Category: Jen

Even though I do not want to admit it (because I don’t want to make it real), I am currently in my last semester in Boston. It wasn’t until today that I realized just how close the end of the semester is. I saw that I only have one month (!!) left in Boston before I go abroad for the summer and then in the fall for my last ever college semester. As spring is being sprung, and my Boston bucket list is still unchecked, I’m trying to knockoff a lot of the things that I have still yet to do in the city. Some of my bucket list is simple, like going to a concert at Paradise Rock Club. Some of it is ridiculous, like getting to know the person who plays Wally at Fenway Park and knowing the real life of being a mascot for a professional sports team.

Although I spend a lot of my time reflecting what I haven’t done, I remember all of the cool things I did do. I will remember all internships, best friends, roommates, nights in ordering pizzas, group chat names, midnight movies, cans of seltzer and all-nighters pulled in Ezratti like they were yesterday. Like the time I…

…saw every one of my favorite bands at all of the Boston Calling Music Festivals I’ve been to.

…ran my first ever half marathon through the city and the Franklin Park Zoo on probably the rainiest day I ever witnessed!

…played Settlers of Catan with some of my best buds until 12:30am at the Knight Moves Cafe in Brookline! (Spoiler Alert: I lost and did not have enough sheep throughout the game).

…went to Sarasota, FL with my best friends (and had a impromptu wedding with CA Sam Gross).

…appeared on Pop Showdown!, where I sadly lost against CA Kreag (okay, I lost by five points, but I’m not bitter)(really)(I am not).

…survived the Snowpocalypse with CA Claudia.

…decided to go to Revere Beach on the coldest, windiest day in May but still danced in the sun like it was July.

…held movie nights and talked way, way, WAY too much about pop culture and movies (specifically, movies about cats) with Sonia! We also ate way, way, WAY too much pizza and ice cream.

…spent a whole summer in Boston and working with orientation with the one, the only, CA Rachel (here we are with Twenty One Pilots tour buses).

…had two classes, two jobs, and too many group chats and seltzers with Kreag and Claudia.
So, if you’re like me and you’re rushing to complete all of the things you’ve ever wanted to do in Boston and at BU. Do not forget to stop and just remember all of the things you have done. Be sentimental and cherish all of your friends and your memories every day. Remember, what you’re going to do is important, but what you have done is even more special.

February 14th is right around the corner! This day may either bring your joy or dread. Now, if you’re going to be celebrating this day with someone you love, there is nothing better to do than get in your comfiest clothing, order take-out from your favorite restaurant (or Dominos, because hello, dining points!), and stay inside and watch a movie! I am here to help you pick the best movie to watch with whomever you’re spending Valentine’s Day with, so you don’t have to spend thirty minutes scrolling through your Netflix account trying to find the right movie for that special Tuesday night. Here is my what-to-watch guide!

What to watch with…

• Your significant other: Brooklyn (2015)

I saw Brooklyn last year and let me tell you, I’ve never “awwww’d” as much  during one movie as I did in this one. Saoirse Ronan plays Ellis, a young woman travelling from a small village in Ireland, to New York in search of a better life and opportunity during the 1950s. In New York, she meets Tony (Emory Cohen) at a dance hall. The moment that the camera first meets Tony, scanning Ellis from across the room with a smile that can grow The Grinch’s heart two sizes too big, I knew that I wasn’t leaving the theater without a dry eye and warm heart (and a clean shirt, as it was at  this point in the night that I dropped my taco on my white t-shirt).

Other Suggestions: Notting Hill (1999), About Time (2015), An American in Paris (1951)

• Your friends: Troop Beverly Hills (1989)

There are many movies that I will fight and root for, Troop Beverly Hills is one of them. Shelley Long plays Phyllis Neffler, a Beverly Hills housewife, who becomes the troop leader of her daughter’s Wilderness Girls’ troop. Phyllis teaches her daughter, the other wilderness girls and everyone who had doubted her that being different will always do you better in the long run than conforming to other people’s ideas of what you should be. This movie has heart, girl power, comedy and the best song about cookies that I have ever heard.

Other Suggestions: Heavyweights (1995), Daisies (1966), The First Wives Club (1996)

• Your Parents: 20th Century Women (2016)

Mike Mills wants you to appreciate your parents. Coming off of Beginners, he released 20th Century Women, which is about the life of Dorothea Fields, played expertly by Annette Bening, and the women she surrounded herself with to help her navigate life in 1979 Santa Barbara. Mills also shows Dorothea trying to raise her son Jamie, in a new era of America. This film is Mills’ love letter to his mother, giving appreciation to how hard it is for a single mother to raise and understand her teenage son. Watching this movie will make anyone want to call their parents (and then listen to Talking Heads’ “The Big Country” over and over again).

Other Suggestions: Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Life Animated (2016), Lion (2016)

Now, I understand some people don’t like Valentine's Day and may not want to watch any movie about love, romance, etc., so do not fret! I have some suggestions for you too!

• What to watch for people who don’t want to watch something about love on Valentine's Day: In The Loop (2009)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VDc7-YH1LA

From the creator of Veep, Armando Iannucci’s film shows the behind the scenes action of government offices in the United States and the United Kingdom when the two countries are deciding whether to go to war in the Middle East, or not. In The Loop is a cleverly written comedy that seems almost too real to be true. The best performance comes from the vulgar Peter Capaldi. This film is equal parts ridiculous and relevant. There is no doubt you will be using Capalidi’s catchphrases in your daily speak after watching this.

Other Suggestions: Picnic at Hanging Rock (1972), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962), Hot Fuzz (2007)

It’s that time of the year again! The leaves are turning different colors, coffee shops are beginning to offer hot apple cider, and it’s time to register for classes. Yes, that time when your inbox begins to fill up with tips on how to register for next semester’s classes and what you should and shouldn’t do in order to make sure you’re taking the right classes to help you graduate. It can be a stressful time. You may even experience the five stages of grief during your registration time. However, do not worry! If you didn’t have a pleasant registration experience, or if you’re starting to feel like you’re not going to have a great registration time, I have tips to help you get through this hard time.

1. Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

2. Checking the Student Link AFTER registration: This is my strongest tip I give to anyone who is freaking out about how badly their registration went. Yes, that class that you wanted to take did fill up on Sunday, but people change their schedule all of the time. So, wait like a week after registration and see if any seats have opened up in that class. You just have to keep checking and checking the student link. Luckily, I’ve gotten many classes that I wanted to take, that I didn’t get during the registration period, by just randomly checking the student link.

3. Getting Put on a Waiting List: If you’re really really really stressed out about not getting into a class, email your department and ask to be put on the class’s waiting list. This will ensure you that if a spot opens up, you will be informed and then you can register for it. Sometimes, if enough people ask to be put on a waiting list for a class, they will maybe open up another section for that class!

4. Take a Chance on a Class: Okay, so nothing that you want to take is open. Like, nothing at all. But, you see that a class that you think is interesting has a few seats in it. Take a chance, and sign up for the class! Yes, it’s not what you wanted, however if you think you’re going to be interested in it and it seems like a cool class, sign up for it! Again, you can always change your schedule before the beginning of the next semester. So sign up for that chance class, and if something you would rather take opens up, drop the chance class and sign up for the one you wanted to take!

5. Sit Back and Relax: Congratulations! Your registration is done! Go grab yourself a nice blueberry plum iced tea from Pavement Coffeehouse. Actually, grab a scone too, you deserved it. Now you can lay in bed, put on a show (might I recommend every episode of Kitchen Nightmares?)(they’re all on Youtube, by the way). It was a stressful time, and you manage to get through it. Sure, maybe it didn’t go as planned, but it’ll all work out in the end, my friend. It’ll all work out.

This summer I spent time going to movies, talking about movies and reading movies (can you tell what my interest/major is?). In addition to working with Boston University’s Orientation Office, I wanted to do something that involved working with film this summer. One night, after applying and getting rejected from two internships, I was scrolling through the Harvard Film Archive’s calendar looking to see what retrospectives are coming up. Soon after I found their blog, and very soon after that I found that they had internship opportunities. I was accepted and I was able to work there for the summer. I never really thought of myself working in a place like the HFA, but after leaving the internship, I realized just how awesome of a place it is, whether you want to work with film curation or if you’re just a casual film lover, like myself. If you’re just a little tired of the  typical, multiplex with overpriced snacks and previews amongst previews, the HFA may be a place for you!

• LUNCH SPOTS: Being in the heart of Harvard Square was a perk of working at the HFA in the summer. Located on Quincy St., it’s just a short walking distance to fantastic restaurants like Mr. Bartley’s Burgers (where each sandwich is named after a public figure), Bolocco, Clover Food Lab and my favorite breakfast spot Liquiteria. (Side Note: Having gone into Harvard Square for lunch many times, I have found the best lunch spot to be Crema Cafe. Order the Crema Chicken Sandwich with the Sweet Nectar Tea and you will have your life changed.)(This isn’t a paid ad for Crema Cafe)(I just am so passionate about that sandwich and drink).

• THE MOVIES: This place doesn’t mess around when it comes to movies. They have a library of over 25,000 films from the beginning of cinema to now. You can find classic dramas, old cartoons, home movies, etc. They also have film series that play throughout the months. They have done the complete films of Robert Altman, a series on Oliver Stone, a retrospective on black cinema of the 1970s, just to name a few. They also have had amazing guests who have stopped by like Joshua Oppenheimer, Harmony Korine, Pedro Almodovar, Ang Lee and in two weeks Pam Grier will be there! Sometimes filmmakers will even premiere their films there too!

• ATMOSPHERE: The theater is a one screen, two hundred seater. Outside the theater are film stills and pieces written about the filmmaker or genre.  The HFA is located at the basement of the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts, located directly next to the Harvard Art Museums. So, as you can tell it’s a very artsy, creative and educational place to be in. Whenever I would walk into work, I would be greeted by the different art pieces done by visiting faculty members of the CCVA. There are more floors above the HFA that have all types of art. One of my favorite parts of the internship was when I got to attend a poetry reading of the poems of Frank O’Hara on their rooftop terrace. I felt very collegiate and artsy in that moment.

The HFA was a fantastic place to intern at. I got to learn about film curation, and what it’s like to basically run a movie theater (which, if I haven’t told you, my plan for when I retire is to run a small theater on Martha’s Vineyard, so it was great experience). The people I worked with were knowledgeable and friendly, and they also brought food to the office which was also amazing. If you haven’t been able to visit the HFA yet please do so soon! (STUDENT TICKETS ARE LIKE $7 SO…) (GO TO THE MOVIES!)

 

(Outside of the CCVA)

 

 

(Rad posters featuring films part of the Robert Aldrich retrospective)

 

(Lobby of the CCVA)

 

 

(Hanging with some donated films, about to do some vinegar testing to prepare the films for curation)

 

(Like...the best sandwich I’ve ever had at Crema Cafe)

 

Recently, I was on the phone with my mom and she asked me what I was doing this weekend. I told her I was going to a concert and her response was “another one?! Haven’t you been to enough concerts this month?” Now, I don’t go to a ton of concerts, but I do go to enough to make my parents and friends wonder if I do anything else with my free time. I love going to concerts in Boston. I’m from a place where the only concerts are basically Dave Matthews Band and Rascal Flatts (not that there is anything wrong with those bands, it’s just those are basically the only ones that come to where I’m from) (and sometimes it’s exhausting). I’m fortunate to go to school in a city where a bunch of my favorite bands and artists play. One of my favorite parts about going to a concert (besides getting there an hour early to get in the front, and then eventually getting hearing loss the day after) is seeing the opener before the main act! I think that any indicator of a great concert is if there is a great opener. Not only do you get to jam out to a band you may never had heard of before, but you also may find your next favorite band! So, enough beating around the bush, here are a few of my favorite openers from concerts I’ve seen here in Boston!

Young Rival (opened for Born Ruffians, 10/29/2015): I knew this band was going to be great as soon as they walked on stage in gold glitter blazers. They were the second opener for Born Ruffians at The Sinclair in October. They have a pretty chill vibe that’s perfect to listen to if you just want to mellow out and hang with friends.

Listen To: That’s Chemistry ( on Spotify )

Jamie N Commons (opened for Catfish and the Bottlemen, 10/16/2015): This was one of the first times where I knew the opener before I went to the concert. The reason why is because one of their songs was in the trailer for the new Coen Bros. movie Hail Casesar! This bluesy/folk-rock band gives off a gritty vibe that makes it hard for you not to jam to their songs. You probably have also heard their song “Jungle” in the Pitch Perfect 2 trailer. They also had another one of their songs in The Walking Dead!

Listen To: Rumble N Sway ( on Spotify )

Tess and Dave (opened for Father John Misty, 4/22/16 ): Okay, this couple is my newest obsession. This couple, who are in the band for Father John Misty, also have a very chill vibe. They gave me a chill space alien couple vibe. They probably had one of the best performances I’ve seen by an opener. I don’t even know what I loved more! Was it because the had synchronized dances? Was it because the lead the audience in a sing-a-long to one of their songs, which is about a Subaru? Was it their rainbow lights? Please please please listen to them!

Listen To: Social Chess ( on Bandcamp https://tessdave.bandcamp.com/releases)

 

Some More Bands ( Quickfire! )

Milo Greene ( listen to White Lies, on Spotify )

Dirty Bangs  ( listen to Pleasures, on Bandcamp https://dirtybangs.bandcamp.com/album/standards-4)

Cherry Glazzer (listen to Had Ten Dollaz , on Spotify)

Night Terrors of 1927 ( listen to When You Were Mine, on Spotify)

There are a plethora of things to do in Boston that suits everyone’s interests. Do you like to run? The esplanade provides a great trail with beautiful views. Do you like modern art? The Institute of Contemporary Art can help you get your fix. Do you like going to a movie theater at 12am and watching some of the funniest, scariest and weirdest films that you’ll ever see in your life? Well I have just the place for you.

The Coolidge Corner Theater hosts midnight movies every weekend, and each month has a different theme. One month it is road-action-thrillers, another it’s teen comedies of the early 2000s. Tons of film fanatics buy their tickets hours in advance and then wait in line for an half an hour before, in any kind of weather (rain, snow, wind speeds that feel like 100mph, etc.). After they are called to come into the theater, they sit down with their midnight snacks consisting of popcorn and birch beer soda. It’s 11:59pm. The projectionist announces that the movie is ready to begin and then, the theater goes black. For around two hours, the audience is immersed is pure magic. Whether it is the magic of Romy and Michelle trying to impress their old high school rivals with knowledge of how they invented the Post-It note, or Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez’ world of vampires, it is a feeling that brings you onto a ride that you won’t want to escape.

Some of my best memories in Boston were because of the midnight movies at Coolidge. My freshman year, I was just scrolling the internet (procrastinating, most likely) and found that this theater, which looked cool though I’ve never heard of it, holds midnight movies. Being the film major/film geek that I am, I desperately wanted to go. So, I got a bunch of my friends, and we headed over to Coolidge Corner and got tickets to see Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion. Though I’ve seen the film before, I have never seen it like I had that night. Being in a room with fifty people, kind of delirious because it is 12am on a Friday night/Saturday morning, who love films and who are so immersed in those two hours of pure entertainment brings some sense of community that I sometimes don’t feel in other theaters.

Coolidge After Midnite Program has a special place in my heart. I don’t think that my college experience would be complete without it.  Even though I may not be able to go all of the time, I sure try to go when I can, and when I do go, it’s magical.  ( For more information visit http://www.coolidge.org/programs/aftermidnite )

Last Friday, I turned twenty years old.

That is the strangest sentence I’ve ever typed.

In the days leading up to my birthday, I felt I like I was have an almost-quarter life crisis. What have I done? I have never won the National Spelling Bee, I haven’t starred on a hit Disney Channel show, and I haven’t even seen The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (I know. I’m sorry).

Though I wasn’t a child prodigy or even a teen one, I have done and learned a lot.

Here are twenty things I’ve learned in my twenty year life time:

1. It’s better if you do something earlier than later.

2. It’s better to known up to being late than make a dumb excuse.

3. Unsweetened, black iced teas will help power your day when sleep isn’t enough.

4. Watching a movie can cure any bad feeling.

5. Major in something that will make you happy instead of making your family happy.

6. Sometimes, being your own quirky self is better than being like everyone else.

7. You will never be as cool as Mick Jagger, but you sure can dress as cool as him.

8. Being by yourself sometimes is better than being surrounded by people.

9. Nap often.

10. You’re going to fail and you will get better.

11. Cape Cod has the best warm lobster rolls.

12. Go to that weeknight concert (unless you have an exam or work the next day).

13. Care about people as much as you would care for yourself.

14. Having a venting session once in awhile is the best kind of detox.

15. Drink as much water as you can.

16. Make great things.

17. Each day, find something that will make you laugh.

18. Know when to be serious and know when to be goofy.

19. Know when it’s time to leave and go somewhere else.

20. You are your own person. You have your own life. Stop trying to compete with the people around you.

 

Obviously, being twenty years old, I haven’t cracked the surface. I still have a lot to learn. So for now, instead of focusing on the things I didn’t do, I’m going to focus on the things I’m going to do...like figuring out when I’m going to go back to Naco Taco for their plantains and tostones.

“If I turn twenty, that means I can have twenty tacos...right??”

Egg sandwiches are a staple in my diet. I probably eat between one to three egg sandwiches a week. Nothing makes me happier than a toasted breakfast bread, with crispy bacon and, a properly cooked egg. No joke, I sometimes plan my day around when I can stop by a place to buy an egg sandwich. Throughout campus, there are multiple places to go and get egg sandwiches and it can sometimes be overwhelming and even disappointing if you end up getting a sad egg sandwich. Right now you’re probably asking, “So Jen, where can I find a good egg sandwich?” Well my curious reader, I am here to guide you to egg sandwich heaven.

Rhetts: If you have been to the GSU between the hours of 9:00am-12:00pm, you’ve probably seen a huge crowd of people lining up to get their egg sandwich. Here, you can order an egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel of your choice. You can also add bacon, ham or sausage. Rhetts’ egg sandwiches are one of my favorites because there is nothing better than something that is warm, greasy and gooey. Be warned though, excessive consumption of these egg sandwiches may lead to extreme belly patting and craving seconds and thirds.

Rize: Do you live in/frequent East Campus? Feel like you don’t have time to dine in the dining hall yet you need fuel before class? Stop at Rize for one of their amazing egg sandwiches! Not only can you get an egg sandwich (with either bacon or sausage or neither) on a bagel but also **add Aziz Ansari voice** on a croissant! I like Rize’s egg sandwiches because not only are they delicious and decadent, but they remind me of the egg sandwiches at Dunkin Donuts. So, if you enjoy Dunkin’s egg sandwiches, but maybe want to feel less guilt, hit up Rize! (Also, if egg sandwiches aren’t your thing, they have great egg burritos!)

Pavement Coffeehouse: Let’s say one day you’re craving an egg sandwich but one that is a little more on the gourmet side, Pavement Coffeehouse should be a name on your list! What’s great about Pavement is that there are many varieties of egg sandwiches on their menu. You can get one that is strictly bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel, or you can get one that comes with red onions, tomatoes and jalapeno cream cheese or one with sundried tomato, pesto and arugula. If you’re tired of the same old typical egg sandwich and want to try another variation, Pavement is the place to go!

Obviously, I’ve missed some other spots on campus (ex. Tatte Bakery, Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts, Einstein’s Bagels, etc. ), and I know I’m only hitting the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Boston-area restaurants/cafes with great breakfast sandwiches. However, if you happen to be around campus, and need to squeeze in a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner, these are some great  places you should check out!

Halloween is quickly approaching and if you’re like me, you’ve been planning for October 31st since May. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, it was a dream of mine when I was younger to go and live in Halloweentown. It’s still my dream today. Halloween is special because not only can you dress like anything you want to be, but you can eat a crazy amount of sugar and not be judged for it. Before I came to B.U., my go-to Halloween activity would be to trick-or-treat the two and a half miles around my neighborhood, and do a traditional candy swap between my friends. However, when I came to school, I found myself stuck as to how to celebrate Halloween. It’s one year later and as a sophomore,instead of being confused about how to celebrate this amazing holiday, I’ve found TONS of ways to celebrate Halloween in Boston and beyond:

• Drown yourself in chocolate at Max Brenner’s: Freshman year, my friends and I dressed up in our best spooky and quirky costumes and headed to a chocolate lover’s paradise: Max Brenner’s on Boylston. My roommate had told me about how she went to this restaurant in New York and how it was a place I had to go and what better time to go than on Halloween? We engrossed ourselves in rich hot chocolate, ice cream sundaes and my personal favorite, french fries sprinkled with cocoa powder and chili powder.

• Salem! Salem! Salem!: I’ve been to Salem plenty of times in my life, but when I came to Boston, I thought it was going to be difficult to get there (because, as someone who hates to drive, I had nobody to drive me). Until recently, I found out there was both a ferry and a commuter rail stop in Salem. Salem is one of my favorite towns in Massachusetts, not only because of the rich history and fantastic museums, but because of the quirky and spooky shops. Where else can you find a store dedicated to the world of Harry Potter right next to one where you can buy spell books and cauldrons? Also, Salem has some of the best kettle corn and fried dough I’ve ever had in my life. So even if historically haunted houses and the Salem Witch Trials freak you out, do it for the dough.

• Coolidge Corner’s Halloween Horror Marathon: As a film major, it’s no doubt that Coolidge Corner is one of my favorite theaters. The theater has midnight showings of movies every week and their theme for October is horror movies. At the end of October, they hold their annual horror movie marathon that starts at midnight on Halloween till noon on November 1st. They hold a double feature and if you’re really dedicated you can stick around for four more films. They do not announce the four other films’ titles till that night so you sit and hope and pray that you’re favorite scary movie is shown (personal favorites: Scream, Rosemary’s Baby and The Babadook

Halloween 2014, before we drowned ourselves in chocolate at Max Brenner’s

If you’re like 99% of the human population, you have been late to something at least once in your life. Being late is just part of the human experience. I’ve been late for many things: class, birthday parties, going across the street to grab breakfast in the morning. Being late is just part of my DNA. Multiple times, I’ve kept my friends waiting five, ten, even twenty extra minutes for me to meet them to hang out. Not only am I a chronic late person, but I’m also a chronic procrastinator. Whether it’s putting off homework, doing my laundry, or even just getting out of bed, I will put anything off until the last minute.

So what happens if you are late to class? What happens if you’ve put off that essay until the night before it’s due? Here are some tips from a perpetually late person to help you deal with the stress that comes from tardiness.

• Relax: Okay, this one is pretty self-explanatory. There have been many times when my stress level has gone from 0 to 100 because of me being a procrastinator. I’ve left everything from worksheets, to fifty page readings to four page papers till the last minute. I’ve gotten extremely overwhelmed and felt like it was impossible for me to get everything done. In times like these, I remember to take a breather and to calm down. I admit that it was my own fault that I procrastinated and then I get straight back to work because I have no time to give myself an intervention.

• Don’t Make Excuses: When you’re currently sprinting to your friend’s birthday party because you’re running twenty minutes late, you’re probably thinking of a great excuse. How convincing and elaborate can you make your excuse so people think you’re telling the truth? It’s always best to throw out any excuses and tell the truth. Instead of trying to tell your friend a false but creative reason about why you’re late, it’s better to just say you watched a few too many episodes of House of Cards and didn’t keep track of time.

• Remember, it’s not the end of the world if you’re late: Okay, so you’re five minutes late to class. It’s fine. Don’t freak out about being just a few minutes late because it might be the case where either the professor is late as well or you’re coming into class with some other students whose alarms didn’t wake them as well. Nobody is going to take you to court because you’re late to class. Unless it’s a mock trial class.

Tardiness happens. When it does happen, you just have to remember to relax and it’s not the end of the world. Everyone is late at one point in their lives, take it from me, a girl who was thirty minutes late to her own birthday party.