Category: Claudia

I am extremely lucky to go to college with my best friend in the whole world. My closest and dearest friend from high school, Hannah, is an acting major in the School of Theatre (over in CFA). While I applied early decision to BU, Hannah went through an audition process and didn’t commit until late April. 18-year-old Claudia had no idea she’d be this lucky. In high school, Hannah and I had a radio show called Broadwaves. We exclusively played showtunes and talked about all things theatre. When we were 16, we somehow got to interview (it still baffles me) the Editor-in-Chief of Broadway.com, Paul Wontorek. This show only strengthened our friendship and we ended up bringing Broadwaves to WTBU in 2015. 

Fast-forward to Orientation Summer 2014. Hannah and I planned it perfectly and we were in the same session and Common Ground group. Little did we know we would meet our best friends during the Liquid Fun show at Rhett’s Night Out. I was sitting next to fellow CA (and my future roommate/BFF) Jen Masi and Hannah was with her future roommate and bestie Sophie Gore. That was that beginning of some pretty strong college friendships, but also the start of the BU era of Claudia and Hannah. 

We have known each other since sophomore year of high school. For those of you who love numbers.. Our friendship started a little over six years ago back in SEPTEMBER 2011!!! That is a LONG. TIME. AGO. And here we are. Seniors in college. Getting ready to graduate. Our friendship has moved from Chicago to Boston and beyond to London and Florence. Best friendship is finding time to see each other even when you are in different countries. I got to see Hannah speak Italian in Florence and we explored Notting Hill together in London (so we are basically Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant). 

Hannah and I have never lived together (if you exclude the random month I spent in her apartment last summer). We used to joke about it being a disaster because of our opposite schedules. Even though we didn’t share a tiny double in Warren or West, we still made time for each other. Whether it was DJing on WTBU, going to lobster night, or seeing Hannah perform (or her acting in my projects), we made it work. Even as our lives got busier, and sophomore, junior and now senior year have rolled around, we were still Hannah and Claudia. Even better, we got to meet people outside our respective schools. While I love my COM bubble, I am so grateful for the friendships I have made with those SOT kids. So thank you Hannah.. to not only introducing me to some amazing people, but also helping me cast all my future films *wink*

There are a lot of things you can pull out of this friendship tale: going to college with your best friend from home is a great thing, making friends outside your school at BU is a great thing, or finding time to see your best friend even when school and life get in the way is a great thing. Reflecting back on all of this as a senior in college is telling me a lot of things, but most important is find friends who make change fun and easy. Having Hannah in my life made the transition to college a whole lot easier, but that wasn’t the only benefit. Anytime there has been a big change in either of our lives, we can always count on each other to be there. College is about those long lasting friendships and I can’t believe that my best friend from high school turned into my best friend from BU. Over the past three years, I’ve learned change never stops, but your friends will make any transition a lot easier and will always support you through those changes. 

Here are some pictures of me and Hannah throughout the years!

Ahhh… Summer break. Long gone are the days of sitting by the pool, ice cream cones, sleep-away camp, and summer reading. Summer break for COM students means incredible internships in cities all over the world ON TOP OF all the fun quintessential summer activities. 

I spent the summer interning at DigitasLbi in their Chicago office. Not only did I get to work at a global and just plain cool agency, I got to spend my last summer (I am a senior… How did that happen?!) at home, which was the icing on the cake. 

As the New Business intern, my responsibilities included developing internal competitive analyses for potential clients, creating client repositories that focused on media headlines, assisting in creative briefs and the designing of pitch decks. My team was amazing (shout out to my manager Heather!) and they really trusted me with big time responsibilities. I was so happy that my coursework at BU had really prepared me for all the surprises this real time agency threw at me. I felt extremely prepared and felt like I fit in immediately! (Thank you Prof. Cakebread and AdLab!) 

In addition to my departmental responsibilities, the internship program at Digitas included two intern projects. The first was to our internal company life team and my group created Destination: Digitas, a study abroad type program where employees could work abroad at any of Digitas’ global offices! This was so much fun and I got to collaborate with interns from various department. 

The second was a loyalty pitch to BP. You read that right… We, the interns, got to present a full campaign to an executive team from BP! That was a crazy, but rewarding experience as I got to work on a higher stakes project and practice my professional presentation skills. And by the end of the 10-weeks Digitas trusted us enough to work with the client. That’s pretty unbelievable! 

Digitas had an incredible summer too. By the end of my second week, the agency won the Creative Data Grand Prix at the 2017 Cannes Festival for the Whirlpool Care Counts campaign (check it out here). This was a HUGE deal and the team that won was actually based in the Chicago offices, so naturally we celebrated for four weeks. 

In addition to the amazing experiences within the office, the interns got to go to a Cubs game, tour the Google Chicago offices, visit other top Chicago agencies like Leo Burnett and Ogilvy, and overall, just have a great summer of work and play! 

Thank you Digitas for a summer I will never forget! 

Next stop senior year.. And then the real world! 

Three weeks ago today I bought a last-minute ticket to Stockholm and two days later I was on a plane to Sweden. Stockholm wasn’t on my list of places to travel during Study Abroad. I had the typical Barcelona, Florence, Budapest, and Amsterdam, among others, but once I purchased that RyanAir flight, I completely threw my list out the window and boy, I couldn’t be happier!

My trip to Stockholm showed me how (in the words of Ferris Bueller) life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. I know. It’s cliche, but Ferris is RIGHT and I think that’s why we all identify with that quote. I don’t want to miss any opportunities and the semester is already whizzing by - I just finished FINALS! By the time I get back from Spring Break, I’ll be starting my next class and internship at Feref (an entertainment advertising agency). Time is moving so quickly and I want to live life adventurously - which means throwing the list out the window and exploring.

We left at around 5:15 pm and journeyed out to London Stansted via the Tube and the Stansted express. Because of our schedules we were cutting it close, so by the time we got to the airport we did the classic study abroad sprint. My dad would have shuddered. We made it to our gate with a few minutes to spare and then we hopped on our Ryan Air flight and jetted off to Stockholm!

We landed around midnight and were checked in to our hostel at around 1am. The hostel was in the perfect location and was a 2-year-old space with bustling nightlife and young travelers. We were lucky and got our own private room and crashed quickly after a long day of travel!

The next day we left the hostel at around 11:00am and started exploring the city. Stockholm is composed of small islands and each area is connected by bridge.

We went to lunch at Älskade Traditioner and ate delicious sandwiches that were on waffles.

After lunch, we explored the city and ventured into the historic Old Town and saw Stortorget, a square with colorful buildings!

We then went to the Musett Modern and the Art History student in me freaked out! I got to see the second largest Marcel Duchamp collection and lots of Andy Warhol pieces among others!

We finished the night with delicious Swedish meatballs (vegetarian ones for me) at Meatballs for the People.

Saturday was as busy as Friday! We walked through Old Town to get to a breakfast spot called The Greasy Spoon. Absolutely delicious! We then made our way to the ABBA Museum. Yes, you read that correctly. There is an entire museum dedicated to Swedish Pop sensation ABBA!

The museum documented the group’s rise to fame and was home to costumes, instruments, set pieces and much more. There was also a karaoke and dance experience! Check out my roommate Carly’s vlog if you want to see us dancing queens!

Carly’s Stockholm Vlog

We ended the day a little earlier and went out for some delicious pizza before going to bed before our 6am flight!

Stockholm was an incredible experience and I cannot believe this beautiful city was not on my list beforehand! I took a chance on Stockholm and it has shaped my study abroad experience in a way I could have never imagined.

So whether you’re debating on going to Ottos versus venturing out to the North End for some delicious ‘za, or even picking a weekend getaway, don’t be afraid to try something that wasn’t on your first list. You’ll be happy you stepped out of your bubble and explored! Classic study abroad, right? But it’s true!

I LOVE Warren Towers. I’m am not afraid to share my love for the BEST dining hall on campus. Laugh all you want BaeState and West is Best fans, but Warren will forever be my home. 

Last year I lived in Kilachand which is MILLISECONDS away from Marciano Commons (affectionately known as #BaeState). But unless it was in the name of friendship or a quick smoothie before my 8am Sociology class, I NEVER went to the nationally ranked dining hall. I would always choose Warren. 

On top of Warren always being consistent, it is vegetarian friendly. Everyone is always willing to either make me a veggie burger or just give me the sides. The plates aren’t preprepared like at Bay State and there are non-meat option because you're not surrounded by athletes like in West. 

Warren breakfast is the best. They have mastered my two eggs over hard with cheese and also have BREAKFAST burritos. 

Friendships are formed in Warren dining. I have walked in to Warren for a 5pm dinner and not left until late night started at 9:30 - maybe even later. I have laughed so hard I’ve fallen out those glorious plastic chairs. I’ve cried — either from laughing or real tears — in those booths. I remember being offended walking into Warren my sophomore year and seeing the renovations, but now I cannot live without the new Asian station. 

Now that I live in South, Warren is the closest dining hall. But distance has never stopped me from going to my favorite place on campus. The phrase of the semester has been “Warren is SO good now. I understand why this is where you went last year” I look at my friends and laugh because Warren has ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be incredible. 

Warren dining, I love you. 

Move over Taylor Swift’s girl gang, there’s a new squad in town — The COM Ambassadors! As a COM Ambassador, I have met some amazing, interesting, talented and overall wonderful people. Some have already graduated and others are fresh faces, but either way, I have made friends for life.

Open House is the deciding factor for a lot of admitted Terriers and each year COM kicks off the day with a fun video.

This year for Open House, a group of us got together and created a Full House parody to introduce the COM Ambassadors. The video was a blast to make as we all channelled our favorite family sitcom!

Want to watch the whole thing? Check out the link below!

https://youtu.be/lJm2DQW37h8

(I promise the theme song will be stuck in your head for WEEKS)

The COM Ambassador program has not only helped me adjust to life at BU, but has also introduced me to some fabulous people! So no matter who you choose as your CA (THERE ARE SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE TO CHOOSE FROM YOU LITERALLY CANNOT GO WRONG), you’ll not only have a mentor, but also an amazing new friend.

We had such a fun time meeting you guys at Open House and cannot wait for the fall! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions throughout the summer!

So it’s that time a year again. The mid-semester slump. We’re back from Spring Break and I have immediately jumped back into work, classes, and clubs. It’s hard not to overwork yourself during these last few weeks of the semester! So remember to take time for yourself to relax and de-stress from your busy week!

Here are a few ways I like to unwind!

1. Listen to music

(I exclusively listen to Hamilton)

1. Watch a movie

(Fellow CA and my roommate Jen has KILLER movie suggestions like Me, Earl and the Dying Girl or What We Do in the Shadows)

1. Read a book

(I’m currently reading Sick in the Head by Judd Apatow)

1. Sit in the dining hall and chat with friends/procrastinate for hours

(You can have dessert after your dessert!)

1. Go out to dinner

(Treat yourself after a long week! Go to Trident on Newbury or Clover over in Central Square — or even explore somewhere new)

1. Go on a walk on the esplanade

7. SLEEP!

(Take naps! Go to bed early!)

Senior year is filled with finishing up requirements, killing the game at your internship, going abroad to LA or DC, applying for jobs, and trying to remain calm as graduation quickly approaches. You have to perfect a few meals so you don’t starve without the dining hall and you don’t burn down your apartment. I should put out a disclaimer: I am NOT a Senior. I’m a sophomore and have another exciting two years at BU.

So then why am I freaking out about graduation? Because three of my closest friends (Matt, Kevin, and Ben) are GRADUATING.

If you had asked me at the beginning of my freshman year, I would have been shocked if you told me that some of my closest friends at BU would be two years older than me. But it’s true. So thank you WTBU, BUTV10 and COM Ambassadors for introducing me to three of my favorite people.

The beginning of this year was great. The thought of my friends “growing up” and leaving me was not a major concern. Graduation was months away. We had plenty of time to hang out, reminisce about old times in Warren (even though I was in high school when they lived there), and watch Holes. We don’t share the same A and C tower memories (either way, B Tower is where it’s at) and we aren’t the same age, but I’d like to think — since we’re very close now — we would have been friends since day one.

As the semester went on, we’d crash each other’s radio shows and spend hours in each other’s dorms (I practically lived in South last semester) watching movies and old episodes of Pop Showdown (specifically the ones with said best friends). Finals hit and then suddenly, poof, Kevin graduated and entered the real world. This has been a difficult transition (more for me than Kevin). I keep inviting Kevin to my 10 pm radio show (Pop Cultured - check it out) only to be disappointed when Kevin reminds me that he can’t because of work (at the MA Health Policy Commission) the next morning.

Ben would then jokingly (?) yell “HE’S DEAD TO US” anytime Kevin was mentioned. We would cry it out, but then listen to showtunes or talk about TV to make us feel better. Now Ben’s getting ready to enter the real world too as the law school acceptances roll in and I scream Legally Blonde references and lyrics at him.

And now Matt (AN ECON AND STATS DOUBLE MAJOR WHO IS ALSO GETTING HIS MASTERS IN ECONOMICS!!!!) is fully immersing himself into the Film and TV world as we finish producing our show (“Entidaled” coming soon) while interning at PBS and preparing for the real world.

And I just sit here (still finishing my Freshman/Sophomore requirements) in awe, so happy for these guys. They’re starting the real world and are already killing the game. And although I am a little upset that they’re “leaving me,”  I’m so excited for these last few months at BU with them and what lies ahead.

*Cue Vitamin C’s Graduation (Friends Forever)*

So long story short, I wanted to write this (super sappy) post as a thank you note of sorts, but to also remind everyone that there are so many amazing people at BU and don’t be afraid to look outside your grade for friends. You never know, some of your best friends could be rising Seniors.

And if you need any help find your own Ben, Kevin, and Matt, then I suggest watching Pop Showdown.

Here’s Ben & Kevin (http://www.butv10.com/shows/pop-showdown/#vid=114385753) and Matt (http://www.butv10.com/shows/pop-showdown/#vid=87701598) on Pop Showdown! for your viewing pleasure. 

Disclaimer: this might get very sappy.

Matt, Ben and Kevin,

Thanks for agreeing to be friends with “The Girl Who Didn’t Know You, but Added You on LinkedIn When You Were Abroad,” “The Showtune-Obsessed Girl Who Was Probably Too Intense at the First WTBU Meeting,” and “The Freshman Co-EP that You Tutored in Econ and Who Also Kept Bothering You While You Were Editing CO-ED.”  I don’t know what I would do or where I would be without you guys.