Category: Places On Campus

Tiffany: Signing Off

It’s been an unforgettable 4 years.

As my time here as a BU student comes to a close with graduation right around the corner, I find myself spending a lot of time reflecting on my experiences and have come to the realization that throughout my time here, I’ve been given a lot to be thankful for.

I’ve had the privilege of learning from brilliant professors whose success in their respective fields reflects the invaluable knowledge that they bring into the classroom. Even more so, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of these professors on a personal level as they’ve mentored me through my academic endeavors and provided guidance and support as I pursued opportunities in the working world. They have cared more about my personal success and wellbeing than I ever anticipated college professors ever would. So to all the professors who have ever taught me a thing or a two about strategy, design, or even life for that matter, I thank you.

I’ve had the opportunity to make my mark on this campus and community by partaking in various student groups and activities. Through Fusion, my dance team here at BU, I’ve been able to refine my craft, perform all around campus, represent BU at competitions across the eastern seaboard, plan events, and most importantly, lead a group of talented individuals who I am proud to pass the torch onto as they carry on our team’s legacy of hard work, creativity, and family-like fellowship. Through the COM Ambassador program, I’ve had the opportunity to share my experiences with admitted students in hopes of helping them make arguably one of the most important decisions a person will ever make. I’ve also been able to mentor COM freshmen, providing guidance and endowing the insights and knowledge that I learned along the way. Fusion and the COM Ambassador program have given me the opportunity to learn and grow as a leader, and pay it forward to this community that has been so good to me over the years. So to Fusion and the COM Ambassador program, I thank you.

And finally, I’ve met some incredibly awesome, down-to-earth friends who I know will be my version of The Goonies for a lifetime. Together, we’ve taken on this adventure called college and fought off all the monsters that have come our way. We’ve shared some incredibly fun-filled times together and as a result, have made memories that are simply unforgettable. So to all the friends that I’ve made along with way, I thank you.

BU and COM, thanks for an incredible 4 years.

Signing off,

Tiffany

 

Kate: Safety at BU

This past week, I attended a short self-defense seminar with the Boston University Police Department that was organized by my sorority.  About 20 of my sisters and I met with five members of the department and learned a few basic moves to use in an attack situation.  While I’ve never actually been in a scenario when I would have needed these skills, I’m glad I now know them and how to use them in a scary situation.

In light of the recent events that have happened in Boston, I just wanted to touch on safety in Boston and specifically at Boston University.  I remember my family had a nervous reaction to my declaration that I wanted to go to a school in an urban setting.  At the time I was only 16 and had little experience alone in any big city.  On each college tour I went on, my father would leave the group for a moment, find a random security guard that wasn’t “featured” on the tour and ask the tough “dad” questions about safety.  One thing that really stuck out to him about BU was that we have the Boston Police and BU Police Departments working the two-mile stretch of Comm Ave. that is our beloved campus.  We also talked about the blue-light system and I can promise that everyone time I’ve tested the “you can always see one blue light anywhere on campus” rule, it’s worked.

Now that I’ve been on campus for almost three years, I’ve learned about a ton of other fantastic security measures BU takes.  We have an Escort Service that will send a boy and a girl to where ever you are on campus and walk you home, within a reasonable distance, through the only person I know who has ever used it, did because it was raining and the escorts bring an umbrella.  In addition to that, BU has set up a tip line that you can text if you see something suspicious happening somewhere on campus.  And the most recent thing I’ve learned about are the RAD self-defense classes.  Like we did, organizations can schedule times with the officers to do short classes but they also offer five-week long courses where you learn how to defend yourself in a variety of scenarios and even get to put on safety suits and ward off an attacker in a mock fight.  Its sounds pretty cool and I’ve already looked into the schedule for next fall’s course.  Finally, anytime BU has information they need to get to students quickly like the attacks that happened at the Marathon, they send out mass texts to every student with the information they need.

While all of these resources are great, my biggest piece of advice is to always be smart.  Walking around with your iPhone in your hand and ear buds in listening to music makes you an easy target.  Being aware of your surroundings, staying on well lit streets, and never walking alone will always make you feel safer on campus and in Boston.  I can honestly say I’ve never felt unsafe on campus and it makes me feel even safer knowing there are so many different resources to help me out.

 

Hannah: 7 Favorite Things About Boston & BU

Hi prospective students! As many of you know, the past week in Boston has been a whirlwind of emotions. The tragedies that took place in Boston on Marathon Monday have affected all of us within the Boston University community (which I’m sure all of you are more than aware of.) For my blog post this week, I wanted to highlight some of my all-time favorite things about BU and the city of Boston, because this one terrorizing act shouldn’t cast a shadow over all the wonderful things this beautiful place has to offer.

Here are my 7 favorite things about Boston and BU:

1. Boston Sports fans: Whether you’re walking through Fenway or making the trek out to Gillette stadium, the spirit of these vivacious fans is contagious. Just strolling past Fenway on the day of a game puts a smile on my face. Commonwealth Ave is always filled with Red Sox fans that storm the green monster just before the first pitch. Even after the Celtics’ shaky season, TD Garden maintained an atmosphere like nowhere else I have ever been. This extensive sports enthusiast family welcomes everyone with open arms. (Yes even you, you diehard Yankees fans…

2. BU’s student theater: Until four weeks ago, I had no idea that tucked between Agganis arena and FitRec there is BU’s student theater. This cute little hole in the wall is home to our very own stage troupe! Stage Troupe puts on a performance every few weeks ranging from classic to contemporary shows. Tickets are usually around $8 and are always well worth it! It’s a great way to break up a Thursday study night by catching a quick 8pm show. I highly recommend it.

3. Second Floor Elipticals: FitRec houses an extensive amount of workout equipment, but my favorites are the elipticals on the second floor. Looking out over the pools, the swimmers provide a great distraction from the fact that you’re working your butt off. Also there is a phenomenal view of the Cambridge Skyline if you time it right. Plus there is always a machine open on this level. You can cap off your workout with a smoothie from the first floor snack bar and suddenly working out doesn’t seem so painful.

4. The North End: Dare I say it … I had never had a cannoli until my roommate introduced me to Mike’s pastries. My love affair with Mike’s and the North End hasn’t ceased since that fateful October night. This cute little Boston neighborhood is home to some of the all time best Italian food you will ever taste. They also have every possible Italian dish under the sun. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then to top it all off, nothing satisfies a sweet tooth like Mike’s chocolate chip cannolis.

5. The Boston Commons: Especially now as spring finally arrives in Boston, few things are as relaxing as a peaceful afternoon spent in Boston Commons. This giant park is a common ground for all of the residents of Boston. Sometimes you just need to escape the chaos of campus so grab a blanket, a good book, and head over to the park. It’s a great place even to just people watch (Sorry, I’m creepy.) Plus, there are more spectacular views and it’s centrally located so an afternoon starting in the commons can lead to any of the quaint Boston neighborhoods surrounding it.

6. Marciano Commons: In case you haven’t noticed, I really like food. Now we have basically any option under the sun thanks to our new dining facility on Bay State road here at BU. Marciano commons not only houses a huge dining hall, there is also Rize, a cute and delicious café, and late night, to satisfy any late night cravings, conveniently located in the basement.

7. The People: In the past week I have never felt so connected to a community. While tragedy came knocking on Boston’s door, rather than cowering in fear, this tight knit family came together. From police officers who fearlessly protected the citizens of our great city to the citizens who offered comforting shoulders for their neighbors to lean on. The people of Boston are unique, smart, strong, and above all else resilient. As we work to move past this dark hour in our history, I have no doubt that this community will bounce back stronger than ever. The people of Boston are people I am proud to call my neighbors, friends, and family and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

I hope this gave you a little taste of all the wonderful things that Boston and BU have to offer, and I hope I’ll someday be able to welcome more of you into this beautiful strong community. That’s all for now!

-Hannah

 

Abby: Why Hello There, Spring!

Finally the weather is nice and I don’t have to wear so many layers outside.  There are no more piles of snow lingering under shaded tress or piled in the corner of parking lots.  I just love seeing so many people laying on the COM lawn or playing Frisbee on the BU Beach.  This is the first actual spring I have ever experienced.  Growing up in Florida it was summer pretty much all year round with an occasional week or two in February when the weather wasn’t as humid as usual (but still hot) and all of the pollen fell from the trees.  I never got the purpose of spring, but now after almost 6 months of temperatures below 30 in Boston, I GET IT! You wake up every morning and the sun is actually shinning (okay so this has to do more with day light savings then the season, but still.)  The walk from West to East campus doesn’t seem as long because blooming flowers and not your fingers freezing distract you.  This weather is making me miss home a little bit so I decided to try to spend more time outside.  At first this proved difficult because I either couldn’t find enough time or I would finally sit down and it would promptly start raining.  So I have some tips to making the most of your outside time in Boston.

  1. Check the weather. Seriously. And not just the night before but in the morning too.  Everyone gave me this tip when I first moved here and I did not take them seriously, but now I know that wasn’t just a ploy to make me download The Weather Channel app.
  2. Bring a blanket.  Nothing is worse then finding the perfect patch of sun peeking through the trees to find out it is also the perfect patch of mud.
  3. Grab something to drink.  I swear the Starbucks on campus have multiplied and now we have a new Jamba Juice as well.  Also, there are bottle-filling stations all over the GSU and in Marciano Commons.
  4. Keep track of time.  Laying outside is nice and relaxing but you don’t want to get so relaxed you forget about your next class or you fall asleep and wake up with a sunburn.

 

Sara: Fiding Your Core & Being Human

One of my favorite parts about COM is all of the guest speakers we are spoiled with on a daily basis. And I mean spoiled rotten. Just last week my public relations teacher brought in one of his friends who worked for the Today Show and he had some great stories about working in the industry. To say the least, it was awesome. The alumni of COM embrace the “pay it forward” attitude and I could not be more grateful for this.

Last week, I attended a panel of young alumni called “Hollywood 101”. There were four panelists who came from different backgrounds, some were Film & TV majors during their time at COM and others were Journalism majors, but they were able to present a collaborative front on what is was like for them to transition from BU to the “real world”.

Although I found the discussion interesting, one thing really stuck with me and it had nothing to do with making it big in Hollywood. Very often as college students with all the ambition in the world flowing from our hearts, minds and fingertips, we get completely caught up in our own heads. We forget to think about ourselves as just people, instead on focusing on ourselves businessmen and women.

Two of the panelists talked about how there are times in life where you just need to sit down and figure out what matters to you. When we’re too busy figuring out our next profession life move, I think this is easy to forget. We are eager to take every opportunity we are given without first asking ourselves whether these opportunities are actually helping us reach our long-term goals or even just helping with to better ourselves as human beings. All your long-term goals don’t have to be career-based, make sure you think about all the aspects of your life and the things you want.

Kristyn Ulanday, a Boston based freelance photographer, filmmaker and producer, identified this self-reflection as finding your core. She said figuring out what you’re made of really helps you figure out what you want and what you believe in. I loved this idea so much that I wanted to share it with all of you! I think this time in our lives should be about finding our individual cores, and figuring out what things we truly care about. What better time to do it!

So, as the semester winds down and finals gear up remember to take a deep breath. Everything is going to work out! Everyone finds success, although not in the same ways so try not to compare your triumphs to those of others. Just remember to think of yourself as a human being who needs time to figure out everything this crazy world has to offer!

Love,

Sara

Tiffany: COM Open House!

Congratulations to those who were recently accepted to apart of the COM Class of 2017! You have now been faced with the important decision of where you should attend college and spend the next four years. On Saturday, April 13th and 20th, COM is having our Open House events for our admitted students. Even if you’ve already visited BU before, coming to these Open House events could be a major game changer and help you decide whether BU is the school for you or not.

Four years ago when I was a senior in high school, I came to COM Open House having little knowledge about BU and COM and quite honestly, only came because my mother insisted. To me, the Open House event seemed like it was nothing more than a basic college visit. Little did I know at the time, I was very wrong.

On April 13th and 20th, you’ll not only be able to walk around our campus, you’ll also be given insight into so much more than that, specifically that is relevant to the college you’ve been admitted into. You’ll hear all about COM from the Dean himself, meet the department chairs who lead their respective programs, have lunch with my fellow COM Ambassadors and myself in one of our student dining halls, and have the opportunity to pick the brains of a panel of students regarding any questions that you might have.

I came into Open House four years ago with very little interest in COM because I didn’t really know what COM was all about. But when I was on my flight home back to California and reflecting on the weekend I had just spent at BU and in Boston, I knew that attending the Open House event was a good idea. It is because of Open House that I made my decision to attend college at BU. As I finish out my last semester here at BU four years later as a graduating senior, I’m sure glad I made the decision that I did.

Open House is a great opportunity to not just see the campus, but more importantly talk to students and professors about their experiences. Listening to these testimonies could really help you get insight into what its like to be a student at BU and COM and decide for yourself whether you could see yourself in those shoes.

COM Class of 2017, I hope to meet you at either of our Open House events this month and look forward to seeing you here on our campus soon!

Steph: Jamba Juice Selections for Spring!

With the temperature hitting 61 degrees today, I'm feeling inspired to blog about one of the best Spring treats out there: smoothies! In case you haven't noticed, Jamba Juice finally opened its doors under Warren last week. Here are my favorite flavors that I recommend trying for Spring!

Banana Berry: Made with bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberry sherbet, all those berries will make you feel like you're frolicking through a field in the sunshine.

Caribbean Passion: This tropical blend of strawberries, peaches, passionfruit-mango juice and orange sherbet will get you in the mood for summer, which is right around the corner!

Apple 'n Greens: This is not your typical smoothie. Made with apple-strawberry and green veggies, it get you going and give you your daily dose of fruits and veggies in delicious smoothie form!

Pomegranate Paradise: This smoothie, my personal favorite, is the perfect blend of strawberries, peaches, and mangos mixed in pomegranate juice. Absolutely wonderful for sipping in class.

Now that it's finally warm outside, grab one of these delicious smoothies and hit the COM Lawn! See you there!

 

Taylor: Housing Near COM!

Hello again! As the semester spirals to a close small letters plague university mailboxes announcing housing selection dates and times. Last year I panicked at the notice reminding me that I needed to choose a new residential area BUT there are so many cool housing options. Here’s what I consider the top four places to live if you want to neighbor COM:

1. Warren Towers- One of the largest resident halls in the country, Warren is probably the most convenient choice. A bit more of a community oriented environment Warren typically houses a vast majority of underclassmen. Major Pros: It’s a brisk 3-minute walk directly to COM.

2. 575 Commonwealth – Nearing the newly opened dining hall and resource center, Marciano Commons, this larger dormitory typically called ‘HOJO’ has a bit classier sway. The room types, like many larger dormitories, range from singles, doubles, and triples but all have private bathrooms. Most students choice this residence due to its history of being a former hotel.

3. Kilachand Hall- Formerly known as Shelton Hall is probably the most central dormitory in terms of being near Fenway, Newbury, and COM. Most students select this dorm due to its suite-like structure. Although many adore the view from the Student Village residences located in west campus the study lounge of Kilachand has a remarkable view of the river as well.

4. Nearing Brownstones- although applying for specialty community residence is a separate process you won’t be disappointed. Students usually apply for residences that envelope their passion or interest (For instance there are language houses and a common ground house).

Again, there are so many options to choose from. The BU Housing page provides a fantastic interactive tour of residences that you should also check out!

 

Kate: Welcome COM Class of 2017!

Can you believe it is almost April?! I don't hate it. It means it's getting warmer (though the snow on the ground would beg to disagree) and most people's midterms are over.  And it also means that admissions decisions have gone out! I want to congratulate all of you who have been admitted to BU and the College of Communication! I have already gotten to meet a few of you this week but I hope I can meet a few more as you come for tours (Monday-Friday at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm!) and our Open Houses on the 13th and 20th.  You will probably be getting a letter from me this week but I just wanted to share a little bit more today.

I sincerely encourage you to check out the BU COM 2017 Facebook page, the BU COM Student Services Facebook page, the BU COM 2017 Twitter, the COM Student Services Twitter, the #BU2017 hashtag, and our YouTube channel.  And if you don't have Twitter or heaven forbid Facebook, get one.  Now. We like social media in this school and it will be the best way to keep up-to-date with information about everything.

I also hope you'll look around this site and our blog to answer a lot of questions.  The best information is coming from people who are living it, right? Well at least that's what a parent told me today and I think it is right on the money.  Get to know COM through us, your COM Ambassadors.  Reach out, ask questions.  That's what we're here for.

Like I said, congratulations.  Welcome to COM!

Anneliese: Super Songs for Spring

Spring is here! Well, that’s what March 20th claimed, anyway. However, the snow that’s currently on the ground (and the snow that is supposed to plague us for the rest of the month…) isn’t doing much to evoke those cheerful feelings associated with this lovely season. It may be a while until we see those flowers bloom, can whip out the sandals, or make use of the new Jamba Juice at the bottom of Warren, so I thought I might offer a music playlist that will add a little spring (see what I did there?) in your step!

1. “Sweet Road” – Animal Collective

2. “Surprise Hotel” – Fool’s Gold

3. “Jogging Gorgeous Summer” – Islands

4. “When U Love Somebody” – Fruit Bats

5. “This Is What I Said” – Cloud Control

6. “Ten-Twenty-Ten” – Generationals

7. “Come On” – I’m From Barcelona

8. “Fireworks” – Polock

9. “Cameras” – Matt & Kim

10. “Mama’s Mad Cos I Fried My Brain” – Turbo Fruits

11. “Australia” – The Shins

12. “A Hiccup in Your Happiness” – The Lucksmiths

*All of the songs are available for streaming on the free version of Spotify—I recommend creating a playlist and giving it a listen whenever your spirits need a little lift!