The end of an era. the start of something new. 

Warning: this is a sappy post. How could it not be? I’m graduating college ?!?! 

In the blink of an eye, 2017 became 2021. It feels sudden – but, I’ve made a lifetime of memories in my four years. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried. I’ve struggled and I’ve accomplished.

As I sit down to write my last COM Ambassador blog, I want to reflect back on the moments and people that made my Boston University experience special:

Orientation, Summer 2017

When I flew to Boston, I didn’t know what to expect or who I’d meet. I remember my Uber driver giving me a backseat tour of the city, pointing out the river and explaining Bostonians’ deep love (and dare I say obsession) with Dunkin Donuts. She dropped me off in front of the West Campus dorms, and I nervously checked in to what would be one of the best weeks of my life. Minutes after arriving, I met one of my best friends, Nadia. She was my Orientation neighbor and saw me fumbling with my keys at the door. She called out to me and said, “hey, want to go get breakfast?” Now, I had no clue who this stranger was, but I said yes. And thus, the start of our incredible friendship. That week, I met our other friends, Mercedes and Simeon who have been absolute rocks for me. The four of us have had the best of times, from Warren Late Night to The Script and beyond! I couldn’t have made it through the last four years without them. 

Warren Towers 10C 

Nor, could I have made it through college without my 10C family. Most people make maybe 1 or 2 friends on their freshman year floor, but I was lucky enough to make 20. Yes – 20 (probably even more honestly). Thinking back it’s funny that at our first floor meeting, none of us made eye contact with each other. A week later, we were taking late night strolls through downtown Boston and racing each other up and down our floor. I don’t know how many people dream about getting along with their entire dorm floor, but let me tell you it was a hoot. There was always someone around to have deep, late night conversations with. Or to make mac and cheese with you. Or even to go to Regal and watch a movie at 1 a.m. 

My Alternative Spring Break Trip to Mississippi

I could write a book about this trip – it was one the most wild, crazy, insane experiences of my life. But it was also rewarding. I packed up in a van with 8 strangers and drove down to Natchez, Mississippi to volunteer at a local school and social services center for spring break. What I loved most about the trip was (probably, obviously) the children. I’ll never forget one girl in particular – who dreamed about being a fashion designer and told me she wanted to make my dress if I ever won an Oscar. Keeping that one in mind — she was a rockstar. 

BUTV10
BUTV10 was the best decision I ever made as a freshman. Admittedly, when I started writing – for Shadows at the time, I had no clue what I was doing. But, I quickly learned, and was able to “climb the ladder,” so to speak, to be the General Manager of the station. I’m lucky to have been part of many productions, which all hold a special place in my heart. Especially, From a Distance: BUTV10 Variety Hour. Shoutout to Guy Jackson for suggesting we make this show. It’s been my favorite experience at COM to date. Mainly because we got to interview several notable BU alumni including Ginnifer Goodwin, Russell Hornsby, and Andy Cohen! What made this production special, though, was that we brought 12,000 viewers together virtually to celebrate student talent, creativity, and resilience during the pandemic. 

COM <3 

Last but certainly not least, COM. Thank you to everyone – COM Ambassadors, my professors, COM Undergraduate Affairs, the incredible Engineers, FPS, Facilities, and many many more. This school was the best decision I ever made, and that’s because I got to meet and work with all of you.

Bye for now, 

CA Malaika 

 

5 Spotify Playlists to Help You Get Through Midterms

I can’t believe it’s already November!  In a normal year, November means fall outings, pumpkin patches, apple picking, and gearing up for the family festivities that come with Thanksgiving and Winter Break.

This year, however, November takes on some new meanings. It’s midterm season, perhaps it’s your 8th month at home with family. It’s getting colder, so there are fewer things to do while we continue to stay safe during the pandemic. 

Now, I’ve always had Spotify, but I really didn’t get into curated playlists until quarantine started. Listening to music is a great way to shake up your at-home routine, or a great way to contemplate whatever mood you might be feeling during these times. As we continue through midterm season, you can listen to a playlist while you do homework, study, or when you just need a break. 

Here is my top 5 list of Spotify playlists to get you through the next few weeks (or at least before the holiday music starts playing):

1. Majestic Casual

Featuring tracks by Tom Misch, Hether, Dameer, Mura Masa and more, this playlist will invoke spark memories and emotions with an eclectic mix of magical sounds. This is a perfect playlist for when you’re trying to relax and get some homework done! Not to mention - it’s a bunch of great new music to explore. 

2. Perfect Havoc: Top Ten

Having a solo dance party in your dorm or childhood bedroom? This is the perfect playlist to play when you want to have fun! It’s a top 10 playlist of new energetic disco hits that updates every Friday! 10/10 recommend adding some of these jams to your go-to dance playlists.

3. The Indie Station by Kitsune Musique

Chill out with this mix of alternative songs curated by Kitsune Musique. Updated monthly, these songs are the best for when you’re taking time to relax after a stressful day.

4. Pollen 

This playlists takes on a new direction from Spotify’s typical themed curations. Pollen is genre-less “quality first” music featuring your favorites like Post Malone and Tyler, The Creator, plus new and upcoming artists. A great choice when you’re looking for some old and some new. 

5. Songs You Can’t Help but Sing Along to

Discovering new music is always great,

but sometimes you might just want to jam to some of your all-time favorites! This playlist is guaranteed to get you smiling and singing loudly along while you’re taking a study break.

Good luck with Midterms and Happy Listening!

A few of my favorite websites for career development and opportunities

Stuck in my childhood bedroom, I was running out of things to do a week into quarantine. My wake-up, snack, Netflix, class, more Netflix, more snacks, then nap  routine was getting increasingly boring day-by-day. I’m a learner and a do-er, so I thrive on keeping my mind going constantly, but spending hours on Zoom wasn’t cutting it for me. 

One weekend, a friend of mine put out a PSA on Linkedin. “No job prospects? Internships cancelled? Here are opportunities to advance your career from home.” I read the post, intrigued, and fell into a rabbit hole of external learning sites that build a network for young professionals entering into the workforce. My friends and I spent the Summer connecting with a number of them, and I wanted to share some of the resources we’ve found to help advance our careers from a distance!

Connect the Writers

Connect the Writers works to eliminate barriers for BIPOC creatives by connecting young professionals with industry vets for mentorship. This Summer, I got to speak with an executive producer from FOX’s Empire who offered me great advice on breaking into my dream career. Overall, their network is incredible (a few of my friends had mentors from Netflix and ABC). Additionally, CTW offers free online writing seminars at no cost, and sends out job opportunities for major networks. 

Sundance Co//ab

Sundance Co//ab is a platform that offers hours of educational videos - masterclasses, interviews, or tutorials - on topics like directing, journalism interviewing, producing… etc.  You can also enter your work in monthly challenges for the opportunity to receive a subscription and one-on-one feedback on your work from a Sundance mentor. 

The Daily Logo Challenge

Ad majors, art directors and graphic designers, this is the challenge for you! For 50 days, The Daily Logo Challenge sends you a brief for a fictitious company with a name and/or an idea to design for. In your downtime, improve your skills and expand your logofolio! 

Adobe Max

Advice to creators: surround yourself with other creators! Adobe Max is one opportunity to do so! Adobe Max is a three day virtual creativity conference in late october - FREE this year!  You can build your schedule with luminary speakers, celebrity appearances and musical performances. You can also learn new skills in a number of beginning-to-intermediate design, editing, or video classes from Adobe instructors and global artists. 

Inbound 2020

Another online event for those in PR, Journalism and Ad is Inbound 2020, now offering a FREE 2-day virtual pass! Inbound is an industry-forward event connecting professionals with trailblazers in the field. This year’s keynote speakers include Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger, CNN Host Van Jones, and Comedian Fortune Feimster! 

Journalist’s Toolbox

From the Society of Professional Journalists, the Journalist’s Toolbox is a comprehensive list of resources. This site includes links to databases, fact-checking sites, experts, e-newsletters, archives and tips for covering stories. If you don’t already know this site exists, prepare to bookmark it! 

These are just a few of many sites that exist to further your career development from home! I’m excited to find and interact with more virtual networks as we Learn from Anywhere this semester. 

Happy learning, 

CA Malaika

With my increasingly busy schedule, it’s rare I find time to sit down, grab a snack and watch actual TV (sans Netflix or Hulu). But every Wednesday night, I rush home to catch the latest episode of The Masked Singer, a “who-sung-it” competition show where celebrities anonymously battle each other by singing. It’s my new favorite show, and here’s why I’m so obsessed with it:

• It’s FUN!

 

At first glance, The Masked Singer is car crash tv: “so disturbing, you can’t look away.” Liken this up to a bunch of unknowns in over-the-top costumes, hopping around on stage. Your first time watching the show you have no clue what’s happening. All you know is that there’s a celebrity under the mask, an all-star panel of judges, and oh - Nick Cannon is hosting again. But what’s better than your favorite stars American-Idoling in elaborate Halloween costumes? It’s a sight to see. 

• Celebrities show their true selves (without actually showing their true selves)! 

 

The point of the show is that celebrities have a chance to reinvent themselves. In an industry where you can easily be typecast, “canceled,” or become irrelevant, many stars feel as though they’re misunderstood. When they come on the show, they have a chance to explain their story - and they do, tears and all. Every single person who has been voted out has said it’s the “best experience ever,” and has allowed for them to show their talent without their name preceding them. I’m not going to spoil the Season 1 and Season 2 winners, but if you ever watch - they will make you a bit teary-eyed. For once, celebrities are relatable. 

• You’re the detective! 

 

A huge part of the show is guessing who the celebrity under the mask is. Every week, they give you a clue package - full of mysterious, little known or well-hidden facts about the singer. By doing so, the audience gets as involved as the judges. When I watch with my friends, we pull out little clues here and there to make our guesses. That being said, it’s easy to find a spoiler. If you don’t know who the celebrity is, everything seems cryptic. If you do know the celebrity under the mask, it’s glaringly obvious once you see their clue packages and everyone wants you to know what they know. The fun is in the guessing process for me, so this season I’ve decided to be spoiler-free. I don’t want anybody watching with me to google anything, and if I ever see a Masked Singer headline, I cover my screen immediately! 

Aside from all the fun of the show, what I love most about it is that it forces me to take time for myself. With homework, projects, and internships, an hour spent watching TV can seem wasteful. But in my commitment to have a spoiler-free season, I’m dedicated to watching each episode’s premieres so that the surprise isn’t ruined for me the next day. It’s a little time I take for myself to have fun - my Wednesday nights now belong to The Masked Singer.

Watch it, you’ll be obsessed too! 

Be honest, how many times have you been stuck in a car playing the alphabet game with your family or friends?

Sure, it’s fun the first few rounds, but once you pass “m,” the game becomes a vicious race to the finish line. Who saw what word first? Who’s going to call out the cheater? What do you do when everyone gets pouty over losing?

See, the alphabet game was my favorite as a kid. Long car rides became a vocabulary “I spy” competition (my apologies to those who left their glasses back at home), but over time the game started to lose its appeal. That’s when my mom decided to bring out her riddle book:

Grandma likes cookies, but she doesn’t like milk. She likes puppies, but she doesn’t like dogs. She likes kittens, but she doesn’t like cats. What does Grandma like?

Riddles stump us. They challenge us. They make us giddy when we finally figure out the answer. I thought I would leave my riddles behind when I left for college, but the truth is riddles have been my best ice-breaker since arriving at Boston University. Whenever I’m sitting in a group of strangers or waiting with my friends, I bust out a riddle.

Jack and Judy were lying on the floor dead. There was a puddle of water and broken glass on the floor. How did they die?

This year, my New Year’s resolution is to challenge myself intellectually; I want to sharpen my brain in a new and exciting way. As you can probably guess, I do so by figuring out the answer to a riddle everyday. Do I always guess correctly? No, but I have a ton of fun trying.

I wanted to share this because riddles are often overlooked. Don’t underestimate the power of a good brain-teaser. It’s the crowd pleaser that keeps on giving. Here’s a little riddle relevant to BU. See if you can figure it out; the answers to all three are below. No peeking!

BToEsRtRoInE!R

Happy riddling,

CA Malaika

(from top to bottom) Grandma likes things with double letters, Jack and Judy were goldfish; they dies because their bowl broke, Terrier in Boston!