Category: Mira

5 Lessons I Learned During College

In just a few months, I will be graduating from BU, so I wanted to take a moment to reflect onwhat these past few years have taught me. Here are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned that I want to share with you!

LESSON #1

Have something that will always remind you of your priorities

Every once in a while, set aside time to reflect on your priorities and ask yourself- are you putting those things first? Or are you forgetting what’s important to you? It can be as simple as writing them out and sticking them on the wall or even finding a time once a month to chat with a
friend about what’s important to you and talking through whether or not you’ve been true to those things.I say this because identifying and honing in on what’s important to me has given me a sense of peace. I still get stressed about things, but if I can immediately think about my priorities, I usually end up reminding myself that whatever I was stressed about in that moment isn’t anything to worry about and I can turn my attention towards what matters to me.I think that when your priorities aren’t clearly outlined in your mind, it’s easy for things to get muddled and for you to feel stressed about not doing the things you want and not focusing on the things that matter to you. If you have something to remind you of your priorities, you will always have that guidance to make sure that you’re staying on track with what’s going to make
you feel the happiest and the most fulfilled 🙂

LESSON #2

People are going to come and go in your life and that’s okay!

There’s so much going on during this time in your life that people are going to need more room to grow than may have needed before. All of us are navigating this strange and confusing new world, and that requires space. We’ve all changed and gone through so much and that energy is going to push some people away and pull some people in. And that’s normal and that’s okay. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that sometimes your relationships are going to stretch and you’re
going to experience distance and you’re going to miss them or you might not. But that doesn’t mean that it’s permanent. Relationships are ever changing. Don’t let your worries about relationships changing take your attention away from the new relationships that you have the potential to discover and welcome into your life too!

LESSON #3

Things are inevitably going to change, so don’t worry about the plan

For as long as I can remember, I was always someone that had to have the perfect plan. I had to know exactly what I was doing, and I had to know exactly what I wanted to do in the future. I wanted my life to be set up in a neat and organized linear map, so that I would know what I had to do and where I had to go to succeed. Almost four years ago now, I came into college my freshman year, having this perfect, prewritten idea of what my life was going to look like by senior year. My life right now looks nothing like that. But that’s okay! Things change and shift everyday! And because of that, there’s no need to worry so much about your plan because things are inevitably going to change! So why fret over every tiny detail about your future when you don’t even know what tomorrow is going to bring you? I think this was a really difficult lesson for me to accept at first. I spent months worrying about what I would do after graduation, where I would go, what I wanted to do with my career, but the second I took a breath and let go of my expectations, I found joy and opportunities in places I
didn’t expect.

LESSON #4

Change up your routine with one big thing

This can be anything! But it should be something that will change up your life in a noticeable way! I’m not entirely sure how to explain this, so I’ll just share what I did this year that really changed up my routine and actually ended up having such a positive impact on my life. So even though I am Japanese, all throughout the first three years of college I never joined JSA, or the Japanese Students Association. I was always so busy with other things and I always had
some excuse for why I couldn’t go. However, since it was my senior year, I promised myself that I would go to at least ONE JSA meeting and meet some people. And I am so glad I did because it totally changed the course of how my semester went for the better. I met so many incredible people and am having so much fun being a part of JSA! Take a chance and just do that ONE thing you’ve always wanted to do or make one big change to your routine! You never know what kind of opportunities it’ll bring you, and it might even help
you discover a whole new path you didn’t even know existed for yourself!

LESSON #5  
Cut yourself some slack!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this past year, it’s to cut yourself some slack! And offer that same grace to the people around you. Life is hard, and college is hard! There’s a lot going on! I understand how easy it can be to get frustrated at yourself and the people around you. But when those moments happen, take a breath and forgive yourself for not knowing all the answers. Forgive yourself for being confused or mad or upset or whatever you might be feeling. And instead applaud yourself for how far you’ve come and for just doing your best you can at the moment. Your energy is going to flow in different ways in different eras of your life and that’s the way it should be. Recognize that you won’t be on top of things all the time, and that that’s fine! Even if it doesn’t feel like it now, you will eventually find your way. So cut yourself some slack for not
being perfect and not having it figured out 🙂

And with that, those are the 5 most important lessons I’ve learned over the past few years. I hope at least a few of these things resonated with you and that you’ll keep some of these lessons in mind as you embark on your college journey!

Wishing you the best of luck!
Mira

Hey everyone!! CA Mira here! Now that we are almost a month into the spring semester, I wanted to check in with y’all! Online classes and remote learning can be HARD, but I am PROUD OF YOU for getting through it!!

In case any of you lovely people are struggling a bit with your classes this semester, here are four tips that I have picked up over the last few months that have really helped me to succeed while studying remotely!

DESIGNATE ONE SPACE FOR ZOOM CLASSES

Since you’re at home, it’s more important than ever to categorize your spaces, otherwise your entire house will feel like a place to do work- and you don’t want that. I always do my zoom classes in my room (at my desk) and that way I feel like I’m able to separate school and work! What’s nice about doing all your classes in one place is that if there is ever a day where you feel really restless, you can do your zoom classes somewhere else for just that one day, and it kind of tricks you into thinking that you’re doing something new!

GO TAKE A WALK

Being at your desk for a long time can really hurt your body and strain your eyes! Go outside and get some fresh air between your classes! It’s such a game changer and will really boost your mood! Even when I’m not feeling it, I’ll still drag myself outside before or after class (even for a minute) and I’ll be really happy I did!

REACH OUT TO YOUR CLASSMATES ON ZOOM

Zoom has a private chat feature- USE IT! Trust me- you’re going to regret not befriending your classmates when you have an assignment due at midnight and you have no idea what on earth the prompt is asking you to do. It’s a lot harder to make acquaintances over zoom, but it’s important to have a friend in class that you can reach out to if you need help!

WAKE UP AT THE SAME TIME EVERYDAY

I know that when you have a class that starts at 2pm, it’s easy to want to sleep in for a couple more hours, but hear me out on this! I have found that it really helps me to wake up every single day at the same time AND to wake up at least half an hour before my classes start. Don’t get me wrong, I have most definitely had days when I simply rolled out of bed at 8:59AM to get to my 9AM class, but every time I did that, I found myself feeling groggy and zoned out during the lecture. Not fun, and not productive. Do yourself a favor and make sure your body is on a sleep schedule that gets you up out of bed and TRULY ready for your day!

Anyway, that’s all for now but I hope you find these tips helpful and that you use them to make online classes a little more bearable! YOU GOT THIS and good luck this semester!!

Hey everyone! I wanted to hop on the CA blog and share 5 of my favorite Instagram accounts you can follow to create a more positive feed!

Social media can be really toxic sometimes, but following creators that put out positive, fun and uplifting content can help change your mindset and attitude regarding your everyday life.

@wawawiwacomics

This is one of my ALL time favorite accounts! They post really adorable comics about friendship and you HAVE to check them out! The artwork is fantastic and I think that the comics are really cute and clever! The artist, Andres Colmenares, describes his comics as a “visual hug,” which I think is the perfect way to describe them. Super bright and colorful with an overall cheerful vibe, these comics always make me smile whenever they appear on my feed!! 

@morganharpernichols

Really beautiful artwork from this artist! Lots of painted designs, full of deep rich blues and browns and oranges, and it feels very organic due to all the calming warm earthy tones! Not only is the artwork incredibly beautiful, but she always includes uplifting poetic messages that I absolutely LOVE! 

@chibirdart 

This account is another one of my personal favorites!! The artist, Jaqueline, posts positive and motivational content. Her work is very simple but SO SO cute. She features a lot of adorably drawn animals that cheer you on throughout the week 🙂 I always end up sharing her work on my Instagram stories or sending them to my friends because I think the messages really speak to everybody! 

@haleydrewthis

I love Haley's account because it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Her posts are positive, but they don’t shy away from the realities of life or things that are currently happening in society. She does a great job of creating artwork that is thought-provoking and nice to see without sugarcoating the negative feelings that we sometimes have. Again, another one of my personal favorites, and anytime I post/share her work, I always get comments from my followers saying they love her too! 

@teabag.cartoon

This account has very simple illustrations that are usually accompanied by inspirational, wholesome, and uplifting one-liners. Featuring soft, pretty colors, sometimes they're as simple as a one-word pun and cute drawing! This account is probably the most minimalistic out of all of the ones I’ve mentioned, but I LOVE it! Definitely a great account to check out if you’re looking for something new to ease into your feed. 

I encourage all of you to take the time to go through your feed and weed out the accounts that aren’t doing anything for you. What you see is what you believe, so it’s important to check your socials every once in a while and follow creators who aren’t bringing you down!

Hello lovelies!!

I hope all of you are *mostly* settled into your spring routine and are doing well! I personally felt like we really hit the ground running this year, and I’m sure that you all are very very busy too! Lots of stuff to do and exams to study for, BUT that being said, I wanted to share a little something that you should 100% check out if you have even a minute of free time!

This semester, I want to share with all of you the MIRACLE that is the BU Arts Initiative!!

The BU Arts Initiative is something I never really looked into until this semester, and I cannot believe I didn’t take advantage of it sooner! The BU Arts Initiative is a program through BU that encourages students to experience the incredible music and art that can be found in Boston. The program offers BU students things like free admission to museums and free (or discounted) tickets to shows!

Recently, I visited the BU Arts Initiative Office on the second floor of the GSU. It was the first time I had ever gone, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I walked in with no expectations. 

Fast forward ten minutes, and I walked out with a free Boston Symphony Orchestra Student Card (free tickets to BSO shows!!), as well as two tickets to go see Mean Girls at the Boston Opera House that were only FIVE DOLLARS EACH!! How crazy is that, right?!! I am telling you guys - this program is magical!

Other opportunities offered through BU Arts Initiative include:

Free Admission to:

• Boston Museum of Fine Arts
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
• Harvard Art Museums
• The Institute of Contemporary Art
• Arts Insiders Program
• “Students leaders from our Student Arts Council select a few exciting arts events in or around Boston each semester and students can sign up to attend free of charge”
• Global Music Festival 
• And so much more!!

Whether you are an arts fanatic, or someone new to the art scene, definitely go check out the BU Arts Initiative! They constantly have so many cool things going on, and there truly is something for everybody. 

Anyway, that’s all from me for today! Have a wonderful spring semester, and good luck with all of your endeavors! You got this!

Sincerely,

Mira 

With Thanksgiving break a month away and midterms happening in every class, this time of year is ALWAYS incredibly stressful. It’s constantly GO GO GO, and because of that, it’s easy to forget to stop and give yourself a moment to breathe. 

That’s why I wanted to take a second to remind all of you beautiful people to practice self-care! I know it can feel like a waste of time when you have so much going on, but it’s BECAUSE you have so much going on that it’s even more important to set aside some time for yourself to recharge!

The advice I’m going to give you might seem like common sense, but these are things I constantly see my friends (also myself) forgetting to do when we get busy. Taking time to do the following will give yourself the strength to get through this stressful time of year and stay healthy!

STAY HYDRATED

Remembering to drink enough water is difficult enough already, but when you are pulling all nighters to study, and drinking coffee to keep yourself awake, drinking water becomes even more essential. Caffeine might help us get through writing the last page of that essay, but it’ll also dehydrate you fast, so make sure you switch out that coffee mug for a cup of water every few hours!

MAKE SURE YOU ARE EATING ENOUGH

I know that I’m guilty of skipping breakfast to rush to lecture or grabbing a snack instead of a full meal for dinner when I need to study for an exam. That being said, let yourself take the time to eat. It’s not a waste. Your body needs the nutrients and energy to keep yourself going under pressure! Food is fuel and don’t you forget it!

TAKE A WALK

When you’re stressed out and have an intense workload, it can be easy to hole up in your room and read for hours on end. However, when you find yourself losing focus, grab a light jacket and head outside! Taking a quick walk (even just 15 minutes) can help clear your head and get your back in the right mindset to continue grinding for that exam you have the next day!

CALL A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER

Don’t be afraid to lean on those around you for support! It can be a really nice break to talk to someone and get your mind off of your stressors for a little while. Meet up with a friend, or call someone from back home! I guarantee you’ll feel a lot better afterwards!

Those were just a few reminders to look after yourself! They’re simple self care skills, but important nonetheless. College is not supposed to be easy. There are times that are going to be super fun, but also times that will be insanely stressful too, and that’s okay! Just make sure you are taking care of yourself during those stressful times and know that it’s okay (and necessary) to take a break every once in awhile. Wishing you the best of luck for the rest of the semester!

Sophomore year has just begun for me, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I’ve been thinking about where I was last year versus where I am now. Mainly, I’ve been thinking about challenges, and how I perceive and face them. 

As someone who is a self-proclaimed overachiever, I was confident that I was someone who LOVED challenges, and was ready to face them head on. I would run for office in whatever clubs I was a part of, sign up for the hardest classes, and compete in tournaments whenever I had the chance. I thrived under pressure, and challenges were not something daunting to me in the slightest.

I was wrong.

Even with just a mere year of college under my belt, I realized these past couple weeks that the things I would do in high school (and even freshman year of college) were not challenging for me at all. Sure they might have been some of the more difficult options that were available, but I think that deep down I knew I would still succeed in the end. Going in, I was confident in my abilities and was sure that I would be pleased with the outcome.

After spending this past week absolutely terrified about certain classes and other things I have going on, I came to understand that I was never actually challenging myself before the way I’m challenging myself now.

Now, for the first time ever, I’m scared. Scared that I can’t handle the workload. Scared that I won’t be good enough. Scared that I’ll fall behind and won’t be able to catch up. However, with that being said, I’m still really excited because this is the first time I feel like I’m actually immersing myself with knowledge and learning things that are intriguing and valuable! The classes I’ve chosen to take this year are way out of my comfort zone. They are TRULY challenging to me in ways that nothing else has ever been before. It’s definitely a little nerve wracking, but I feel as though it’s given me a newfound sense of determination and passion for learning that I haven't felt in a while.

I wanted to share this with you because I want to urge you to take a step back and reevaluate what you’re doing this upcoming year and what your goals are. Ask yourself- Am I doing things that will challenge me and push me to grow? If you are- great! Keep it up! But if you find yourself answering “no” to the previous question, I encourage you to take a leap of faith and try something that scares you! Push the boundaries, and I guarantee that you’ll find that you’re much stronger and more capable than you think. Wishing you all the best this year!!

Everyone's COM journey is unique from the rest, but no matter what path you end up on, I can promise you that it is going to be an incredibly rewarding experience- and one you will learn so much from!! Just for fun (and to give you a sneak peek into how great this community is) here is my story for you.

So my experience with COM started months before I ever stepped foot onto the BU campus! It was at the College of Communication's admitted students open house. Before that day, I had never been to Boston before - not even for a general college tour- so I really had no idea what to expect, and I was VERY nervous.

I walked into the Tsai Performance center where I was immediately met by friendly faces and welcoming smiles. Everywhere I turned, there would be a student in blue. These blue-shirted people were EVERYWHERE, and I remember feeling overwhelmed, yet oddly comfortable, as I could practically feel the enthusiasm and positive energy in the air. Later, I found out that these students were the COM Ambassadors, and the more I heard their stories and experiences at COM, the more I fell in love with the idea of attending BU. These students talked about everything, from their fears to their failures, to their favorite moments and everything in between. By the end of the day, I was hooked, and I knew that this was where I wanted to be.

Fast forward a couple months, and it was finally time for everything on campus to start and come to life! I met with my CA group where I met some wonderful people, and got a chance to get to know my COM Ambassador! (Whom I absolutely adore and who has made such a positive impact on my first semester here) In the beginning, I didn't really know where to start, but my CA encouraged me to join BUTV10. Taking his advice, I decided to join COED and Bay State, which was by far one of the best decisions (if not THE best decision) I've made since setting foot on campus. Through BUTV10, I've met so many kind, friendly, funny, and all around awesome people that I am now lucky enough to call my closest friends. BUTV10 has given me a solid community who want to see me succeed and will do anything to help me do that. That's my favorite part about being in COM. The people you meet are passionate and excited about what they do, and they genuinely want to help you in any way they can.

Now, that's how far I am with my story at the moment. I could go on and on about how I have the best CA, how I think everyone should join BUTV10, or how amazing COM is, but I think I'll stop here and let you see for yourself. Go out there and don't be scared!! There are so many things to do at COM, and you don't have to wait! Just jump right into all the action- you'll be glad you did! 🙂