Category: lindsey

This year, the most exciting social plans my roommates and I have are movie nights. With a year, where almost everything is canceled — restaurants, concerts, and college parties, it’s important that you still have fun and have a laugh every now and then.

My roommates and I created a list of movies called “Extremely Funny Movies We Must Re-Watch.” Most nights of the week, we pick a movie from the list, grab the popcorn, and all re-watch a funny movie together. Although nothing about this is revolutionary, it is a nice way to end each day and also have a good laugh (we all need it). 

 If you’ve watched these, it’s worth the re-watch. And, if you haven’t, you need to watch it. 

Here’s my top five:

1. Bridesmaids 

   A classic funny movie, with a very talented cast. This one is definitely a cackle-worthy movie.

2. Neighbors 1 & 2

   Seth Rogan and Zac Efron in the same movie is definitely worth your time. It’s rare that the sequel is as good as the first movie, but in this case, it is.

3. SUPER BAD

   Personally, this is my favorite movie. This movie will never not be funny. One of my roommates watched this movie for the first time last month, and she said, “I can’t believe I’ve lived my whole life without watching this, until now.”

4. THE PROPOSAL

   Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds are so fun to watch in this movie as they grow their relationship together. It’s a Rom-Com, and very funny. 

5. SEVENTEEN AGAIN

   Zac Efron is on this list more than once, but it’s well deserved. Right now, this movie is on Netflix and it is very entertaining.  

Movies are always a great way to pass time and a fun way to bring people together. Even if you don’t have roommates, many of these streaming services, like Netflix have ways where you can watch something virtually with others. Give it a try!

If you’re looking for more movie recommendations, I’d love to share. Email me: lindseyr@bu.edu.

Enjoy!

 

There is no doubt that this year’s Halloween is not going to be what we expected. Especially for the freshmen, your first Halloween at college isn't really looking like how it does in the movies. 

But, that’s okay. We just need to get a little creative this year to have a fun Halloween. Here are five ideas for celebrating Halloween during a pandemic:

1) Register for Hasan Saves Halloween (presented by FIWCI & BUSG)

Ok….sublte flex. I work on the FIWCI team, and we created this event to literally save Halloween. So, consider your Halloween plans made. This event is made for BU students (and is only for BU students). Register via Eventbrite today for a night filled with comedy, Halloween movies, and obviously snacks. 

2) Have a movie marathon with your roommate(s)

 

Half the excitement about Halloween time is having a valid excuse to re-watch Hocus Pocus for the sixth time. Grab your roommates, bake something spooky, and have a Halloween movie marathon. Hocus Pocus is great if you’re feeling nostalgic, but if you’re looking for something new, check out Adam Sandler’s new Halloween movie on Netflix called Hubie Halloween. 

3) Paint pumpkins 

 

Another fun activity to do with your roommates is to paint pumpkins. It’s less work (and less messy) than carving pumpkins. All you need are some mini pumpkins (Whole Foods or Target sells them) and a painting kit (you can buy one at Target). Pump up one of the Halloween Spotify playlists and you’re good to go.  

4) Go for a walk in Beacon Hill 

 

In the fall, Beacon Hill is one of the most beautiful places to stroll. With the leaves changing, the brownstone buildings, and the cute coffee shops, a walk through Beacon Hill the perfect fall activity. If you feel like getting some steps in, it’s a nice walk from BU’s campus (basically you go to Newbury street and through the Boston Public Garden). 

5) Decorate masks

 

Buy some fabric markers and decorate your mask! You can get creative and spooky. 

While Halloween is different this year, it will not always be like this in the future. Stay safe, healthy, and follow COVID-19 guidelines this weekend. 

Is it still March? Is Carole Baskin still relevant? Did I really bake banana bread consistently for 3 months? These are all valid questions, however, I’ve come to the realization that it really is August. 

The moment we’ve all been waiting for since we were sent home from our favorite place (aka college) is quickly approaching. It almost feels like it’s a dream, but it’s really happening. Although COVID-19 is still present in America, many of us will be making our way back to Boston, moving into our dorms, and entering this “new normal.”

As a senior at Boston University, I am more than excited to return to my favorite city and see my best friends; however, I have to admit I have some mixed feelings about returning to campus. This is what’s running through my head:

Excited

I can’t help but feel excited. I’ve lived in my parents’ house for the last five months (love them, but I’m ready to leave). I also studied abroad in London last semester, and have not seen some of my best college friends since January! I just want to feel independent again.

Stressed

There’s a lot to do...how will I make sure my roommates are going to practice the COVID-19 guidelines? I haven’t been on a plane since March, and now I need to fly from Los Angeles to Boston on a 6-hour plane ride. I need to quarantine when I get to campus...Ahh!

Nervous

I’ve been living at home with my family where I’ve felt quite safe. I haven’t left my house much and I’ve been super careful about social distancing and wearing a mask. But now, I’m going to be independent again. I’ll have to do my own grocery shopping and make sure that I’m acting responsibly.

Cautious

BU re-opening is a big deal. Although BU has many new protocols in place to make sure we have a safe semester, a lot of this is still on us ensuring that we are doing our part as members of the BU community. It is important that we follow the protocols, such as testing regularly and quarantining upon move-in if asked to.

It’s normal to have a lot of feelings about going back to or starting college -- I mean, we are living in a global pandemic. However, BU has developed a very detailed plan for our return (check out the Back2BU website) and if we all make an effort to follow these rules, we can have a successful semester at school. 

Starting college during a time like this can be scary. The best thing you can do is communicate! Talk to your roommate about how you’re feeling about starting college and what you’re comfortable with living-wise. We’re all in this together, and we will get through it! 

I’m a senior who’s done move-in three times now! So, email me at lindseyr@bu.edu if you want to share your concerns or have questions! 🙂

In the last two weeks, the majority of published content offers endless ways to keep busy during the quarantine. But, there’s too much content. If you’re indecisive like me, its easy to default to the go-to activity: Netflix binging. 

Knowing BU COM kids, we like to be productive….at every waking hour. I’ve narrowed down a shortlist of ways to be productive in quarantine: 

• Listen to a new podcast

Recently, I’ve become a podcast lover, especially educational podcasts. While going for a walk, sitting outside/inside, podcasts are great for letting time pass by quickly and with meaning. If you’re looking for an inspirational podcast, try NPR’s “How I Built This.” Each episode features a famous company’s start-up story (the Chipotle episode is great!). 

• Learn a new skill...online

For a lot of us, our workloads are not as harsh as usual. With extra time, you can learn new skills to make you a better candidate in the professional world. For example, Google offers a beginner’s course in Google Analytics and Adobe Suite offers beginner’s course to learn design. All for free! 

• Glam up: makeup YouTube tutorials

This is not necessarily academic, but it is self-help. Do you beg your friend every Saturday night to do your eyeshadow? Yes. Do you know the purpose of each makeup brush? I definitely don’t. Now’s our time. With hundreds of makeup tutorials out there, we can easily master the perfect day-time, night-time, natural look and start next fall with the best looks on campus. 

• Master a new workout routine

Sitting all day is NOT good for your mental and physical health. Get your muscles moving with a little help from YouTube’s collection of free workout classes and routines. My favorites are 305 Fitness, Pop Sugar Fitness, and MadFit. All of these videos are 30 minutes are less, and are easy to integrate into your daily routine. 

• Cook up a storm: new recipes

I’m a horrible cook. Since I’m not in my mini-kitchen in Boston for now, it’s the perfect time to learn basic cooking skills and impress your family, so next year you’re not stuck with microwavable ramen every night. Delish.com and BuzzFeed Tasty are great places to look for easy, no-time, yummy recipes.

Although we have more time on our hands than we’ve ever had, we are still living through a global pandemic and it is stressful. It’s important to not be too hard on yourself, and know it’s okay to have a lazy day. This list is for the days you’re feeling productive 🙂 Stay safe and healthy!

It’s that time of year … the leaves are starting to wilt, the cool fall breeze is becoming more of a numbing slap in the face, and Starbucks has already changed all their drinks from pumpkin spice to peppermint mocha and gingerbread. The best time of year: Thanksgiving time.

Thanksgiving in freshman year is interesting because this is the moment most people realize they are basically already halfway done with their first year of college. There is so much to be thankful for... the fact that you are surviving living in a dorm with a roommate, you are finally starting to figure out the independence thing, and you made friends. This week is the perfect week to show the people you love at school just how much you are thankful for them. So, throw a Friendsgiving!

But, one small problem. You live in an extremely small dorm. Here are four ideas for planning the best first college Friendsgiving:

• Go out. 

Don’t forget, you are living in Boston, one of the coolest cities in America, that happens to have great restaurants. Surprise your friends and make a reservation at a fun restaurant you haven’t eaten at before (it doesn’t need to be Thanksgiving food). 

• Order Pizza.  

Yes, pizza. You and your friends probably eat pizza every weekend, but this time, set up a little picnic in your dorm with close friends, order in, and just sit around and catch up. 

• Have a dessert Friendsgiving. 

Making a microwave Thanksgiving meal doesn’t sound exactly practical. Instead, throw a dessert party; each friend brings a special dessert that everyone can snack on. 

• Do something new in Boston. 

In college, Friendsgiving can be whatever you want it to be, as long as you are with your friends. Go out and explore a new spot in Boston that you haven’t been to before. Check out a new exhibit at the MFA or go for a stroll in the Boston Public Garden. 

However you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving with your friends and family, enjoy it and sleep A LOT this break. You’ll need it for finals week when you get back. Happy Thanksgiving 🙂 

Welcome to Boston. The city where it can be 61 degrees and pouring one day and 80 degrees and sunny the next. Between your light fall jacket, heavy winter coat, t-shirts, sweatshirts, raincoat, sweaters (the list goes on, and on, and on), you need a lot of different garments to survive out here in New England. One thing I’ve been trying to figure out for the past three years is how to pack for school. 

As a notorious overpacker, I’ll be honest, I still haven’t mastered it yet. However, this year, I made a conscious effort to pack only what I needed and leave behind the unnecessary things. Here are some of my tips and tricks for packing to live in Boston weather:

Bring shorts, but not too many. 

Like I mentioned in the title of this article, it’s still hot out. But, the truth is, no one will notice if you’ve been wearing the same three pairs of shorts for the last four weeks (as long as you wash them). Just pack a few pairs of shorts, because unfortunately this weather is not lasting long. 

T-shirts are your best friend. 

Probably right now, you are sweating through two t-shirts a day as you walk to class like the rest of BU students. That’s fine because you need a lot of them. If there is one thing to overpack, it’s your t-shirts. Even after the weather cools down, classrooms turn up the heaters and it can get very hot inside (#layer). 

Your parents can mail you things. 

Also, if you just really feel like you don’t have enough summer clothes for now, have your parents mail you stuff. This is how I survived my first two years. And then, I mail back the clothes once I’m done wearing them. 

I hope you like jackets.

You need a lot of jackets. And, you’ll accumulate overtime (especially if you’re from a warm weather state, like me, and never have lived in the cold before). I like to bring a light jacket (like a jean jacket) to wear during the first month of school, a raincoat, a light down jacket for the fall, and of course, the heavy duty winter coat that you could survive in Antarctica with if you needed to. (Tip: Get your Antarctica-level coat during Black Friday over Thanksgiving! You won’t need it until December, usually.)

Buy storage zip pouches. 

Your dorms have little to no closet and drawer space, so having clothes for every season is hard to fit. If you decide not to bring home clothes over break, put your summer clothes in a storage bin or zip-pouch thing (they sell them at Bed, Bath, & Beyond) and store it under your bed. This way you have room for all the important stuff -- those bulky sweaters. 

Although the fall weather and soon winter weather is fast approaching, enjoy this beautiful weather while you can and get some Vitamin D. Feel free to email me at lindseyr@bu.edu with any questions 🙂 

Living in a fast-paced city like Boston, there are countless places to go and multiple ways to get there. Coming from Los Angeles, a city plagued with 24/7 freeway traffic and a poor public transportation system, the last thing I knew was how to get on a subway. Boston’s subway system, the MBTA Commuter Rail (we say “the T”), runs straight through BU’s campus. This looks very convenient, but being train illiterate, it was one of the most intimidating aspects about BU for me during my first month at school.

Uber is efficient and requires no effort, but your bank account will be going into an extreme decline if you fail to learn the cheaper ways of getting around Boston. Here are the main things you need to know:

• The Boston University Bus

The bus is convenient if you know when it’s arriving. Get the BU app, and you can see the buses’ active locations and an estimated arrival time for each stop. The bus goes from Stuvi 2 (in West Campus) all the way through Kenmore Square. And the best part is: it’s free!

• The T

What it is: The T is broken down into 4 subway lines: Red, Orange, Blue, and Green. The Green line is the largest and is broken down into the A- E train. The Green line, is what runs through BU and is called the B train (for Boston College).

• Pro-Tip: When the train says it is going toward BC, that is toward West Campus, and if you want to go toward Kenmore Square, the destination will say Lechmere

Where it goes: All around Boston! You can get to most parts of Boston on the T, BUT it does require you to switch trains, for example, going to Cambridge. That is intermediate level navigating (which I am still working on), but I’ve done it and it’s a great, cheap way to explore Boston. My favorite place to go is Newbury St (Hynes Convention Center Stop) because it’s about two stops away from BU!

How to get on it: Buy a Charlie Card, which you can get at Star Market on-campus or at any train station-- Kenmore Square is closest. Each trip you take costs $2.25, and you can easily reload the card at any station or buy a one-time ticket.

When do you know it’s coming: You could walk outside and look, but save yourself from frost bite. I suggest getting an app like ProximiT which gives you a live ETA for each train and which stop it will be at.

The T also offers a bus system and a train system, but I’m only a sophomore…. I haven’t mastered that yet. Once you buy a Charlie Card and study the train map, you’re ready to venture into Boston—take advantage!