for everyone involved.

When I came to BU, I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to study.  Joining PRSSA helped me to learn more about PR and to help me make a decision.  Especially after this amazing conference, I am so excited to make public relations a part of my academic career at Boston University.  And for anyone considering public relations, joining BUPRSSA would be one of the absolute best choices you could make.  Even if you don’t decide to join the BU chapter (which you can do at anytime!), look out when registration comes around for next year’s conference.  It was truly remarkable experience, and totally worth the process of planning it!

I’m a snacker, and sometimes it just isn’t worth it to swipe into the dining hall for something small. Then there are also the times when the dining hall isn’t open and you desperately need something to calm the sounds of your grumbling stomach. These are my top 5 dorm room friendly snacks to stock up on (aka you only have a micro-fridge at your disposal). 

Kind Bars

Personally, my favorite is the dark chocolate cherry cashew flavor, but they’re all great! Kind Bars are perfect to have when you don’t have time for breakfast, when you’re feeling peckish, or trying to tide yourself over until you can get to one of the dining halls. They’re also 

Mamma Chia Chia Squeeze

Now this one may sound strange to those of you who haven’t heard of it before, but they’re my favorite. They come in little pouches similar to the apple sauce pouches with twist tops. They’re gluten free, vegan, and are packed with tons of great ingredients. Plus, they taste good, which is what we’re all most concerned with, right?

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter could be a snack on it’s own, but I personally love it on fruit. Grab an apple or banana on your way out of the dining hall and save it for later. Add some peanut butter and you’ve got yourself another easy hunger fix.

Chips and Salsa

Yes, these are technically two items, but you can’t have one without the other. Chips and salsa are perfect for that salty craving. My favorite salsa is Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica.

Hummus

Hummus on anything. The chips you bought for your salsa, pretzels, carrots — the possibilities are endless. 

Before coming to college I had so many visions of what it would be like; how I would do in classes, who I would meet, and what different activities I would participate in.  I was beyond excited to get to BU and throw myself into so many different things, from theater to working with BUTV10.  And yet when I got here, I found that these plans changed quite a bit.  I unfortunately didn’t make it into the theater troupe, and my schedule didn’t allow for participation at the television station in the way I had hoped it would.  But in a way, I am thankful for this, because it caused me to search for new ways to get involved, and to look for activities that I never thought I would try.  After the other activities didn’t work out, I decided instead to pursue two different groups on campus: radio interning and improv comedy with Liquid Fun.

In high school I was largely involved with theater, but theater always provided me with words to say and an outline of what I was supposed to act out.  With improv, its so different, it is all up to you to come up with a scenario and explanation for your actions.  While theater in high school did give me some practice with this, attending the Liquid Fun practice sessions has really helped me grow my skills, and has made me realize that improv is something I’m actually quite good at.  My first practice was extremely nerve wracking, but it ended up being such a rewarding experience.  My main piece of advice here is that you make sure that you don’t sell yourself short!  Sometimes you can succeed at something that you never expected to, and have a great time while doing it.

In a way, I was almost more nervous about pursuing radio than participating in improv practices.  I have always been very self-conscious when it comes to the sound of my voice, and any form of radio just didn’t seem to be in my future.  However, when my friends asked me if I wanted to intern for their show, Please Take My Mixtape, I decided I’d give it a chance.  While its awkward at first, you eventually get used to listening to yourself talk and interact with others on air.  As a whole, being able to spend two hours in the radio station chatting with friends and listening to good music is actually quite enjoyable, and I’ve definitely grown past my issues of people listening to me speak on air.  

I guess what I’m trying to say here is just know that it is totally okay to push your boundaries when entering college!  I was so nervous coming in to school, and was worried about not finding the right space for me.  But I decided to try new things and go beyond my comfort zones and it has filled my time here with a lot of fun and helped me meet so many great people, including some of my closest friends here at Boston University.

The snow is a joke at this point, with 6 feet of snow piled up on every street corner in Boston. I’m downright stir-crazy, having been holed up inside my apartment like a hermit for the entirety of February. I’m not nearly masochistic enough to get dolled up and wait in line beneath the flurries for 90s Night at Common Ground or risk life and limb to pay for a meal that I could make in the cozy warmth of my own kitchen. However, I’m always willing to adventure for a good film. Especially when that means I can sit in the dark for a couple of hours, wrapped up in my cheesy New Zealand sweatshirt, with hot popcorn on my lap. Fortunately, winter is a great time for film releases, so we all have plenty of options. Check out the films I’m dying to see below!

What We Do in the Shadows

“Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane—like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts.”

 Okay, technically I’ve already seen this film. As a huge fan of filmmaker Taika Waititi and Flight of the Conchords, I obviously had to see this film in theaters the moment I arrived in Auckland for study abroad. I dragged along my new roommate—who had never seen any of Waititi’s previous work or a single episode of Conchords—and we loved it so much that we feel the need to support its Boston debut this Friday.

Now playing, Kendall Square Cinemas

Oscar Nominated Short Films: Animated/Live Action

“Don't miss this rare opportunity to see all five Academy Award nominees in the category of Best Animated Short and more! Program includes: “A Single Life” (The Netherlands), in which Pia, when playing a mysterious vinyl single, is suddenly able to travel through her life; Walt Disney Animation Studios' “Feast” (USA), the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share; “Me and My Moulton” (Canada/Norway), about a seven-year-old girl in mid-’60s Norway who asks her parents one summer if she and her sisters can have a bicycle; “The Bigger Picture” (UK), in which innovative life-size animated characters tell the stark and darkly humorous tale of caring for an elderly parent; and “The Dam Keeper” (USA), which tells the tale of a young pig encumbered with an important job, and the meeting of a new classmate who changes everything.”

 “Don't miss this rare opportunity to see all five Academy Award nominees in the category of Best Live Action Short! Program includes: “Aya” (Israel/France), where two strangers unexpectedly meet at an airport and he mistakenly assumes her to be his assigned driver and she, enchanted by the random encounter, does not hurry to prove him wrong; “Boogaloo and Graham” (UK), in which two boys, Jamesy and Malachy, are over the moon when their soft-hearted dad presents them with two baby chicks to care for; “Butter Lamp” (France/China), in which a young itinerant photographer and his assistant offer to photograph some Tibetan nomads in front of various backgrounds; “Parvaneh” (Switzerland), in which a young Afghan immigrant travels to Zurich where she encounters a punk named Emily; and “The Phone Call” (UK), in which shy Heather (Sally Hawkins), working at a helpline call center, receives a phone call from a mystery man (Jim Broadbent).”

 Since I’ve started making my own shorts as a film student, I’m definitely more appreciative of these Oscar categories. Often times, I find myself more impressed by the short films than the Best Picture category, and I’m so excited to be inspired by this years nominees.

Selma

“A chronicle of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.”

 Selma is the only Best Picture nominee that I haven’t seen yet. I wasn’t overly interested in seeing the film because it tells a story I thought I was familiar with. However, after hearing friends’ rave reviews, I’d love to see the film before Sunday’s Oscar ceremony.

 Wild Canaries

“A Brooklyn couple suspects foul play when their rent controlled neighbor suddenly drops dead.”

 This film was lauded as “a love letter to screwball comedies,” and I’m all about that, since my love of film was first sparked by the Old Hollywood classics. If the trailer is a true depiction of what the film is like, it should be a solid 99 minutes of sharp comedy, cute gags, and boundless charm.

I’m the type of person to have a five-year plan, and then follow it religiously. My plan for college housing was to live in Warren, then 1019, then StuV for my junior and senior years. I’m currently a sophomore and when my friends and I were talking about housing for next year, they all decided they wanted to move off campus for our junior year. I didn’t know the first thing about getting an apartment. I hadn’t done the research or even thought about it. So, for others who find themselves in a similar predicament, here are some basics and tips for moving off campus.

1. Find a good realtor. There are plenty of companies in Boston – make sure to find one that has a plan for undergraduate college students and has apartments and houses near the BU Campus.
2. Choose whom to live with. Living off campus is more responsibility. Make sure you’re choosing to live with people who will agree to roommate terms and want the same things, regarding housing preferences, as you do.
3. Convincing the parents. I made a spreadsheet on Microsoft Excel showing my dad how living off campus is actually cheaper than living in StuV 1 or 2. Up front there are a lot of fees (first month’s rent, last month’s rent, application fee and lock fee) but after that it is a lot less overwhelming and you don’t have to use the dining hall, which is absolutely amazing.
4. Be fair about choosing rooms. Luckily the girls I’m living with all wanted different rooms so we never had an issue, but make sure you use a fair method in deciding who gets what room.
5. Read the lease at least three times. Ask questions about items you don’t understand. This is a legal document, so make sure you understand all of the rules and agreements you are signing to.
6. Lastly, take a deep breath. I got overwhelmed with all of the up front payments, finding a place without my parents helping me, signing a thick legal document and leaving the safety net of a 24 hour security guard and a dining plan. However, living off campus is cheaper and gives you more freedom, more space and is a more independent lifestyle that I didn’t realize I wanted until I signed the lease.

So, if living off campus isn’t in your long-term college plan – don’t be opposed to it. Have an open mind. I’m so excited to have an apartment with my best friends… and also to have an actual kitchen.

The most popular points of conversation on campus right now are: upcoming midterm exams, the snow tundra we once knew as Boston, and 50 Shades of Grey hitting the cinema over Valentine's Day Weekend. Whether you're a fan of the books or have never heard of Christian Grey in your life, here are my 3 reasons why you should see "50 Shades of Grey" right now. 

1) Company - You're not going to want to see this when it comes out on OnDemand this summer, with your Mom casually sitting next to you. This is the type of movie friends should go with friends to. Trust me, you'll want to know the people next to you when Christian takes off his shirt and eats toast out of Anastasia's hand in one shot. You'll probably also want to discuss the film after seeing it and again, not something you want to do with your mom. 

2) Spoilers - This is one of the most talked about movies. Ever. If you want to see it eventually, you may as well not wait. Everyone is seeing it - or knows someone who has seen it - and wants to share their opinion one way or another. Take things into your own hands and see the film before your roommates has a chance to say "well it wasn't as good at the book" or worse, your neighbor say "you're not going to like the abrupt ending." Don't anyone spoil it for you! 

3) Weather - Because what else is there to do besides watch movies in snowy weather like this? I know you've probably become quite comfortable in your bedroom (read cocoon) after the 5 snow days we've had but its time to break through that hibernation and get outside. Walk over to Regal Fenway Cinema's, indulge in your favorite candy and blue raspberry slushy, and enjoy a movie that I promise you won't forget.

I don’t know if anyone ever told you, but being in college is hard. The conventional things like making friends, moving out on your own, and managing classes is actually easier than expected, but something that no one ever really warned me about was money management. Even with the cushion of money I saved up from my steady job this past summer, and having a small monthly allowance form my parents, I still stress about money on a daily basis. 

When you are at school, money flies away without you ever noticing it. A couple dinners out in a week can end up being over $50, and a trip to CVS when you’re sick can be crazy expensive. Here’s a couple thing I’ve learned over the past semester and a half about money management on your own:

Plan Your Meals Wisely

I try to only eat out once a week, and while this is tough given the amazing food options in Boston, it can be done. As weird as on-campus dining can be, there are enough options that you can always find something you’ll love. This semester I changed from the 14-plus to the 250 plan and have gotten a boat-load of dining points, allowing me to eat in the GSU more often (I eat there a lot. Seriously, I never leave. Like you will always find me there, usually eating a sushi bowl in back court.)

Sell Those Gift Cards

The holidays were wonderful, weren’t they? But they left you with so many gift cards that you’ll never use! What I did at the beginning of the semester was make a bunch of returns, leaving me with about $200 in store credit. I went onto cardpool.com and only lost about 10% leaving me with a hefty check to support me this semester.

Use Your Student Discounts

There are sooooooooooooooooooooo many student discounts out there, especially here in Boston. As a Film & TV major and theatre lover, I see a lot of movie and plays, and using my student discount has saved me a ton. Being a student can also get you into tons of places for free, like the Isabella Gardner Museum or the MFA. It’s a much better way of spending your day than going out shopping.

Also online there are a ton of great deals, like you can register your school ID with Spotify and get half off on Spotify Premium for your of years of college!

So those are a few of my money saving tips, but I’m still learning! I’ll be back next time once I’ve mastered the Quickie job system!

On Friday I went apartment searching with my three closest friends. It was during this adventure that I came to the sudden, and scary, realization that I am finally an adult. Some people may not agree I’m a “‘real adult” because I’m still in college living off of my parents money, but coming to having my own kitchen and having to scrub a toilet is more than enough to convince me.

I had to sign a document acknowledging that the realtor was a legitimate realtor and not just a random guy showing us apartments and that is when the whole situation got very real. Before, all of the planning and talk of living together was just that: talk. It was fun searching online and dreaming of getting a cat, but when we signed that document, there was no going back.

The biggest thing I have to come to terms with is that fact that I will have to pay for internet. This is a very foreign concept to me. Honestly, three years ago I thought internet just existed, I didn’t know it came from the TV provider and that we paid for it. Now that its not free, is it worth it?  (That’s a dumb question.) Obviously it is, especially when considering not paying for cable and just streaming TV from a computer (an easy way to save some money). 

What I am most looking forward to is Sunday dinners. They will certainly be a challenge considering there are two vegans and one gluten-free eater in the house (none of whom are myself). This will be challenging because my recipe rolodex currently consists of mostly chicken dishes. Nonetheless, I’m excited to expand my food horizons and cook new (meatless/dairy-less/gluten-less) foods. I’ll be a master by the time spring semester rolls around—hopefully. 

All of this has got me thinking: am I ready to live on my own? Yeah, technically I’m living on my own right now, but someone cleans the bathroom every day and the dining hall staff makes the food and cleans the dishes. At just 19, I will be completely responsible, working two jobs and attending college. My life is really starting to come together, and I’m excited for it.

This past weekend I had the strong urge to treat myself. So Saturday morning I woke up early and headed over to my favorite place to satisfy that urge: Newbury Street. Around eight I hopped on the B line T to begin my peaceful morning in one of my favorite places in Boston. Newbury Street has everything I could possibly dream of in one easily accessible and scenic location.  Newbury is lined with beautiful brownstone buildings that host various shops, restaurants and salons. My motto for the morning was “treat yo self” from the television show Parks and Recreation. I hate to admit it but I took the motto very seriously. Nails, treat yo self; Starbucks, treat yo self; Clothes, treat yo self. Treating yourself on Newbury is extremely easy to do.

I planned my early morning not only to treat myself, but also to separate myself from campus after the snow days due to Juno. I felt the need to be alone which is what I got when I arrived on Newbury. At eight o’clock in the morning on a Saturday with a wind chill of below zero, most people decided to stay in their warm beds. The street was practically empty aside from the few brave souls such as myself. Although my eyes watered and my face became instantly numb as I walked against the wind, I was filled with a strange peace.

Walking alone in the empty, snow covered street was not only peaceful but also made realized how much I have grown during my time at BU. Over the past year I have had defining moments when I realized I was no longer a child: being accepted to BU, scheduling my own doctor’s appointment for the first time away from home, receiving my first paycheck and now walking alone on Newbury Street. These significant moments in my life represent a change within me that Boston University and the city of Boston have been able to bring out in me.

When I got back to my dorm I had new nails, new clothes and a new outlook on myself and my life. My day wasn’t about treating myself how I imagined. I treated myself to the satisfaction of knowing I am a capable adult living in one of the greatest cities. Living in Boston during this chapter of my life has changed me for the better. I am coming into my own here, and I can’t imagine doing so anywhere else. (And I also got some cool new clothes… so that’s a plus!)

My morning in a nutshell: