Category: Boston

Maria: How to Spend your Summer

Unfortunately, spring break is coming to an end. But that means that you’re halfway done with the semester, and only 8 weeks away from the summer! That’s probably a lot sooner than you thought, huh? If you’re still not sure about how you should spend your summer, here are some ideas:

Get an Internship

Many of us, especially in the communication field, know that internships are not only great resume boosters, but are amazing real world experiences. You get to learn so much about your field and you’re able to take what you learn in your classes and apply it to actual companies.

It’s definitely not too late to still apply to summer internships! Some places don’t close their applications until April, but at the same time there are lots of places that have closed their applications or will soon. Make sure you get a list of places you would be interested in interning, check out when the deadline is to apply, and get your documents in as soon as you can.

Study Abroad

Taking classes abroad through BU’s programs over the summer is great for two reasons: one is because well… you get to live in a new city, country, or continent! You can still fit in educational time abroad that won’t interrupt your normal fall and spring semesters on campus. Another reason is because you can still get class credit and that can help you take fewer classes when you get back to campus.

One thing that some people forget is that studying abroad doesn’t mean you have to fly across the world to get the abroad experience. BU offers domestic programs in LA and DC, and those are two awesome programs to take advantage of. If you don’t feel like spending the summer out of the country, those are great options.

Work at Home

Sometimes, it’s nice to just get out of the Boston area, head home, and simply take on a seasonal summer job, like working at an ice cream store, a summer day camp, or at a pool as a lifeguard. It’s a great way to make money (side note: there are still many internships that do not pay their interns, so this is another reason to consider this idea!). Summertime is always known as a relaxing time, so why not take on a more laid back job, make some money, and enjoy the warm weather?

My spring break trip to Mexico has made me way too excited for the summer’s warm weather and relaxation as you can probably tell from this post… Hope you all had a great break!

 

Morgan: Top 5 Things to Do In Boston As It Gets Warm

1) Shopping on Newbury

Online shopping has become my go-to this winter. The idea of trekking down Newbury street with bags in hand while the crisp New England air slaps you in the face is not at all appealing to me. But as the weather starts to warm up (and I call 40’s warm…), spending a day ducking in and out the boutiques on Newbury sounds like a great way to spend my Saturday afternoon.

2) Take a Duck Tour

http://www.bostonducktours.com/

I was a little hesitant about this at first, but in a spur of the moment decision I decided to take one on an unusually warm afternoon this past October. I am by no means new to the city of Boston, but I learned more on this tour than I ever would have just walking around on my own! Sometimes it’s nice to let someone else do the work and just to sit back and soak in the wonderful city that we call home. And you get to drive the boat when it goes in the Charles!

3) Take a tour of Fenway

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp

Although it’s still too early for baseball season, if you haven’t been over to Fenway Park yet, you should probably add it to your to-do list. Fenway is one of the most historic ballparks in the nation, and we live within walking distance. I was lucky enough to catch a game at the end of last season, and I was instantly obsessed with the park. It’s got a certain nostalgic charm to it that even non-sports fans will appreciate.

4) Get down to the Esplanade!

Whether you’re a runner, a biker, or a casual stroller, there’s nothing better than getting out of all the traffic of the city streets and spending some time in the sun. When its really nice, I love going down to the docks and watching the sailing team while reading or doing homework.

5) Go Whale watching!

http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/boston-whale-watch/

Okay, so maybe this is just a personal goal of mine – but I cannot wait to go whale watching when the season starts at the end of March. It’s a 3 hour trip with the New England Aquarium, and whale sightings are guaranteed or your money back! It’s a little on the pricy side, but come on, how often do you get to see giant humpback whales up close and personal?

 

Sara: Inspiration Feeds Motivation

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably feeling that mid-semester slump. You know, that time in the semester where you feel your motivation slipping slowly away. Or maybe slipping rather quickly away. Or maybe you’ve been able to keep your motivation levels up this last week before spring break (if so give yourself a pat on the back because that is an accomplishment my friend). However, those lucky few, and certainly the rest of us, are in total denial that motivation probably won’t come back from spring break with us. Although I do feel that spring semester somehow goes by much faster than the fall semester, there’s no denying the transition from spring break to summer is a challenge.  Remember, there’s still 8 weeks left in the semester!

No need to panic though. I have a solution. The cure to finding your motivation? Inspiration of course. Motivation drives you towards your goals and your dreams so why not put something right in front of you that inspires you to accomplish your goals. Whether that goal is something as simple as getting an A on your next exam or as complex as landing your dream job after graduation, it’s never too early to find inspiration.

It has been scientifically proven that the people who see their goals in front of them everyday are more likely to accomplish those goals than those who do not. Makes sense right? And for all these reasons, I present to you the idea of creating your very own inspiration board full of pictures that you can put up anywhere you’ll see it everyday.

I just started my own board full of pictures of healthy eating, travel, entertainment culture, and really cute clothes- sorry, I’m a girly girl and I can’t help but think of/want to look at my dream closet everyday. I think the best part about my board is being able to add pictures to it as I go-- when my goals change new pictures are added. It has helped me make plans to travel in the future, to save money and to eat healthier than I have been in the past. This has been fantastic for my motivation levels and pushes me to try harder to achieve the things I really want.

Other ideas to keep yourself motivated this semester: Just start (we all know that sometimes this is the hardest part),  think about the benefits, read inspirational stories of people with similar goals, find friends with similar goals, take on accomplishing one goal at a time, and my favorite- reward yourself!

Don’t let your dreams be dreams.

Much Love,

Sara

 

Will: COMmunity

I don’t know about everybody else, but in the months preceding freshman year I was most anticipating living in an atmosphere where everybody is as enthusiastic about knowledge and education as I am. Not long after beginning my first year I realized how naïve I truly was. Wherever you go you’ll find that nobody is completely the same. It won’t take long to discover the kid who couldn’t care less about skipping class or the kid who spends every waking hour in the library. However, that is the beauty about college: you have a population of tens of thousands of people of whom you can pick and choose from (to an extent, of course).

COM, on the other hand, is an exception to the stigma. I have found that everybody in the College of Communication shares a passion. They don’t all share a passion for the same thing necessarily, but every student in COM is in COM because they want to be. Whether they want to be the next big Hollywood director or a columnist for the New York Times, they have all come to COM to get them there.

The students of COM provide a COMmunity for one another where one can be creative and experimental while having the rest of the student body, professors, and student resources to fall back on. The beautiful thing about this COMmunity is that it extends outside of the COM Building and into the rest of the BU Campus.

The event that inspired this post occurred last night: I was performing in my first Liquid Fun show. Liquid Fun is an improv comedy group on campus and some students had decided to focus on us for a Production class project, a documentary I believe. Another photojournalism student also asked if she could take pictures of us. And after the show, a journalist for the Daily Free Press wanted to ask us questions for an article she was writing. In the matter of an hour or so, BU Central was the location of not only a Liquid Fun show but also an intersection of three different branches of COM: Film/TV, Photojournalism, Journalism.

As I came into contact with all of the people conducting the interviews and documentations, I could tell that they were there because they wanted to be. The picture taking and question asking wasn’t an assignment but a pleasure. COM isn’t a school, it’s a COMmunity.

Steph: How COM Gets You Internship-ready

For those of you who don't know, February and March are the prime times to be finding and applying for summer internships. So, naturally, for the past four weeks my brain has been filled with cover letters, resumes, and internship postings. As this is my first real internship search, I turned to COM to help me get internship-ready.

COM Career Services

In my frantic internship search, I have become a regular at COM Career Services. These people are here to help you every step of the way: from actually finding an internship (in Boston, or anywhere else!), to helping you edit your resume and finally perfecting your cover letter. They have been so incredibly helpful that I've become that girl that won't hit send until everything has been looked over by someone in the office. They have appointments available and also have resume and cover letter walk-in hours every week, which has been great for multiple "quick check ins" when I have an hour in between classes.

COM Faculty

While I know how intimidating in can be to reach out to your professors, trust me when I say that they really want and love to help their students. I reached out to two COM professors and they both were totally willing to meet with me and discuss options for internships. Meeting with one of the amazing faculty members can be really helpful in getting a first idea of whats out there, and they can even help you out with their connections!

COM Student Servcies

As a student worker in COM Student Services, you can trust me when I say that Student Services is the one-stop spot for any and all questions regarding internships. If you have any little questions, like how to get credit for an internship, who your internship coordinator is, or how to get an internship form signed, Student Services is the place to go.

Good luck to all of you that are on the hunt for an internship this summer! When you get stressed out about it, just remember that COM is here to help.

Jon: On The Road – 3 Tips to Successful Business Travel

Now let’s face it – we’re college students. The most traveling we do on our own, other than at the beginning or end of the school year, is to West Campus for a burger. Most of us have never had to fly, stay in a hotel, or get around an unfamiliar city by ourselves.

Why does this matter? Well after you’ve used all those nifty contacts and your stellar resume to get some internship or job interviews, you may find that the company you’re interviewing with wants to fly you out to their offices. Exciting? Yes. Easy? No. I recently had an experience with this myself, while interviewing for a summer position, and I’d like to share with you the three key points I learned while on the road.

1)    Print multiples copies of your itinerary – Seriously, this is your lifeblood while traveling. Your itinerary carries all the information about your flight times and locations, your hotel, the location of your interviewer’s offices, etc. You REALLY don’t want to lose it. Papers get lost. Phones die, or can’t find service. Do yourself a favor: make multiple copies and save yourself the headache.

2)    Pack light – While packing light may seem fairly obvious, I find that it is really easy to start piling things on one at a time, until a small load becomes a 40lb suitcase. Just don’t do it. Look at what you’re bringing and ask yourself “is the essential to have”. These trips aren’t about comfort; they are about interviewing for a position at a company. You probably don’t need your box set of Planet Earth, even if you will have some time to kill in the hotel room.

3)    Take taxis – You may be shocked to hear this, but you really should take a taxi when you’re interviewing in a new city. You may know that New York or Portland is supposed to have great public transportation. You may want to save the environment, and hate the idea of taking a personal car. You may just not want to spend the money. Take a dive, and call a cab. The chance of getting turned around, getting lost, or losing some piece of your luggage is infinitely higher when you’re trying to navigate a new public transit system, possibly while jet-lagged or late at night. When you come back for pleasure and aren’t under the same kind of time crunch, take the time to explore! Just don’t do it when you’re in the already stressful business-travel situation.

Hopefully those three tips will help get you through your business trip! Strap yourself in, because it is a hectic, tiring, and fun journey. Best of luck with your interviews, and travel safely!

 

Alexa: The Pitfalls of Procrastination

I am in denial of being a procrastinator. I would like to think that I listened to my mom when she told me to buy a calendar for the school year and keep important due dates on there and I’d like to think I listened to my dad when he called on the weekends and told me to study ahead of time; but I didn’t. Instead I rationalize with myself that I work better under deadline and thrive under pressure.

Do I really? Maybe.

Is this a good excuse for waiting until the last minute to do things? Nope.

The two big examples of my most recent procrastination are happening right now

  • My blog post.

Time to complete: 1 week

When I started it: 5 minutes ago

Due: in 30 minutes

  • 10 page paper for my history class

Time to complete: 2 weeks

When I started it: 2 hours ag0

Due: in 6 hours

While both these things will get done before their deadlines, this is not an encouragement to wait until the last minute to do things because it is SO STRESSFUL and gets my heart beating unnecessarily fast.

Instead try this:

  1. Write the due date for an assignment somewhere you can see it everyday, that way it will always be in the back of your mind to start when you have an extra moment.
  2. Start it early. For example, if you have to write a paper, try writing your beginning paragraph one night and your first body paragraph the next.
  3. Make sure to go into your professor’s office hours to make sure your paper is on the right track and use the COM writing center because it’s a wonderful resource.

In short, or in long, since I stopped half way through this blog to watch this video about 10 times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc_W1_d2g2g&feature=youtu.be

…Don’t procrastinate.

Taylor: Miss COM-geniality

The yearning for WORLD PEACE isn’t absent from my mind as I compete, with the scholarly and ever-dashing Christopher Schretzenmayer, in the 2013 Mr. & Ms. BU pageant. I am extremely humbled to be bestowed the title Ms. COM; words literally can’t express my gratitude to all the many congratulatory text messages and Facebook posts and endless support. I truly believe that this award is universal, for in my eyes, everyone within our college embodies the essence of communication.

Here are the top 5 things to expect from me during the race:

What pep talks sound like with Chris and Micha:

http://orawrsco.tumblr.com/post/42535372922/lolzpicx

Once I walk into Metcalf hours early:

http://teacherthoughtbubble.tumblr.com/post/43746984064/when-i-walk-into-the-classroom

Can you guess my talent?

http://idlesarah.tumblr.com/search/sandra+bullock

If I win:

http://doublesjess.tumblr.com/search/miss+congeniality

All jokes aside please COMe out and support us Thursday March 21st as we showcase our knowledge on BU, passion for COM, and unique talents.

Jason: Docs, Concerts, and Skiing Down Comm Ave

Can you guys believe it's already almost March? I feel like time is flying!

So I promised I'd tell you all about the project I'm working on. A few weeks ago I began work on a new documentary. Over the next four months I'll be following Boston University student and musician Peter Hung. Peter is an international student from Taiwan and soon to be BU graduate, who is spending the next four months on his  final attempt to land a record deal with his band Surefire before his visa expires 30 days after graduation. This project is extremely exciting because Peter is risking his ability to stay in this country, but also the respect and financial support of his family.

I've already filmed a ton of material including Peter's comeback concert last Saturday. My team and I had a three camera set up: an overhead of the crowd and stage, one on stage toward the crowd, and another at Peter and the band. That was my first multi camera shoot and it went great- and more importantly the footage looks awesome. I'm working on the website and first teaser video now, and let me tell you: this plus my three classes- I'm definitely keeping myself busy.

Bad news is Lady Gaga got hurt and needs surgery so that concert won't be happening. Good news is Matchbox Twenty is next weekend and I'll get to go home to Connecticut for the weekend so I'm looking forward to that.

I hope you guys checked out the last COMlife episode! I ski down Commonwealth Avenue so that makes the entire episode worth watching. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWtKXiahWp8

How is your second semester going? For the seniors, I hope the stress of college selection has calmed down a bit. And for the juniors- get ready for some fun times!

As always, let me know if you have any questions about anything!

 

Kaitlin: Finding Me at BU

When I first came to BU, I wanted to be a broadcast journalist.  This dream came from years of being editor of my high school newspaper, and wanting to “spice it up a little” with lights, sounds, and video.  I imagined myself studying for hours on end how to be the best. I thought about those really intense classes where the professor tells the students that they have 45 minutes to go outside and write, record, and produce a story that could go on air.  I envisioned taking my career to the Air Force and becoming the best damn broadcast journalist they’ve ever seen.  I wanted to be there.

Then the worst happened.

I went on air for my first time with BUTV and absolutely hated it.  I hated the idea of having to get my hair to look perfect on camera and wearing more make up than I’m comfortable with and making sure the color of my shirt didn’t fade into the green screen.  So, I had to figure out what the hell I was going to do.

I didn’t know too much about public relations, but what I did learn from my COM 101 class, I loved.  I was particularly drawn to the idea of working in the music/entertainment industry.  Who wouldn’t want to follow around their favorite band for the sole purpose of making them look good?  After a meeting with my very own COM Ambassador who gave me a little more information on my perspective major-change, I decided to do it.

Over the course of a few hours, I became a PR major.

This was really exciting for me.  I joined BU’s awesome section of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and did a really awesome job with it.  I learned a ton about what it means to be in the PR field, even before taking any PR-centric classes.

My favorite thing about PR was the social media aspect.  By watching intently my junior and senior friends, I started to pick up really quickly how to be an effective presence online.  My Twitter bio changed to include my aspiration to be a PR professional, I found myself making tons of connections on LinkedIn, and yes, I even got a Facebook after refusing to do so for a while.

In a way, I became obsessed with it.  I found myself celebrating each and every like or new follower I got, to the point that it started taking over.  I don’t think this is necessarily a negative thing, maybe because it still kind of does rule my world, but I’ve certainly recognized that over the past few years my online obsession transformed quite a bit.

I noticed this the other day when I went to my Twitter page.  I noticed that my bio still included information about me being the Vice President of Public Relations at BUPRSSA, a position I passed down at the end of last year.  I started to evaluate why I decided to step down from this position, and from PRSSA in general, and it became glaringly obvious to me.

No longer did I care about retweeting about the latest in mobile technology, or connecting with the top agencies on the web, or writing posts about how to effectively manage your social media profiles.  Those things seemed so boring to me, and without really noticing, I started to pay more attention to the things I was really drawn to.  Now, if you look at every single page I manage, they include posts on yoga or healthy eating or recovery.

I certainly don’t see this change as one that demonstrates disinterest in PR or ingratitude for the Student Society.  In fact, I attribute all of my success online to everything I’ve learned on my PR journey so far.  There’s no way I would’ve been known as a “yoga and health guru” or been able to grow my blog following to thousands of people without the things I learned in PRSSA and my classes at BU.

It took a little while to really find my place, but I’m certain that I have.  I’ve found deep passion in the things I’ve learned here in Boston, which I can bet is a serious goal for each and every one of the professors we cross paths with.  There’s going to be humps in the road, plenty of them in fact, but don’t look at them as mountains you won’t be able to climb.  Instead, try to see them as speed bumps, there for control and safety in getting you where you really need to go.