Some must-do’s are:

Boat around Boston

As the weather warms you begin to see more and more boats on the water alongside the straining college crews. The Charles River is a great place for casual boating adventures and, if you’re inclined, sailing lessons (we even offer some through BU). I like to pretend I’m a pirate.

See the seasonal blooms at the Isabella Stewart museum

This art museum has an amazing courtyard which, though beautiful in the summer and fall, is a sight to see in the spring. The courtyard features vibrant blue and white Hydeangea macrophylla along with other flowers with complicated names. A great place to sit and contemplate contemplating.

Cheer on the Red Sox

You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy going to a game at Fenway. The fan culture is just as exciting as the game itself, sometimes more so. There is no better way to spend a spring afternoon than eating hotdogs, drinking beer, and cheering with friends. Everyone is going to be there anyways.

Take a trip on the commuter rail

As amazing as Boston is, sometimes you just have to get out of the city. The MBTA commuter rail can take you to some great towns both north and south of the city. Stroll around and shop in quaint towns like Gloucester or Newburyport. Head south to see the historic city of Plymouth. There are some nice beaches if you are looking for a quiet picnic and national parks and forests if you’re looking to stretch your legs.

Relax on patio bars

As the weather warms, restaurants begin opening up their patios back up for drinking and dining. Sitting in the sun and watching the city pass you by while you feast on various dishes is a great way to relax after a day of shopping. Favorites include: Charlie’s Kitchen, Noir, and Marliave.

Attend a festival

Spring is the beginning of festival season in Boston. From now until the end of fall you can pretty much attend one every weekend. We have everything from beer, wine and food festivals to film, art and science festivals. Right now we have Boston’s annual Independent Film Festival (where one of our professors is showing off her recent documentary).

These are just a few of the many things you can do during Boston’s spring. For more suggestions check out these lists:

• Things to Do
• Things to do in Boston this spring under 25$

So whether you’re visiting Boston, have recently found an apartment, or have already been here a semester or two take some time to experience everything it has to offer.

So squeezable

BU separated themselves by being personable from the very beginning.

When I was searching for journalism graduate programs, I sent out a handful of emails requesting information about the schools, the application process, and any other details that I may need to know. For the most part the schools I contacted replied back, but only BU answered each of my questions individually. It was a pretty small gesture, but for a nervous 27 year old who wasn’t even sure applying to grad school was the right move in the first place, it was much appreciated.

This level of one-on-one communication continued throughout the entire application process. From the consistent email updates, to the stress ball BU sent me as the application deadline approached, to the thank you letter they sent me once my application was completed, I felt like BU made a real attempt to connect with me. This connection continued once I was accepted. The accepted students dinner in San Francisco really meant a lot to me, as I was able to meet with a handful of current students as well as the Assistant Dean. I didn’t know what to expect sitting down for dinner with a group of folks from a graduate school, but very consistent with the entire process with BU, they were all incredibly nice. We chatted for a few hours, and when I walked out of the restaurant I was going to BU.

I’ve been here for 6 months now, and I am proud to say that BU is my home.

But what really stood out to me? When I came to visit, I could tell the professors actually cared. They wanted to instill knowledge in you and help you succeed. Furthermore, I knew that if I went to BU, I would have a greater chance of coming out on top with a stronger competitive edge in the job market. The community of alumni was stressed as being one of the best, and I knew that being in Boston would give me many more internship opportunities than the other colleges I applied to.

Practical Experience... and supportive, high-fiving professors

But my number one reason for applying to BU in the first place? Being able to have the opportunity to build my portfolio. The emphasis on applied work was important to me when I have had zero public relations experience. PRLab, the oldest student-run PR agency in America, would give me a chance to work with an actual client and build a media kit. Because I’m in PR I can speak wonders of the program, but I’ll also note that it’s not the only program which is applied. From the friends I’ve made in other programs, I know none of them regret coming here. And I know they’ll all come out with work they can show off to their future employers.

I remember how I felt the day I finally handed in all my application materials. There was a sigh of relief and a fleeting feeling of accomplishment immediately followed by nail biting anxiety… now I have to wait?! It was complete torture thinking about the 1-2 months I had to endure before hearing a decision that would affect the course of my life.

I had a terrible image of myself months later – twitchy, disheveled, one stenciled on eyebrow because I had nervously pulled it out, maybe carrying a plastic duck and making quacking noises under my breath as I stare fixedly at my mailbox. After considering if I could turn the one eyebrow thing into a new fashion trend, I realized dwelling on the committee’s future decision was unhealthy. I had done everything I could, given them everything they had asked for and put my best effort into the essays. I no longer had any influence over the process. So, rather than sit around waiting for the ax or congratulation balloons to fall, I decided to make myself busy.

I was fortunate enough to be in Spain at the time, so I bid tearful farewell to my ESL students, grabbed my backpack, and took off across the country.

Posing - see how much fun I'm having?! Wooo!

It was an amazing experience and, better yet, I hardly thought about graduate school at all. OK, that’s a lie, but at least I wasn’t obsessing over it (for which my eyebrows thank me). However, this might be a bit impractical for the rest of you so I have put together a brief list of suggestions.

1. Grab an Internship – If you don’t already have one, now is the perfect time to get one. It will only help you by preparing you for your future academic adventure and introducing you to the field you are striving to enter.
2. Start a Hobby – Get into rock collecting (a lot more exciting than it sounds) or finally start that band you have been talking about since high school. Studies are showing that interviewers are looking for more from candidates than work experience, they want to be able to connect with you. Therefore, if you have an interesting hobby/interest you will have a lot more to discuss, laugh, bond over.
3. Write a Novel – “”How you uh, how you comin’ on that novel you’re working on? Huh? … Your big novel you’ve been working on for 3 years?” We’ve all wanted to at some point before talking ourselves out of it because no one will want to read about a lone gun slinging space captain who is unwillingly drawn into an intergalactic war and must fight her way to the truth all the while fighting with her need to stay independent…. Erm. Anyways, start one and, even if it doesn’t go anywhere, you’ll have a story to tell about the experience.
4. Travel – Pack up your bags and hit the road, friend, you’re not meant for this small town crap *spits* (I need to stop watching TV). Plan some trips. They don’t have to be extravagant, just go somewhere you have never been. Who knows, it might turn into one hell of an adventure, or it might not.
5. Volunteer – Go, improve your moral fiber. Give of yourself unto your community. This is good for several reasons: it distracts you, looks good on your resume, and you’ll be helping someone in need.

These were just a couple suggestions to get you thinking about how to fill up your time. If you have any suggestions or experiences you’d like to share feel free to leave them in the comments. I am all about vicarious living.

It’s finals week at Boston University, and the stress level is pretty high. The fact is that everyone knows deep down that when the last final paper or project is due that we will have it taken care of, but there is such a feeling of doubt leading up to the deadline that it’s hard to believe that it could possibly get done. The thing that separates this week from the typical undergraduate finals week is this: first, the exams, papers or projects are all in subjects that we truly care about, and second, many of the projects are self selected so there is added pressure to perform. For example, I have a final paper due in my journalism principals and techniques class that is on baseball gloves. I love baseball, more than almost anything. So not only is there the pressure of the final paper, but there is the pressure to live up the standard that I would expect as a baseball fan. It’s a gift and curse.

This is a fun part about graduate school. Everyone who is here is here because they want to be. You have to not only have a bachelors degree, but also have had the initiative to apply and get accepted to the program. It is similar to college in that the people here are smart and want to learn, but it is different in that all the subjects are specific to your hopeful career and everyone even more motivated. It’s really exciting to get to choose topics that directly relate to your field of interest. This is probably the best part about BU. You are here to make tangible progress toward your future job. Hopefully someday I will get paid to write feature articles about baseball mitts. Here’s hoping.

But by far the most challenging move what the one I made from Los Angeles to Boston just about a year and a half ago. There are several obvious reasons for that.

1) Distance — Pull out your nearest map. Now draw your finger from LA to Boston. That’s 3,000 miles. Well, I should be accurate. I went over to Google Maps and looked up the driving distance. 2,997 miles. Not counting rest stops and fast food runs. Great. Here are some directions for those of you interested in driving. (I flew.)

2) Convenience — Look around you. See that lovely desk you’ve had since grade school? That nice office chair? Not coming with you. What about your wonderful mattress, or the towels you love, or that easy chair, that giant beanbag, the posters and pictures of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, the snow globes, that Nerf hoop or that great shoe holder? Also staying. If you decide to fly here, which I strongly encourage, you may be able to take two suitcases worth of stuff with you. Be thrifty. Remember, you need clothes. You can always buy stuff here in Boston.

3) Sun — There is more of it in California. Don’t be fooled: the weather here in Boston isn’t always as bad as people think it is. Look, I love the sun and the beach, but there is something to be said for cold weather. First of all, it makes hot chocolate way more effective. It’s also fun to see your own breath. Snow is pretty for at least three hours. Rain is good for the Earth and stuff. Cold weather makes football more awesome. Who doesn’t enjoy a good pair of mittens? But there are times when I really miss wearing sandals and shorts every day — in December.

4) New City, New Culture — People here are different from the ones back home. They’re more up-front, and it can come off as brash. But they’re honest, mostly polite and won’t bite you if you ask for directions. The streets here are laid out like they were planned by a mouse with its tail on fire. Intersections can be very dangerous, so make sure you are always being cautious. Find the nearest grocery store (that was a challenge). Everyone jaywalks, and no one seems to mind, but that doesn’t mean it is a smart thing to do.

5) Friends and family — You may not be able to go home for Thanksgiving, and Christmas might also be a problem. Remember, you will be a long way from home and your usual crowd. But this can be a big positive as well. Meet friends and make new connections. It’s a great chance to experience something completely different and see what the other side of the country has to offer. Boston is a wonderful city and you should take advantage of that.

Trust me. The move may be difficult, but once you get here and settle down, you’re going to love it here. Most people do. There’s so much to see and do here and most of it is a short train ride away. Take the leap.

Just remember those bag fees.

Boston University sits at the center of all the action – Fenway Park is walking distance and near-by Kenmore Station can take you anywhere you heart desires (well…in Boston). And aside from sports, there’s so much more to do. When you’re not in class, you have the opportunity to explore a city that has a lot to offer: book festivals, shopping, eating…and of course, the occasional drink to take your mind away from school work (hey, no one said graduate school was easy). Since you are looking into Boston University, I thought I’d help sway your decision a little by listing a few of my favorite things to do in the city thus far.

1. Newbury Street. Just a train ride away from all the shopping your heart desires. American Apparel, Forever 21 and Madewell are some of the few stores you’ll find along with some higher end fashion stores like Burberry. You can find anything you’re looking for from local, fun boutiques to well-known brands…and if you get hungry just stop by some of the many little restaurants. One of my favorites thus far has been Snappy Sushi. All their rolls are made with brown rice and it is very affordable.
2. Boston Commons. If you’re looking for a place to hang out on a gorgeous fall day this is the go-to. I’ve explored a few parts, but most recently I was near the Park Street Green Line stop. When you’re surrounded by colorful trees and leaves on the ground, you forget about everything else you have to do. You could just get lost in the beauty.
3. North End. How could anyone forget about this? It’s the perfect “Little Italy.” Yes, it’s a little expensive to eat there…but it is very well worth it. And everyone raves about Mike’s Pastry. When I had gone the line was far out the door, but after talking to a local, he said Modern Pastry was the “local’s secret.” Venturing there, I did not regret it one little bit.
4. Faneuil Hall. I love this place for the ambiance. There’s always something going on. There’s the man on stilts performing crazy stunts and there’s vendors, shopping, food and even nightlife.
5. Fenway Area. Okay, so I mentioned I hate the Red Sox right? Well, I did get the chance to go to a Yankees vs. Red Sox game and I do admit the area is a lot of fun. The bars get packed (and there are many of them). Plus, those Boston fans do a great job filling up the streets. It’s definitely something to explore.
6. BU Pub. This one, I had to include. It is absolutely gorgeous and the perfect place to meet with friends after class and have some food and/or drinks (and even get some studying done if you want to feel productive). The building is right by The Castle, which is an incredible looking building to begin with. It’s a fun atmosphere and they also do trivia on some nights of the week.

So, come explore! I promise, you’ll never get bored.

And as for the education you’ll get when you’re not exploring? You’ll meet some of the smartest professors with real-world experience, as well as scholars who really enjoy teaching. As a Public Relations first-semester student, I have already taken in a lot of knowledge – from my Communication Research course to my Contemporary Public Relations course. Everything you do gives you not only textbook experience, but applied knowledge as well. It maybe sounds a little lame…but I actually enjoy going to class.

Great friends, a solid education and a fun city…what more can you ask of from your university?

Family, that is what you get when you come to BU COM – one big, often dysfunctional, but altogether wonderful, family. Our bond is forged in sweat, blood, tears, and, yes, lots of alcohol. We support each other, laugh and cry together, we are, in a way, rediscovering ourselves together.

I have grown so much over the past three semesters, both professionally and personally. Some of it has been trying and, almost, debilitating – my personal life almost overwhelming my professional. I would not have made it through without the support of my BU family.

We are each other’s safety net, cheering squad, all of us wanting each other to succeed as much as we want ourselves to. I have never seen so much love and support in a program. I have never had so many people I could turn to for help (students, faculty and staff).

If I could only say one thing about COM it would be this. When you are accepted into your program of choice you are also accepted into our family. We are all here for a purpose, to better ourselves (in one way or another) and in this shared purpose are the foundations for some of the best friendships you will ever make.

This is what makes this post all the more difficult. We lost a member of our family today. Though only here a semester, he had become an integral member of the COM family. He was an amazing person, whose kindness and creativity will be greatly missed. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.