Category: Activities

Tiffany: Signing Off

It’s been an unforgettable 4 years.

As my time here as a BU student comes to a close with graduation right around the corner, I find myself spending a lot of time reflecting on my experiences and have come to the realization that throughout my time here, I’ve been given a lot to be thankful for.

I’ve had the privilege of learning from brilliant professors whose success in their respective fields reflects the invaluable knowledge that they bring into the classroom. Even more so, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of these professors on a personal level as they’ve mentored me through my academic endeavors and provided guidance and support as I pursued opportunities in the working world. They have cared more about my personal success and wellbeing than I ever anticipated college professors ever would. So to all the professors who have ever taught me a thing or a two about strategy, design, or even life for that matter, I thank you.

I’ve had the opportunity to make my mark on this campus and community by partaking in various student groups and activities. Through Fusion, my dance team here at BU, I’ve been able to refine my craft, perform all around campus, represent BU at competitions across the eastern seaboard, plan events, and most importantly, lead a group of talented individuals who I am proud to pass the torch onto as they carry on our team’s legacy of hard work, creativity, and family-like fellowship. Through the COM Ambassador program, I’ve had the opportunity to share my experiences with admitted students in hopes of helping them make arguably one of the most important decisions a person will ever make. I’ve also been able to mentor COM freshmen, providing guidance and endowing the insights and knowledge that I learned along the way. Fusion and the COM Ambassador program have given me the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader, and pay it forward to this community that has been so good to me over the years. So to Fusion and the COM Ambassador program, I thank you.

And finally, I’ve met some incredibly awesome, down-to-earth friends who I know will be my version of The Goonies for a lifetime. Together, we’ve taken on this adventure called college and fought off all the monsters that have come our way. We’ve shared some incredibly fun-filled times together and as a result, have made memories that are simply unforgettable. So to all the friends that I’ve made along with way, I thank you.

BU and COM, thanks for an incredible 4 years.

Signing off,

Tiffany

 

Lauren: Tweet Tips

*Tweet, Tweet*

Anyone who knows me is well aware of my obsession with Twitter.  I tweet constantly, but it’s OK.  I’m pretty sure I don’t need an intervention.  Not yet, anyway…

Since I spend way too much time on Twitter, I thought I’d share some advice on how to make the most of your Twitter time, so you’re not just mindlessly scrolling through your news feed for hours like I do all the time!

Well, here you go:

  1. Use Hootsuite!

Hoosuite is a great social media management tools that allows you to schedule tweets ahead of time, which is awesome and really convenient.  You can also follow customized feeds (using search words) and easily manage multiple accounts at the same time.  I’ve found it helpful that I can see what I’ve tweeted, who’s retweeted or mentioned me, and my news feed all on the same page!  It makes life easier (and the owl logo is so adorable).  If you’re slightly OCD like me, and enjoy keeping things organized, Hoosuite is the way to go!  And it’s free, for all the broke college students out there!

 

  1. Participate in TweetChats

Remember chatting on AIM back in the day?  Well, the new version of that comes in the form of TweetChats.  Basically, everyone involved in the discussion just uses the same hashtag to follow along with the conversation.  Using http://tweetchat.com/ makes it really easy to see what everyone’s tweeting about.  There are tons of chats about all different types of topics that are hosted by all different types of people.  Feel free to check out this list here:  http://gnosisarts.com/home/Tweetchat_Wiki/By_Day

My personal favorites are the weekly #LikeableChat, #InternPro chat and #PinChat.  Joining in a tweetchat is a great way to network and interact with tons of interesting people!

  1. Add your own header picture

Twitter allows users to get creative with the theme of their page.   It’s really easy to design a customized background and header in Photoshop or InDesign, and it’s definitely worth it. Having an interesting design will make you stand out, and adds some flare to you page!  You can find more information about dimensions here: http://twitterheadersize.com/ and  http://ct-social.com/twitter-background/

  1. Have fun with it!

What I love about Twitter is that you really can tweet about anything you want.  You can share content from other sources, tweet silly pictures or state your opinions about what’s going on in the world- it’s all about you!  Determine what you want to get out of your Twitter, and go for it!

I hope to see all you little tweetbirds on Twitter sometime soon.  Feel free to follow me at @laurhaslett.

Until next time,

Lauren

 

Jon: Summer Livin’

Hey everyone! As I’m sitting here writing in the Sun and watching happy joggers bounce down the banks of the Charles, it’s clear that summer has arrived. Soon, classes will end and BU’s 16,000-odd students will take off for all corners of the globe to relax, explore, or work a summer job.

For many COM students however, the summer means one thing – internships. The summer is a great time to intern, as you can work full time. It really allows you to get the feel of working in a company, and you can go after opportunities outside of Boston.

So let’s say you’ve landed that perfect internship you’ve been dreaming of: Congrats! You’ve got a great chance to spend the summer growing as a person and a communications professional! But you’ve got one issue: the internship is in New York and you need to find somewhere to live if you don’t want to end up camping in Central Park. Well not to fear – I give you my advice to finding summer housing in a new city!

 

1)     Figure out who you know – This is the time to bust out the ol’ Facebook and start checking up on which of your acquaintances that you may-or-may not have spoken to since High School graduation has been living it up in your summer home. Even if you’ve been out of touch for a while, or were never that close with them, this person/people can be really helpful, especially if they’re going to school there. Chances are they know someone who is looking to sublet their apartment for the summer, meaning you can get a reasonable deal on safe, non-sketchy digs for the summer with the friend/acquaintance seal of approval

2)     Find out which schools are there - Every college has to deal with losing most of their student population over the summer. Many of them take the opportunity to bring in some extra revenue by opening their doors to the massive influx of college students rushing to the city for summer jobs and internships. While it may not be the most gracious of living, you can count on a familiar, safe, and well monitored living situation to get you through the summer.

3)     Browse AirBnB – One of the best innovations to come out of the internet since OMFGDOGS (http://www.omfgdogs.com/), AirBnB is like the Craigslist housing classifieds without all the axe-murderer vibes. The website allows homeowners to post their various available apartments/rooms/treehouses and for everything from nightly rentals (much like a hotel), to long-term sublets. You’ve got to use your street smarts here; you are renting from individuals, and that brings all the issues that entails. However, you can easily browse reviews by other renters who have stayed there, and it’s much easier to get an idea if you’re going to be living with a Mary Poppins or a Patrick Bateman. Check it out at https://www.airbnb.com/

Hopefully wherever you end up, you’ll be able to set up a comfortable living situation so that you can focus on learning, exploring your new town, and enjoying the summer! And now the Sun’s starting to get in my eyes and make it difficult to see my computer screen, so I’ll say until next time, and get outside and have some fun!

 

Kate: Safety at BU

This past week, I attended a short self-defense seminar with the Boston University Police Department that was organized by my sorority.  About 20 of my sisters and I met with five members of the department and learned a few basic moves to use in an attack situation.  While I’ve never actually been in a scenario when I would have needed these skills, I’m glad I now know them and how to use them in a scary situation.

In light of the recent events that have happened in Boston, I just wanted to touch on safety in Boston and specifically at Boston University.  I remember my family had a nervous reaction to my declaration that I wanted to go to a school in an urban setting.  At the time I was only 16 and had little experience alone in any big city.  On each college tour I went on, my father would leave the group for a moment, find a random security guard that wasn’t “featured” on the tour and ask the tough “dad” questions about safety.  One thing that really stuck out to him about BU was that we have the Boston Police and BU Police Departments working the two-mile stretch of Comm Ave. that is our beloved campus.  We also talked about the blue-light system and I can promise that everyone time I’ve tested the “you can always see one blue light anywhere on campus” rule, it’s worked.

Now that I’ve been on campus for almost three years, I’ve learned about a ton of other fantastic security measures BU takes.  We have an Escort Service that will send a boy and a girl to where ever you are on campus and walk you home, within a reasonable distance, through the only person I know who has ever used it, did because it was raining and the escorts bring an umbrella.  In addition to that, BU has set up a tip line that you can text if you see something suspicious happening somewhere on campus.  And the most recent thing I’ve learned about are the RAD self-defense classes.  Like we did, organizations can schedule times with the officers to do short classes but they also offer five-week long courses where you learn how to defend yourself in a variety of scenarios and even get to put on safety suits and ward off an attacker in a mock fight.  Its sounds pretty cool and I’ve already looked into the schedule for next fall’s course.  Finally, anytime BU has information they need to get to students quickly like the attacks that happened at the Marathon, they send out mass texts to every student with the information they need.

While all of these resources are great, my biggest piece of advice is to always be smart.  Walking around with your iPhone in your hand and ear buds in listening to music makes you an easy target.  Being aware of your surroundings, staying on well lit streets, and never walking alone will always make you feel safer on campus and in Boston.  I can honestly say I’ve never felt unsafe on campus and it makes me feel even safer knowing there are so many different resources to help me out.

 

Hannah: 7 Favorite Things About Boston & BU

Hi prospective students! As many of you know, the past week in Boston has been a whirlwind of emotions. The tragedies that took place in Boston on Marathon Monday have affected all of us within the Boston University community (which I’m sure all of you are more than aware of.) For my blog post this week, I wanted to highlight some of my all-time favorite things about BU and the city of Boston, because this one terrorizing act shouldn’t cast a shadow over all the wonderful things this beautiful place has to offer.

Here are my 7 favorite things about Boston and BU:

1. Boston Sports fans: Whether you’re walking through Fenway or making the trek out to Gillette stadium, the spirit of these vivacious fans is contagious. Just strolling past Fenway on the day of a game puts a smile on my face. Commonwealth Ave is always filled with Red Sox fans that storm the green monster just before the first pitch. Even after the Celtics’ shaky season, TD Garden maintained an atmosphere like nowhere else I have ever been. This extensive sports enthusiast family welcomes everyone with open arms. (Yes even you, you diehard Yankees fans…

2. BU’s student theater: Until four weeks ago, I had no idea that tucked between Agganis arena and FitRec there is BU’s student theater. This cute little hole in the wall is home to our very own stage troupe! Stage Troupe puts on a performance every few weeks ranging from classic to contemporary shows. Tickets are usually around $8 and are always well worth it! It’s a great way to break up a Thursday study night by catching a quick 8pm show. I highly recommend it.

3. Second Floor Elipticals: FitRec houses an extensive amount of workout equipment, but my favorites are the elipticals on the second floor. Looking out over the pools, the swimmers provide a great distraction from the fact that you’re working your butt off. Also there is a phenomenal view of the Cambridge Skyline if you time it right. Plus there is always a machine open on this level. You can cap off your workout with a smoothie from the first floor snack bar and suddenly working out doesn’t seem so painful.

4. The North End: Dare I say it … I had never had a cannoli until my roommate introduced me to Mike’s pastries. My love affair with Mike’s and the North End hasn’t ceased since that fateful October night. This cute little Boston neighborhood is home to some of the all time best Italian food you will ever taste. They also have every possible Italian dish under the sun. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then to top it all off, nothing satisfies a sweet tooth like Mike’s chocolate chip cannolis.

5. The Boston Commons: Especially now as spring finally arrives in Boston, few things are as relaxing as a peaceful afternoon spent in Boston Commons. This giant park is a common ground for all of the residents of Boston. Sometimes you just need to escape the chaos of campus so grab a blanket, a good book, and head over to the park. It’s a great place even to just people watch (Sorry, I’m creepy.) Plus, there are more spectacular views and it’s centrally located so an afternoon starting in the commons can lead to any of the quaint Boston neighborhoods surrounding it.

6. Marciano Commons: In case you haven’t noticed, I really like food. Now we have basically any option under the sun thanks to our new dining facility on Bay State road here at BU. Marciano commons not only houses a huge dining hall, there is also Rize, a cute and delicious café, and late night, to satisfy any late night cravings, conveniently located in the basement.

7. The People: In the past week I have never felt so connected to a community. While tragedy came knocking on Boston’s door, rather than cowering in fear, this tight knit family came together. From police officers who fearlessly protected the citizens of our great city to the citizens who offered comforting shoulders for their neighbors to lean on. The people of Boston are unique, smart, strong, and above all else resilient. As we work to move past this dark hour in our history, I have no doubt that this community will bounce back stronger than ever. The people of Boston are people I am proud to call my neighbors, friends, and family and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

I hope this gave you a little taste of all the wonderful things that Boston and BU have to offer, and I hope I’ll someday be able to welcome more of you into this beautiful strong community. That’s all for now!

-Hannah

 

Anneliese: Planning A Dinner Out in Boston

My birthday is coming up in two weeks, and with all of this end of the year chaos, I’ve been struggling to plan the perfect night out. I have my list of go-to restaurants, but I want to try something new for my birthday. However, for any of you who are also struggling to plan something special for a springtime birthday or just a final, end-of-the-year hoorah, maybe my list of favorite Boston spots will inspire a fabulous time for you and your friends.

Saus

33 Union St, Boston, MA 02108

This tiny, Belgian-themed joint by Faneuil Hall was probably my best Internet find EVER. The menu is scribbled on a chalkboard that wraps around the wall above the chefs’ heads, and features poutine (French fries drowned in gravy and topped with cheese curds), frikandels (not quite sure what they are, but they’re delicious), and, of course, Belgian waffles topped with homemade ice cream and your choice of saus. For those 21+, they have an extensive beer menu of high quality international (but mostly Belgian) brews that you have the option of turning into a beer float. The ambience of the place is great, with French comics covering the walls and indie rock sailing from the speakers. However, it’s quite small inside, so be prepared to lunge for the first open table you see.

The Friendly Toast

1 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139

(Kendall Square)

The perfect word to describe The Friendly Toast is kitsch (and I mean that in the most unpretentious way possible). The walls are lime green and covered in all kinds of bizarre junk you’d find at a flea market, the plates are mismatched, the seating is straight out of a 1950s diner, and there is a giant, smiling cheeseburger sculpture that watches you as you eat. The experience of eating at The Friendly Toast is enough to draw me back time after time, but the menu itself is beyond amazing. The flavors of their dishes are as mismatched as the décor (fries topped in bleu cheese and provolone, which you dip into a spicy, strawberry habanero sauce), and they serve breakfast all day. The restaurant presumably takes its name from its friendly (and quirky) staff and the multiple kinds of delicious breads that are baked there daily. Fun fact: It’s also conveniently located across the street from Kendall Square Cinema.

Five Napkin Burger

105 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02199

I try to avoid chain restaurants, but Five Napkin Burger is so great that I’ve made an exception. I will attempt to lure you in with two words: S’mores milkshake. There, are you convinced yet? If not, to state the obvious, Five Napkin Burger has some of the best (and probably most sophisticated) burgers in Boston. I actually had the fish tacos, not a burger, when I went there the first time, and they were amazing. Fish tacos are tricky and there are so many things that can go wrong in their preparation, so when I find a place that serves them right, it instantly win a spot in my heart. It also just feels really cool inside the restaurant, with subway tiles, dim lighting, and artsy light fixtures.

The Squealing Pig

134 Smith St, Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120

Even though it’s located down the street from the Museum of Fine Arts, The Squealing Pig is kind of hidden down a side street—but thank God I found it! The pub-style menu features a dozen or so sandwiches and toasties (I personally love the grilled salmon BLT) that are made with fresh bread from Iggy’s Bread of the World in Cambridge. They also have awesome pizzas (gorgonzola sirloin steak, fig and prosciutto, grilled asparagus, just to name a few) and a great seafood menu. There is one dessert on the entire menu, a Mars Bar toastie, which is a Mars Bar (essentially a British Milky Way), topped with bananas, grilled between two waffles, and served with homemade whipped cream and strawberries. If the menu isn’t enough to pull you in, they have live music five nights a week, including Folk Off Thursday, featuring Mike Barrett, “World’s most outrageous folk singer.”

 

Abby: Why Hello There, Spring!

Finally the weather is nice and I don’t have to wear so many layers outside.  There are no more piles of snow lingering under shaded tress or piled in the corner of parking lots.  I just love seeing so many people laying on the COM lawn or playing Frisbee on the BU Beach.  This is the first actual spring I have ever experienced.  Growing up in Florida it was summer pretty much all year round with an occasional week or two in February when the weather wasn’t as humid as usual (but still hot) and all of the pollen fell from the trees.  I never got the purpose of spring, but now after almost 6 months of temperatures below 30 in Boston, I GET IT! You wake up every morning and the sun is actually shinning (okay so this has to do more with day light savings then the season, but still.)  The walk from West to East campus doesn’t seem as long because blooming flowers and not your fingers freezing distract you.  This weather is making me miss home a little bit so I decided to try to spend more time outside.  At first this proved difficult because I either couldn’t find enough time or I would finally sit down and it would promptly start raining.  So I have some tips to making the most of your outside time in Boston.

  1. Check the weather. Seriously. And not just the night before but in the morning too.  Everyone gave me this tip when I first moved here and I did not take them seriously, but now I know that wasn’t just a ploy to make me download The Weather Channel app.
  2. Bring a blanket.  Nothing is worse then finding the perfect patch of sun peeking through the trees to find out it is also the perfect patch of mud.
  3. Grab something to drink.  I swear the Starbucks on campus have multiplied and now we have a new Jamba Juice as well.  Also, there are bottle-filling stations all over the GSU and in Marciano Commons.
  4. Keep track of time.  Laying outside is nice and relaxing but you don’t want to get so relaxed you forget about your next class or you fall asleep and wake up with a sunburn.

 

Maria: Greek Life at a Not-so-Greek School

A lot of people come to tours at Boston University and will ask about Greek Life. It’s understandable; with movies like Legally Blonde and Animal House, it may be hard to imagine college without fraternity parties or seeing the stereotypical sorority women sporting their Lilly Pulitzer dresses and bows. But many people come to BU and realize that it’s not your typical college. We have two forms of public transportation running through our campus and get off of school for random holidays like Patriots Day (not that I’m complaining). So coming to BU is definitely a unique experience, and that definitely applies in the Greek Life department.

I decided to join a sorority my freshman year and went through formal recruitment in the beginning of my second semester here. And in all honesty, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in college thus far. Greek Life at BU is not like it is in other parts of the country where Total Frat Move can be a play-by-play of their daily lives and they have to be typical southern belles to receive a bid to a sorority. Being Greek here is a lot more casual, and has made BU act as a smaller school. It’s intimidating walking around as a freshman seeing thousands of people every day who you don’t really know, but the second you join a sorority, you’re pretty much coming into a family of 100+ women, many who may become some of your best friends at college. And you also get to meet so many people – you’ll meet your friends’ friends, who will introduce you to their friends, and so on. It’s an amazing social network where you meet tons of people on campus that you may not have met otherwise. And aside from the social aspect, there’s a major philanthropic aspect to it, which is one reason why I joined a sorority. Every Greek organization on campus has a different national philanthropy. My sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, has two national philanthropies – Girls on the Run and Camp Fire USA, and our philanthropic mantra is “building strong girls.” Therefore our philanthropies focus on building leadership skills, confidence, and self-esteem in young girls through a variety of activities. We host different fundraising events each semester for our philanthropies, as well as attend other chapters’ philanthropies. It’s a great way to unite the Greek community and support each other and the important causes we raise money and awareness for. One of the best examples I like to share is one of the fraternities’ fundraiser. Sigma Chi holds an annual weeklong event called Derby Days where all sorority chapters participate in challenges and donate money, all in support of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Last year the sororities helped the brothers raise $23,000, which is an incredible amount of money, especially in 5 days time.

Joining Gamma Phi Beta has definitely shaped my experience here at BU. I’m currently President of my sorority and am always proud to wear my letters on campus. However, this doesn’t mean you have to join a sorority or fraternity to enjoy your college years. Because BU has so many clubs and organizations, students from various backgrounds, and is in an amazing city, there are other ways to get involved on campus and off campus and still have an amazing time in college. Greek Life may not be for everyone, but it should be like everything else you conquer in life – keep an open mind.

Until next time,

Maria

 

Sara: Fiding Your Core & Being Human

One of my favorite parts about COM is all of the guest speakers we are spoiled with on a daily basis. And I mean spoiled rotten. Just last week my public relations teacher brought in one of his friends who worked for the Today Show and he had some great stories about working in the industry. To say the least, it was awesome. The alumni of COM embrace the “pay it forward” attitude and I could not be more grateful for this.

Last week, I attended a panel of young alumni called “Hollywood 101”. There were four panelists who came from different backgrounds, some were Film & TV majors during their time at COM and others were Journalism majors, but they were able to present a collaborative front on what is was like for them to transition from BU to the “real world”.

Although I found the discussion interesting, one thing really stuck with me and it had nothing to do with making it big in Hollywood. Very often as college students with all the ambition in the world flowing from our hearts, minds and fingertips, we get completely caught up in our own heads. We forget to think about ourselves as just people, instead on focusing on ourselves businessmen and women.

Two of the panelists talked about how there are times in life where you just need to sit down and figure out what matters to you. When we’re too busy figuring out our next profession life move, I think this is easy to forget. We are eager to take every opportunity we are given without first asking ourselves whether these opportunities are actually helping us reach our long-term goals or even just helping with to better ourselves as human beings. All your long-term goals don’t have to be career-based, make sure you think about all the aspects of your life and the things you want.

Kristyn Ulanday, a Boston based freelance photographer, filmmaker and producer, identified this self-reflection as finding your core. She said figuring out what you’re made of really helps you figure out what you want and what you believe in. I loved this idea so much that I wanted to share it with all of you! I think this time in our lives should be about finding our individual cores, and figuring out what things we truly care about. What better time to do it!

So, as the semester winds down and finals gear up remember to take a deep breath. Everything is going to work out! Everyone finds success, although not in the same ways so try not to compare your triumphs to those of others. Just remember to think of yourself as a human being who needs time to figure out everything this crazy world has to offer!

Love,

Sara

Morgan: Why You Should Join DMCBU

So as you might be readily aware, the clubs offered through COM are plentiful. It can be hard to figure out which organization will offer you the type of experience you’re looking for, whatever that may be. Once you finally pick one or two or five, you get so wrapped up in said club(s) that you might not realize all of the cool new ones that are popping up around you. The coolest of these cool new ones is most certainly the Digital Media Club.

DMCBU is a highly talented group of innovators, thinkers and “do-ers”. They specialize in everything for digital media production, social media, interactive media, coding, and design. Members have a variety of skills and expertise – and are not only COM majors. Computer science and graphic design majors, along with advertising majors, have joined forces to produce a collaborative network of members that can teach and learn from each other.

They offer events, workshops, panels, and two collaborative divisions that focus interests into hand-on projects. The first division, Terrier Labs, focuses on web design, web development, mobile app development, and creative ways to integrate technology with everyday activities. The second division, The Terribyte, is an e-publication that focuses on digital content creation such as blogs, social media, graphic design, and web video production, as well as content marketing strategies, and personal branding. Both groups provide students with real-world experience to better prepare them for careers in the digital communication and technology industries.

In only their first year of existence, they have held events with Mullen, Google, DailyBreak, and Hill Holiday. They’ve also developed numerous apps including BU Room Swap and UPlannr.

As DMCBU works on expanding its reach and its capabilities, it needs YOU. It’s never too late to join – meetings are held in COM room 215 every Thursday @ 5pm. Hope to see you there!