Category: Boston

Kate: How to Keep Warm and Stay Fashionable

I will admit, impracticality is my specialty when it comes to dressing for the weather, especially when it comes to shoes. Who says you can’t wear loafers sans socks when it’s 10 degrees out (see this Instagram)?  But, I must admit that there are some essentials that I refuse to leave the house without between October and March, and I encourage you to put a little time into finding the perfect combination for yourself.

First, you need the biggest, badest winter coat you’ve ever seen.  And it should have a hood (a fur hood for you ladies).  And it should go down to at least your knees.  You think I’m over exaggerating? A story: Where I am from (Missouri), summer temps peak around 100 degrees and my mother was getting so anxious about sending me to the far away land of college that she decided we were going to go out and buy me a winter coat in August.  As you can imagine, my selection was quite limited and I ended up with a basic Michelin man North Face puffer.  I should also note that it barely covered my top half and had no hood.  Fast forward to the first snow of the year in Boston and I run outside only to find the wind blowing up my back and the snow flying straight into my eyes.  Needless to say, I know now have a lovely fur lined hooded long down coat that even features a cute little waist tie (because it still needs to be fashionable, duh).  Right now I’m liking these:

Second, invest in a cozy and warm scarf.  I am a scarf wearer through and through.  Silk scarves, knitted scarves, pashminas, circle scarves, you name it, I’ll wear it.  My go-to in the winter is a huge, black knitted circle scarf I bought at Gap my freshman year.  It is one of those that comes up over your face a little and is so snuggly (I know you know what I mean). And to the embarrassment of my friends, I have even put it up over my head to shield my ears from the wind a few times.  Whether you’re wearing it for the fashion or just to keep warm, a good scarf will be the difference between staying warm and turning into an icicle.  This one from Nordstrom looks like a great option.

Finally, find yourself a great pair of gloves.  The wind in this city is killer and even with your Starbucks latte in hand, bouts of frost bite have been known to occur.  I just got this great cashmere, monogrammed pair for Christmas and I never take them off.  Even better is they have the little smart-touch tips so I can text and tweet away at any time.  Insider tip: keep them in your coat pockets so you never find yourself without them.

P.S. Now I just gave you a reason to shop.  You can thank me later.

 

Tiffany: Producing Elements XIII–A Hip Hop Dance Competition

On Saturday, February 16th, a year’s worth of hard work and planning will come to fruition as my dance team, Fusion, hosts the largest hip hop dance competition on the east coast for the 4th year in a row. For an entire year now, my fellow teammates and I have been working out logistics with our show that include, but are not limited to, carefully selecting teams to compete for the $1000 cash prize, recruiting exhibition teams including crews who have been on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew, coordinating with lighting and sound production, promoting the show, and so much more.

I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to head such a large production within the confines of my own school that supports its student organizations with a plethora of resources for success. The planning process has taught me a lot about teamwork and has allowed me to implement many of the skills that I learn in the classroom such as design for promotional material, branding, and budgeting. It is opportunities on campus like these that I believe have refined my skillset and given me a unique experience to put on my resume.

My dance team has not only given me the outlet to dance and introduced me to a group of amazing friends who share my common interest, but has also has also given me real world event planning experience that will be invaluable as I enter into the work force in a few short months. It has been a crazy roller coaster ride of a year planning this show but I am nothing but excited to see it all come to life. Wish me luck!

Hannah: New Semester, New Experiences

Hey Everyone! I’m Hannah, one of the new CAs, and being new basically sums up the past month for me. As you all have probably heard, the first semester of college can be a bit overwhelming for freshman including myself. After spending those first couple months hibernating with my studies, I am finally ready to branch out. As you will quickly learn, I basically want to do everything. Here are a few of the new extracurricular activities I have picked up in the New Year.

Greek Life- It’s official, a very German girl can be Greek! Coming from a big family (3 sisters, a brother, and 2 very rowdy dogs) I need to have people around. At first I was hesitant and a bit intimidated by the formal recruitment process. In reality, it has been one of the best decisions I have made. No matter the sorority, I feel so welcomed by all the girls. Even in my first weeks, I already feel right at home.

Boston Cares- Boston University has a wealth of opportunities on campus, but the city of Boston also has some pretty amazing extracurricular activities for students to get involved in. Thanks to my writing professor, I found Boston Cares, a volunteer network that sets up a calendar of events that you can sign up for based on your own personal schedule. It’s super convenient and an amazing way to get out into the city. My favorite event thus far has been volunteering at JVS where I help prepare refugees for job interviews and entering the American work force. I highly recommend looking into the organization.

Finally, I’m new to the COM Ambassador community, and I couldn’t be happier! I love meeting prospective students and who doesn’t love showing off how awesome COM is? With all these new opportunities as well as a few great classes (even if one is at 8am) I feel like this year is off to a great start! So there you have it, being the new kid on the block isn’t so bad after all. Hope everyone is off to a great new year and embracing all of the amazing new opportunities this time can offer!

 

Sara: The Amazing Race-Internship Edition

The arrival of February brings about a vitally important time in the school year. That’s right, it’s summer internship hunting time. For me, it’s a time to bundle up indoors and daydream about warmer days-- and hopefully interning in California. It’s time to get your game face on and the blizzard this past weekend  presented the perfect opportunity to get myself organized and begin what I like to think of as my own personal version of the amazing race.

Having been a transfer student, I feel a bit behind when it comes to seeking out internships. However, the best thing I have found to do in such circumstances (if you’re like me and have never had an internship) is to research, research, research.

BU and COM both provide numerous services and workshops to help you with resumes, cover letters, and your overall search. Every week the Center of Career Development, located in 100 BSR, sends out an e-mail about their different career building workshops, so be sure to look out for those! Last week I attended one of their resume workshops and they were really helpful. COM career services also offers resume and cover letter reviews daily- check out the @comugrad twitter handle for more information or visit the career services website. You can also view samples of resumes and cover letters.

To find internships online that are available through COM, check out The Career Insider. This database is a gold mine. You will have to create an account through the website but after that you will have full access to everything it has to offer. I personally used it as a basis for my internship search, typing “publicity internship” for the keyword and an LA zipcode, which brought me to a list of numerous summer opportunities at companies such as The Walt Disney Studios and NBCUniversal.

Because of my highly organized, type A personality, I also chose to make a list of all the internships I want to apply for along with  individual requirements, descriptions, documents to submit, and addresses with contact information. This helps me when it comes time to personalize cover letters and figure out whom I need to send references or transcripts too. Also make sure you research the different companies you’re applying for! This is extremely important when it comes to writing a cover letter or an essay so that you can really mold the descriptions of your experiences and accomplishments around exactly what their company stands for and what they are looking for in their next intern.

Of course you can always look outside of BU for summer internships as well, using the ever-so-glorious Google or other resources you can find. One website I have heard a lot of positive feedback about is Intern Sushi which I’m just starting to explore. Another website is Intern Queen powered by Lauren Berger who completed 15 internships during her college years. She regularly tweets about different internship opportunities as well  @InternQueen, and has published a book entitled “All work, No Pay” which gives her perspective on how to build your resume, make connections and gain job experience.

I guess overall my point is just to explore your options! There are a lot of resources out there to aid you in the overwhelming process that is your first internship hunt, it doesn’t have to be as stressful as competing on The Amazing Race.  You’re putting yourself in the best position possible by doing your research and getting organized.

Good luck everyone! And maybe the odds be ever in your favor 🙂

Will: Embrace Your Place

As I sit at my desk, looking out at the glorious combination of snow, wind, and more snow, I feel thankful. I’m so fortunate to live in a city that keeps everything interesting. Boston must know that it’s filled with hundreds of thousands of college students, all of them yearning for adventure, because it never disappoints.

Last night, I made the long trek through more than a couple of inches of snow from one side of campus to the other. I saw only a handful of people at a time when Comm Ave is usually bustling with students on their way to hang out with friends, cars filled with business people on their way home from work, and the T, the 57 bus, and the BU shuttle going every which way. I thought how unfortunate it was that so many people weren’t experiencing what I was experiencing! Granted, I am from Wisconsin (I deal with winter’s fury a little better than the next guy). In the moments that I stood still, knee deep in icy powder, glancing around at the serenity around me, I realized how lucky everybody here really is (and not only because Friday classes were cancelled).

People found great, productive ways to spend their snowy Friday. Snowmen were popping up everywhere over campus, probably the products of Floridians and Californians who didn’t experience the building of snowmen in their youth. Marsh Plaza was home to an entire army of Snowmen and Snowladies. It broke my heart to see a few of them tumble over with the blustery winds – may they rest in peace. A few students (and by a few I mean a couple hundred) – conquered the Esplanade in what was named Snowbrawl 2013. Boston PD didn’t have quite as much fun, but it isn’t a real snowball fight until the police show up, am I right?

I found that a blizzard is a great way to catch up on things you usual don’t have time to do, like sleeping and homework! Just kidding, it’s actually a great opportunity to put on some long underwear, make some hot cocoa with that Kuerig machine (that doesn’t really exist because everybody knows those aren’t allowed in dorm rooms, silly!), grab all the blankets, and read a book, write a poem, watch a movie, or anything else that suits you. The only thing that could’ve made it better was a fireplace. If only I lived in StuVi2 where every room has a fireplace, a butler, and king size beds. I’m kidding they don’t actually have fireplaces.

You can make Boston as great as you want. You can look outside and see inconvenience and frigid temperatures or you can look out and see opportunities for new experiences. As always, make sure to help others have as great a day as you are having. If you see an ambulance with its tires spinning, go out there and give it a budge. If you see somebody get hit in the face with a snowball, help them seek revenge. And if you see a snowplow coming, just get out of the way!

Happy sledding,

Will Dowsett

Morgan: How to Have It All-A Lesson in Time Management

So you’ve got 18 credits, a part-time internship, multiple extra curricular activities, oh and you want to have a life. As COM students who are constantly trying to get a leg-up in the industry, it can seem like you’re expected to truly “have it all”. So what’s the trick to balancing all of these necessary steps on the road to COM success? A little bit of time management can go a long way.

First off – take those time to between classes and savor them. Don’t head back to your dorm/apt only to get distracted by Netflix, your comfy bed, or Temple Run 2 (seriously through – how great the new one?!). Find a spot on campus and hit the books. Try to accomplish a few tasks on that growing to-do list and you’ll feel significantly better about your day.

Take advantage of transportation as well. As Abby mentioned in her latest blog post, reading on the T on your way downtown to that internship can be a great way to get ahead. For exam preparation, take advantage of technology and get yourself the Study Blue app. It allows you to make mobile flashcards that sync to all your devices (iPhone, iPad, laptop) so that you can study anywhere you go.

When the weekend comes – evaluate how much work you need to do before you make any plans, then plan accordingly. You certainly don’t want to be going out three nights in a row when you have an exam on Monday.

Now the dreaded tip of the day… actually pay attention in class. I know, wild idea, but hear me out. I used to be the type that sat in the middle of the lecture hall with my laptop out, and hardly hearing a word the professor said (I mean the slides are online, who needs to listen?). I would send emails, check the social scene, and even fill out applications or edit articles for one of my extra-curriculars. But this semester, I decided that I’m going to see what paying attention actually does, and let me tell you, I’m amazed. I find myself already knowing more of the material in my Abnormal Psych class just by listening. Now I’ve started to challenge myself to come up with the answer in my head before the professor says it – just to see how much I know. This will certainly make me better prepared for the upcoming exam, and its also kinda therapeutic. Not being able to communicate with the outside world for a whole 80 minutes is pretty nice.

Finally, just relax. You’re going to get overwhelmed and stressed at times, but just remember that you will get through it and be better off because of it. Lean on your friends and classmates for support and don’t try to take on more than you can handle. Also, try to get some sleep. It does wonders.

Maria: Post-Abroad Life

It’s been almost two months since I’ve been back from the best semester of my college experience so far. I spent my first semester of junior year in London studying and interning through BU’s London Internship Program. Looking back on last semester, it’s crazy to think about how fast it all went, and how different it is to be home.

It’s actually weird to say this, but being back in America has given me more culture shock than I had when I first got to London! I quickly grew accustomed to everything that is part of London life, from saying cheers instead of thank you to co-workers to deciding to order food “for take-away” at a café so I wouldn’t have to spend an extra pound to sit down and eat. It even took me a while to cross the street and figure out which directions cars were coming from.

Even when it comes to being back at BU and taking classes, it’s a bit of an adjustment from last semester. Study abroad programs are known to have easier class and work schedules than a normal semester at college, and I almost forgot what it’s like to study for midterms and work on group projects. Especially with the London Internship Program, you spend the first five weeks taking two classes for four days a week, and then you spend the last eight weeks taking one class one day a week and interning the other four days. So now you might be able to understand how it’s a big change going from a leisurely semester in Europe to handling four classes, my involvement in COM, being President of my sorority, finding time to do homework, and having time to catch up with friends and family. Needless to say, I’m beyond thrilled to be back in Boston for another amazing semester here at BU.

Going abroad is probably one of the most recommended things to do in college by those who did and did not go abroad. Some people who did will say it’s the best time of your life, and some who didn’t will say they regret it. Feel free to shoot me an email if you’re interested in studying abroad in London.

Cheers!

Maria

Kevin: Top 5 Scary Things as a Freshman (and why they shouldn’t be)

1. College Classes

There’s no getting around it, college classes are a big change from high school. As long as you stay on top of things, they can actually be easier though. You won’t get the “busy work” you might have gotten in high school. There’s a whole level of freedom that’s really nice, but that means it’s up to you to keep up, and if you don’t do your reading then you’ll be behind come test time. So stay organized; get binders, folders, notebooks, whatever you need, and come up with a system. When finals week comes around and you’re sifting through a semester’s worth of notes, you’ll thank yourself for being organized.

2. Upperclassmen

You remember freshman year of high school; the pep rally chants of “sit down freshmen,” getting shoved into lockers… (Ok maybe that sounds like a John Hughes movie but you get the idea). Now you’re going into college and you’re going to be a freshman all over again. Well don’t worry, college isn’t like high school. Everyone is excited to have new people on campus! When you join clubs and groups on campus you’ll realize that nobody cares what grade you are, they’re just excited that you share interests. So don’t be afraid to join clubs because you think that senior with the “President” nametag seems intimidating, they want you to join! Lots of upperclassmen will be more than happy to offer you advice or help if you need it, too! (Like COM Ambassadors! #subtlenamedrop)

3. The T

Ok so maybe this one isn’t for everyone. For those of you who are like me, from a small town where you’re more likely to see Sasquatch than some form of public transportation, the T can be a little freaky at first. The first few times I went on the T, I had no idea what I was doing. I got on at a subway station, but when I looked out the window suddenly I was above ground… it can be confusing. You’ll quickly learn that the system is made to be easy to understand and you’ll get the hang of it after riding it the first few times (and maybe a couple unplanned adventures around Boston…). My suggestion is to walk as much as possible though. It’ll really help you to get a feel for the city, and you’ll find a lot of cool things you didn’t even know existed!

4. Dorm Life

Living in a dorm depends a lot on what you make of it. My advice would be to make friends with your floor. Leave your door open during the first couple weeks and make an effort to meet as many people as you can. You’re going to live with them for a year, so it’s great to have friends right down the hall. I’ve met some of my best friends because they live a couple doors down from me. Just be friendly!

5. Office Hours

All professors have office hours, and if you’re willing to take advantage of the chance to ask them one-on-one questions, it can be a great chance for you. Not only do you get to ask questions, but also having the chance to know the professor can be great. Even if you just go to chat, a lot of professors will be glad to get to know you. BU is a big school, and if you sit in the back of the class and never interact with the professor, you’re missing out. So be sure to go visit office hours and volunteer in class, I promise you’ll see a difference in your grades. The professors are just people who are excited to meet you too!

Anneliese: How Did I End Up Here?!

The last Sunday before winter break at 11:30am, I found myself decked out as a flapper, dancing with a stranger, and downing straight-up grenadine from a wine glass. (Point of reference: Grenadine may look pretty, but it tastes like bubble bath mixed with cough medicine.) No, this wasn’t a Dude, Where’s My Car? situation, where I was left muddled after a particularly chaotic night. In fact, I was participating in schoolwork—acting in my friend’s film for her Production I class, to be more precise.

This is just one of many strange and enthralling situations I find myself in, thanks to my life as a film major. I’ve had so many wonderfully bizarre experiences around Boston, courtesy of my enrollment in COM. At times, I may be stressed to the point of eating a spoonful of peanut butter to procrastinate on my work, but I will never be able to say that I am bored as a BU COM student. Here’s a countdown of my four weirdest and most exciting moments as a member of COM’15:

Stalking “James Franco” outside of CAS

To this day, I’m not sure if this is fact or fiction, but rumor has it that James Franco attended last year’s Redstone Film Festival at Tsai. I attended last year’s Redstone Film Festival. I was (possibly) in the same room as James Franco and hadn’t even known it! Thankfully, a photog for the FREEP, (short of The Daily Free Press, our on-campus newspaper), had the decency to shout loudly into his cellphone as I passed him on the street, “We have people posted at every exit of CAS, just in case Franco exits!” As soon as he had hung up the phone, I planted myself in his path and demanded, “Franco?! As in James Franco?!” He explained to me that James had purportedly been working on a project with a film professor at BC and swung by BU when he heard about the festival. Needless to say, I spent the next 45 minutes skulking around CAS in the dark and the drizzle with my friend who was armed with a camera, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the sexy Harry Osborne himself. Sadly, I never did.

Bay State Memories

I work on COM’s soap opera, which is the longest running college soap opera in the country, and there was no way I could choose only one Bay State memory for this list—oh lord, the things I have witnessed! My first day onset kind of created the mood for the entirety of my experience working on the show: One of the Executive Producers marched up to me and asked ever-so sweetly, “You—what’s your name? Can you take down your hair?” I told him my name and awkwardly yanked the bobby pins from my bun as the 1st Assistant to the Director moseyed up beside him. “She’s perfect,” she had said. And the EP exclaimed, “Congratulations! You just won the role of dead Whitney!” It had turned out that they killed off a cast member and let her go abroad without filming the scene where her boyfriend discovers her body, and I was the only girl with hair color similar enough to play her corpse. Congratulations, indeed. I’ve had my share of death experiences on Bay State, since I have witnessed many creative murders, and have even participated in the murder of Dean Elmore—err President Bennett. The big question surrounding his death scene had been: In which direction should we splatter the fake blood to make it seem most realistic? No doubt, a heated debate had followed.

Being serenaded by Viggo Mortensen in Elvish

Okay, so it’s not as if Viggo Mortensen gave me a private concert and serenaded me to sleep with his ethereal voice, BUT the situation was almost as good. Last March, I attended a triple feature Lord of the Rings marathon that Coolidge Corner Theatre hosted in honor of Viggo Mortensen’s achievements in film. Though they weren’t presenting him with his award until the next day, he made a surprise in-person appearance right before The Return of the King started rolling. He looked so adorable with his floppy, grey locks and infectious smile as he sang that I was racked with guilt for not being able to sing-along like the more dedicated fans.

Interviewing my favorite filmmaker, Taika Waititi

All of my friends know (and probably many acquaintances) about my New Zealand obsession. I’m obsessed with the country and the culture to the point that I’ve gorged on as many New Zealand films, books, and TV shows that I could order from Amazon.com. One New Zealand writer-director whose work I love and admire—to the point of his becoming one of my favorite filmmakers, regardless of NZ-affiliation—is Taika Waititi. He was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for his wonderful short Two Cars, One Night; he directed and co-wrote a few episodes of Flight of the Conchords; he has most recently directed MTV’s version of the British show The Inbetweeners; and he has two hilarious feature films Eagle vs. Shark and Boy. It was at a long awaited, 2012 Boston screening of the latter where I weaseled my way into interviewing Taika. I had cornered him on an online Reddit Q&A and asked for an interview at the screening, and he had consented. It was a dream come true (literally—I had dreamt multiple times about interviewing him about his work). I don’t know what made the night more perfect: The fact that my feature ended up being published on Popmatters.com, or that he kissed me on both cheeks and called me “love” after I thanked him for the interview.

Since I’m only a sophomore, I look forward to seeing how many more bizarre, film-related adventures I can add to my repertoire before I graduate. I’m certain there will be plenty more to come. All of you, my COM peers, should be on the lookout, too—on Facebook, the COM corkboards, and on various Boston websites—for exciting ways to infuse film into your everyday lives. You never know where you might end up!

Jason: Back in the USA

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday and I am back in the United States watching football.

That's right guys, COM Ambassador Jason has begun life back in the states again and everything is under full swing. I'm living in Stuvi 2 again (but in an apartment this time) and I'm taking 3 classes: Production 2, Creative Producing 1, and Understanding Film. I've only had a few weeks of classes but I can tell this is going to be my favorite semester.

So far in Production 2 we've shot a small mock scene from the Social Network as an exercise and will be shooting an entire scene in full for our first project. Understanding film is great for all you film buffs out there because the class is structured around watching and talking about films- pretty simple. But the producing class just might be my favorite. We're learning about how to take ideas for talk shows, reality shows, and documentaries and turn them into viable projects. And next month we'll actually be skyping with Andy Cohen from Bravo to pitch reality show ideas to him.

Because I'm only taking 3 classes I've also just begun a new project that could turn into something pretty big. But I'll save that for the next blog and keep you guys in suspense. Oooo.

Mostly I'm excited because this semester is going to be the semester of concerts. I wen to fun. on friday, and lined up I've got Mumford and Sons, Lady Gaga, Matchbox Twenty, and I would love to go to Imagine Dragons, Chris Thile, and a couple others. Check out those guys if you don't know 'em.

As always shoot me an email, tweet, or post card if you have any questions!