Category: Derek

By Derek Olson

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog!  To quickly introduce myself, my name is Derek Olson.  I hail from Hanson, MA, and I study journalism and public relations with a minor in business administration and management.

This is the third blog I’m writing as a COM ambassador, and I feel like the time between semesters is only getting shorter.  If you’re a senior in college, you may be saying, “Duh, enjoy it while you still can,” but I want to address this to freshmen and those who may not be aware: College goes by fast.

It’s something I always heard from the adults in my life, but this past year is the first time I’ve truly experienced it.  Semester falls into semester, and before I knew it, I’m almost halfway through college.

So what?  My advice: do everything.  Say yes to that hangout with friends, try out that club, passion or activity you’ve always wanted to do and don’t be afraid to stay out a little later than you’d thought.  These four years are our foolproof time to try, to fail and to learn.

Don’t be stupid, but be ambitious.  Don’t be ignorant, but be happy.

These may be cliche words of wisdom, but do heed them and enjoy this time we all get the opportunity to have.  Nothing gold can stay.

By: Derek Olson

The leaves are shifting colors, there is a certain crisp in the air, and pumpkin spice lattes are back on the menu. For all of the fall fanatics: we have made it. My favorite part of fall is October 31st…(pause for suspense,) Halloween!  

Fun fact: the now-candy-infested holiday began as the Celtic – a collection of predominantly Irish and British tribes’ – celebration of Samhain. This festival marked the day of the year, as Celtics believed, when the souls of the dead were able to return to Earth; therefore, they set bonfires and wore costumes to fend off any evil spirits. 

To prepare you for the festivities, if you choose to celebrate, I will give some tips as to how to best enjoy your 2025 Halloween: 

1. Trick r’ Treat at Beacon Hill. I understand that Halloween falls on a Friday this year. It may be easy to get caught up in other plans, but there is nothing like going trick or treating on Beacon Hill. The gorgeous cobblestone streets are your path to the passionately decorated homes where you can receive candies galore.  Last year, I saw a Star-Wars-themed house where a frozen Han Solo was 

positioned outside of the house and an old man dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi handed out candy. I am nothing short of excited to be going back again this year, and I hope that you consider taking a trip over! 

2. Find Your Costume at the Garment District. The simple route is to dig whatever you can out of your closet and call it a day. But, going to the Garment District is an experience in and of itself, and you would get a Halloween costume out of it! I highly suggest breaking the crossing-the-river stigma and taking the T over to Cambridge to see what kind of costume you can craft with their collection.
3. Take A Trip To Salem, MA. I think it’s a reasonable argument to state that Salem, MA is the Halloween capital of the world. Home to the history of the Salem Witch Trials, you can spend $10 on a weekend commuter pass and take the commuter rail to experience the festivities for yourself. This is a bucket list item of mine that I have yet to experience, but do plan ahead before going since it can get very overwhelming very fast. 
4. Take a Haunted Ghost Tour of the city. While this is another activity I have not done myself, I have heard great things. A Haunted Ghost Tour of Boston perfectly tows the line between silly, interesting, and scary: costumed hosts take you around the city, by either walking or trolley, as they explain the paranormal history of Boston. This is one of those one-of-a-kind experiences that you can always laugh about with your friends after you have done it. 
5. Visit the Fourth Floor of Kilachand Hall. If you are not feeling as extravagant about your Halloween celebrations, but still want to be in on the fun, take a trip over to Kilachand Hall in East Campus and visit the fourth floor. This is where acclaimed playwright Eugene O’Neil had lived and then passed away. Since then, residents have described strange occurrences on the fourth floor, like lights flickering, strange scratching sounds, and elevators suddenly stopping at the floor for no reason. Who knows? Maybe you will have a story to tell, as well. 

Thank you for taking the time to read through these tips for the Halloween season.  Hopefully, you can test out at least one of them to see if it is something you would like to keep doing each year! Have a great rest of your fall semester Terriers, and don’t forget to manage your time well so that you are not stuck finishing homework at 8:00 p.m. on Halloween night.

By: Derek Olson

The frost of winter snow is melting away, and with it the opportunities to enjoy the open air of Boston are increasing by the day.  Even though it is easy to get lost in the seemingly endless pages of school work, do not forget to set down the books, get off-campus, and enjoy the gorgeous weather of a New England spring.

Travel over to the Boston Public Garden and enjoy the horticulture and spring weather.  The Boston Public Garden is the filming site of Robin William’s iconic bench monologue from Good Will Hunting (1997.)  I will not tell where the exact location is, but if you are up for it, find it and recreate the scene.  Beginning April 19, the Boston Public Garden also offers $4.75 rides on the iconic Swan Boats from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. until June 20, extending hours until 5:00 p.m. after June 20 until September 1.  

Another spring destination is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.  Enjoy the beautiful gallery of this famed art collector at no cost with a student discount, for BU students, that can be found on the CFA website.  My favorite part of the museum is the courtyard, filled with flowers that are in bloom for the spring and basking in the spring sun.

For all sports lovers who miss the energy of Agganis Arena, enjoy a Boston Red Sox game for $9.  Only about a 10-minute walk from central campus, Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball (MLB) history and still hosts one of the most iconic teams in the sport.  Delight in a Fenway Frank, the open air, and nine energetic innings of professional baseball with tickets only costing $9 as a part of their student-nines program.  Be sure to register for the program on their website so that you can receive alerts of when tickets are available, since it is subject to change from game to game.

If you do not have time, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy spring while on campus.  Doing your homework on BU beach, going for your run or riding your bike along the Charles River, or simply going for a walk down Commonwealth Avenue are all just as healthy ways to happily enjoy the spring weather.  

No matter how you do it, make sure to get outside and enjoy some fresh air as the weather gets warmer and summer rolls around.  Thank you for your time and have an amazing rest of your semester, fellow Terriers! - Derek