Category: Places On Campus

Jon: Exercise Makes You Happy

Hey again! I hope that your semester has been going well – it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and a lot has happened. As we finish up midterms (thankfully), I have thinking a lot about one particular topic: exercise.

Now before you ask why I don’t have anything better to do than think about exercise (don’t worry, I’ve already asked myself), let me explain. Exercise is incredibly important to obviously your physical health, but also your mental health and cognitive ability. In other words you are happier and smarter when you’ve been pumping some iron.

It can be tough to get to the gym though! With tests, problem sets, projects, extracurriculars, parties, and more on the endless list of things college students do to fill up their every waking moment, it can be hard to find the motivation to make it down to the beautiful FitRec. So, I’ve created a short list of tips I’ve learned for helping you go that extra mile (literally if you’re living in Kenmore), and get to the gym.

1)      Plan Ahead – this seems simple enough and it is! On Sunday night think about your week and when you could find time to get into the gym. I find it particularly helpful to plan workouts around times when I’m going to be near West Campus anyways to save on the commute.

2)      Bring a Buddy! – Having a friend who’s committed to working out with you is one of the best ways to get both of you into the gym. Sometimes just the friendly reminder that “We’re going to the gym at 5, right?”, or the feeling of seeing someone else revved up to go when you might be tired is all it takes to get there. Try this one out, and I guarantee that you’ll be increasing your gym-consistency in less than two weeks (no refunds)!

3)      Use the Weekends – Realistically, the week is a busy time and it’s hard to get to the gym. However, take some of that time when you’d be getting 12 hours of sleep on a Saturday or Sunday (which by the way might be harming you more than sleeping just 9 hours), and make some tracks. You’ll feel great, and be energized for the rest of the day.

Hopefully these three tips can help a little bit with the ongoing battle that is balancing fitness and college life. Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and keep reading this blog!

Over and out,
Jon

Kaitlin: Bike Safety on Comm Ave

Hi everyone!  This blog post is going to be short, for the sole reason that I’m asking my roommate to type it for me.  And the reason why I’m asking my roommate to type it for me is because I have been told that I’m not able to use a computer, do any homework, go to class, or even go outside for the past several days.  And the reason for THAT is that I was in a bike accident last week and got a minor concussion and a few stitches as a result.

I want this blog post to serve as a very, very important reminder to stay safe on the road, whether you’re a biker, a driver, or even just a pedestrian.  Things happen.  And a lot of the time, those things aren’t too pretty.

  1. If you decide to ride your bike, WEAR A HELMET.  I seriously can’t stress this enough.  Who knows what could have happened to me if I didn’t have one on.
  2. LOOK WHERE YOU’RE GOING.  This goes for everyone.  Sometimes bikers, people, cars come out of “nowhere.” So look out.
  3. I don’t care if you’re on wheels or not, OBEY THE TRAFFIC LAWS.  If there’s a blinking red hand telling you not to walk, it’s simple. Don’t walk.

Now I know you’ve all heard these things a million times, and I don’t want to sound completely lame, but take it from me- missing class for days in a row and having your best friend type your blog posts for you isn’t as fun as it seems.  I promise. It’s worth it to wait a few extra seconds at a stoplight or strap a hard shell on your head.

Stay safe,

Kaitlin

 

Juliana: Where to Brunch

Hey Everyone!

For those of you who were able to attend COM Open House in April, I shared during the COM Ambassador introductions that my favorite place on campus for Sunday brunch is Warren Towers dining. When I lived in east campus my freshman and sophomore years my friends and I went to brunch at Warren every single week. Now that we live at different ends of campus, we haven't been able to all convene for Sunday brunch at Warren yet this semester. However, we've explored some off-campus spots a few times this past month.

Here is a list of my favorite brunch spots in and around Boston:

5. Crispy Crepes Cafe

This place defined my freshman year. Located on Park Drive in South Campus, this is the go-to place for... take a guess... crepes. I would always order a Nutella and banana crepe, but recently I tried a savory crepe for the first time-- the Santa Fe. Crispy Crepes Cafe is awesome because it's cheap, no-frills and has a packed menus of everything from crepes to standard breakfast to Middle Eastern delicacies like falafel and shawarma.

4. Trident Booksellers & Cafe

You can wander through aisles of books and salivate over the pages of cookbooks as you wait for a table at this popular Newbury Street eatery. They serve what they call "perpetual breakfast," which has a lot of options to equally satisfy meat-eaters and vegetarians. My favorite thing to order is a specialty tea because it comes in your own mini tea pot.

3. @Union

A few weekends ago I dragged my friends out of bed for my birthday brunch (only I would host a bday brunch) at @Union on Harvard Ave. in Allston. @Union is always super busy because it's good food for on-the-cheap. They always serve seasonal coffee drinks and they allow for refills on regular cups of coffee. The last time I was there I ordered a soy cappuccino and Caprese eggs benedict, which was meatless, with traditional Hollandaise sauce, fresh mozzarella and tomato slices. SO GOOD.

2. The Regal Beagle

My family and I discovered this hole-in-the-wall on Harvard St. in Brookline during their recent visit to Boston. EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. Their brunch menu is small, but offers a great variety of creative dishes and twists on classics like a veggie burger topped with a fried jalapeno, pico de gallo and queso fresco. It's cozy and they play hootenanny music, Mumford and Sons and Bob Dylan.

1. Allston Diner

This tiny place on Cambridge St. in Allston doesn't allow parties bigger than four, so it's great for an intimate group. There's tons of options for vegans and vegetarians. I recently ordered chicken and waffles. It was straight up heaven.

 

Tiffany: There’s Always Time to Eat!

Only have a quick break in between classes? Growing bored of the dining hall? Just want something delicious and affordable to eat? You are in luck because the food trucks outside the COM building are the perfect solution! Everyday there is a food truck located right in front of COM that serves tasty, affordable, and quick food to get you what you need and want in a matter of minutes.  Having a good, satisfying meal is what keeps me going throughout the day, especially as midterms, class projects, and essays are picking up speed. You’ll also often run into professors here and it’s a great opportunity to casually chat and bond over food. Here are some of my favorite food trucks that park their mobile kitchens right outside:

Clover Food Lab: Mondays & Tuesdays Lunch

  • Vegetarian friendly (no meat served)
  • Personal favorite: Chickpea fritter and rosemary fries

Bon Me: Wednesdays Dinner

  • Vietnamese style food
  • Personal favorite: Spiced-rubbed-all-natural chicken rice bowl

Mei Mei Street Kitchen: Thursday Lunch

  • Chinese-American food
  • Personal favorite: Porky rice ball

The Dining Car

  • American
  • Personal favorite: New England pulled pork sandwich

Whether you’re in a hurry to get a quick bite to eat or you just want to mix it up with something new, check out some of these food trucks and I promise your taste buds won’t regret it!

 

Tom: Reasons Why You Should Live in StuVi

Hey all! Hope you are all off to a wonderful start to the fall semester – I know my junior year went off with a bang of new activities, new faces and new responsibilities. Just in the past three weeks, I cast my BU On Broadway production of All Shook Up (more to come on this in future blog posts!), we held the first annual #COMGames for freshmen, I started classes, and I applied to go abroad to London next semester. Lots of exciting things to begin – I’m slightly overwhelmed but overall ecstatic and thrilled with an exciting semester.

But easily the best part of moving in this semester was that I got to live at 33 Harry Agganis Way in Student Village (StuVi2, as we call it). I’m living in a double with my friend Shane in an eight person suite on the 7th floor (overlooking the Charles River). While the thought of an eight person suite may seem daunting, StuVi2 is definitely the best living situation I’ve been in yet.

Here are my top reasons you should live in StuVi if you get the chance:

1)      Appearance

You always hear “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” You 100% should judge StuVi by what it looks like because it is beautiful. My parents were awestruck by the lobby that makes you feel like you walked into a Marriott Hotel. When you get into the rooms, the good looks don’t stop there. And like I mentioned earlier, the glorious view of the Charles through the large windows is certainly an amazing sight to wake up to in the morning.

2)      The Air-Conditioning

While campus never gets too hot in the fall, there is absolutely nothing like retreating under a blanket after a long day of classes and activities. And with the air conditioning, your room will always be cool to do so.

3)      Space

The space in the rooms in StuVi is not to be believed. I’m in a double room in StuVi but the amount of space we have makes us feel like we have two separate rooms and are just missing the wall that divides them. As they say in Step Brothers, “So much room for activities!”

4)      The BU Bus Stop

This is probably the greatest of the reasons. Picture Me: First day of class, dressed all nice, new shoes. And I walk outside, and it’s raining. Obviously I was immediately distressed, but then when the BU Bus pulled up RIGHT IN FRONT of StuVi I was instantly relieved. I made it all the way to class without even getting a drop of rain on me. Talk about a wonderful place for a BU Bus Stop.

I can go on and on with reasons, but I think you get the point. If you want to see more, definitely check out what BU Housing put together on StuVi and check it out yourself! http://www.bu.edu/housing/residences/stuv/

Steph: Academic Advising at COM

Steph ImageHey you guys! I can’t believe this is my last blog of the semester. It feels like only yesterday that I was writing my first blog about all the great movie theaters in Boston…

Anyway, before I get all nostalgic and sentimental like I do, I’d like to talk about one of the best resources COM has: the academic advisors.

At COM Student Services, we have five incredible academic advisors for students to make appointments with throughout their four years at BU. You can meet with them about planning your schedule, planning your study abroad, or anything that relates to your academics at BU.

Last week I had my first advising appointment. With registration coming up this Sunday for rising sophomores, I thought it would be a good idea to check in and get some advice about what classes I should take. In my meeting with Ryan, one of our advisors, I learned that I have enough AP credits and foundation requirements to take two COM classes next semester (Intro to Advertising and Understanding TV), along with a really awesome higher-level history course (American Pop Culture), and I have the possibility of studying abroad, twice! (I’m thinking London and LA, but we’ll see what happens).

I never would have known about these possibilities if I hadn’t gone to meet with one of our advisors at COM. So when you’re on campus next year and just want some advice on what your path should be academically, don’t be afraid to come to Student Services and make an appointment. Our advisors—Ryan, Bryan, Katie, Bill, and Erik—really are the best. I would know. I work with them.

Congrats again to all the members of the class of 2016! It was so great to meet some of you last Saturday at Open House, and I can’t wait to meet more of you this Saturday! See all of you next year!

Alexa: Looking for a Place to Live?

Alexa ImageSo you’re going to Boston University? Congratulations! After I submitted my enrollment deposit I know the next thing on my mind was, where am I going to live and whom am I going to live with? Housing selection can be somewhat of a stressful process so it’s helpful to know a little bit about the perks of living in each housing offered.

West:

Cough. West is best. Cough. This year I lived in Rich Hall located in West Campus. Even though I knew COM would be on the other side of campus, I still had West as my first choice. I wanted to be able to go to class and then get away from the chaos, which is exactly what West lets me do. West is great because it’s located right next to Fit-Rec, Agannis Area, Nickerson Field and Case Gym. The dining hall is arguably the best at BU. The only downfall is it’s about a 15 minute walk to most classes, but there’s a free BU shuttle and two T stops at West so when the cold comes you don’t have to walk. Plus, exercise is great anyway!

Warren:

Warren is a great choice if you want to wake up ten minutes before class starts and make it on time. It’s mainly freshmen and each floor has a common room so it’s easy to bond with your floor. The dining hall is located on the fourth floor so there are some days where you will never have to leave the building if you don’t want to!

The Towers, Danielson, 575 Commonwealth Avenue

These are also places where freshmen typically stay and are a lot like West and Warren except for a little bit smaller. 575 Commonwealth Ave tends to have more triples and Danielson has bigger rooms. The great thing if you live here is that there will be a new student center in East Campus with a huge, amazing dining hall. Even though I’ll be living in West again I will definitely be coming to eat there when I can!

You’re probably thinking, ok I chose where to live, how do I choose whom to live with?

BU lets you request a roommate or you can also choose random. Personally, coming from California I didn’t know anyone coming to BU and didn’t want to rely on Facebook or Roomsurf to pair me up with a roommate (Although I know a lot of people who did and it’s great option!) I chose to have a random roommate and don’t regret it at all. I know on one end of the spectrum it could have been the worst or the best, but luckily it has worked out and we are rooming again together next year!

Overall, if housing comes around and you don’t get your first or second choice I promise you it’s not the end of the world (that’s December 21, 2012 ;)). You will make friends and have a great experience as long as you want to. BU is what you make it and housing is just one aspect of the BU experience.

Anna: The Howard Thurman Center

Anna ImageLet me first join my fellow COM Ambassadors in saying congratulations to all the admitted students of the class of 2016! I hope I get or already got the chance to meet you all at one of our open houses.

If there is anything I hope you guys will gain once you come to college in the coming months, it’s the capacity to challenge your brain. I know it sounds simple and super cheesy, but expanding your mind is really what college is all about.

Thankfully, here at BU, you can think big even outside the classroom.

The Howard Thurman Center (HTC), Boston University’s amazing place for all things culture, is always offering a way to think beyond your usual thoughts about what to have for dinner tonight or which free app to download.

For example, every week, our Dean of Students hosts a Coffee and Conversation in the HTC. Basically, you get delicious free coffee and baked goods and you get to discuss ideas surrounding topics that range from the meaning of love to the impact of terrorism. I’ve never left a coffee and convo without learning something new about both someone else and myself, and I challenge you to do the same when you get to campus in the Fall.

Coming up in the next couple weeks, though, the HTC is hosting an even bigger event about ideas!! BU Inspire: Rethinking the End is happening on April 29 at 2 pm in the Tsai Performance Center.

Modeled after the incredibly popular TEDx talks, BU Inspire aims to get together a group of different minded people to discuss the same topic. This year, the event will revolve around different ideas about how the world as we know it might end. With students, alumni, faculty, and community members on the panel, the discussion should be a lively event that will get you thinking about the apocalypse! Woo!

Each year the HTC puts on a different BU Inspire, so don’t worry if you aren’t around for this one. You can always catch next year’s, or maybe even be one of the students on the panel yourself.

Tom: Getting the Most “Noms” from Your Dining Points

Tom ImageHey guys! Unfortunately, it’s my last blog for you guys for the semester. First off – Congrats on your admittance to the College of Communication! We hope to see all newly accepted students at our Open House dates on April 14th and 21st!

For this blog post – I’ve decided to give a Top 5 guide to the various places on campus where Dining Points are accepted and tips for using your dining points wisely. Follow this guide and the George Sherman Union (the GSU) will become your new friend and customized salads will become a way of life.

Place #1 – Looseleafs

Location – Union Court in the GSU

Looseleafs is a customized salad station where students can come and make their own salad. You choose your own base, then six toppings of your choice and a choice of dressing, bread, and extra topping (chicken, steak, etc.). The salads are HUGE and you never get bored because you can customize a different salad every time. My favorite part of looseleafs is the themes. Each week, looseleafs takes on a different theme (favorites include Italy and Southwest) and you can customize your salad with different topping options related to that theme! By far, looseleafs is my standard go-to option in Union Court.

Place #2 – Cranberry Farms

Location – Union Court in the GSU

Are you the type of person who wishes Thanksgiving could be every day of the year? If so – Cranberry Farms is your one-stop shop for a delicious home style dinner. You get the choice between a variety of dinner options such as Turkey Dinner, BBQ Pulled Pork, and Meatloaf and then you get to add two sides. Some of my favorite sides include the Mac and Cheese and the stuffing. If you are looking for a lighter lunch meal, they also offer sandwiches!

Place #3 – Breadwinners

Location – 2nd Level of the School of Management (SMG)

I love having my own private place to study and unwind after finishing my classes in the afternoon. My ideal pick for weekday lunch is at Breadwinners in the School of Management (open to all students at the university – not just those in SMG). At Breadwinners, you can pick from delicious sandwiches, sushi, yogurt, soup, and much more. Breadwinners is also right across from Starbucks, so you can pick and pair your favorite coffee with your favorite sandwich.

Place #4 – Café 575

Location – 575 Commonwealth Avenue (Hojo)

If you are lucky enough to live in beautiful 575 Commonwealth Avenue (also known as “Hojo”) you will have access to Café 575. A small café style, Café 575 is an excellent place to get delicious coffee in the middle of your day or for late night studying. They also have a customize your own Panini station so you can pick and pair ingredients to make your own grilled cheese.

Place #5 – Einstein Bros.

Location – Basement of The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)

If you are looking for a pit stop for a coffee or bagel sandwich in between your classes, stop down to the basement of CAS. Einstein's has a variety of options to choose from for both breakfast and lunch. I love stopping there on Friday mornings and picking up a Ham/Egg/Cheese on a bagel thin with an iced coffee. They also have sandwiches, salads and a variety of muffins and other snacks.

While this is my Top Five, there is also a number of other locations on campus that accept dining points. Feel free to explore the campus if you come here in the fall – I find something new to fall in love with each semester. Spend wisely! Have a great summer and I hope to see you at the Open House!

Alexa: Spring is Here!

Alexa ImageI had hoped to spend my Spring Break in a warm, sunny California.  However, the weather wasn’t exactly what I had expected. It rained 3 out of the 5 days but I kept thinking to myself, “the weather is better than Boston, the weather is better than Boston.” Well, according to weather.com it wasn’t. In fact, as soon as I left, Boston shot up to 70 degrees. I thought I had lost my chance. One of the few sunny days I was guaranteed in Boston I spent on a plane ride back to California. My spirit was shot but not destroyed. Then, the unthinkable happened. The weather stayed the same. In fact, it was better. From the Sunday I returned all the way to Friday, Boston weather acted like summer. From 7 AM in the morning to late at night, the temperature stayed at 70 degree and even rose. I was confused as to what to do with myself since no one prepared me for sunshine in March. Luckily, I’ve learned and I am here to tell you all exactly where to go and what to do!

The COM lawn: I know everyone says they hang out on the COM lawn on a sunny day, but really, this is one of the top places to go. You can sit next to the fountain and catch up on your COM reading or you can throw the football around to pass the time. The COM lawn is really convenient since it is an easy place to hang out in between COM classes. My teammates and I were preparing for a softball game and decided to play catch on one side of the lawn to warm up. (Fun fact: We won our first game!)

The BU Beach: The Beach is a lot like the COM lawn only it’s much bigger. From the beach you can see the Charles River and hang out with your friends in between classes. I saw a lot of kids taking naps and tanning and just enjoying the sunshine. It’s a really relaxing place to gather yourself before your next class.

The Boston Common: The great thing about BU is that you are immersed in the city so you don’t just have to stay on campus to find entertaining things to do! Boston Common is a happening place when the weather gets warm and there are benches and a lot of grassy areas to just relax, or my personal favorite, people watch.

Another useful tip I learned about the warm Boston weather is that it’s important to stay hydrated! Of course Starbucks have wonderful iced drinks but another great place is Angora Café. Angora is right near the intersection of Babcock Street and Commonwealth Avenue and is delicious. You can try of their amazing fruit smoothies but what they are most popular for is their unique frozen yogurt. My personal favorite is the raspberry yogurt, but trust me once you see all the flavors you won’t know what to choose.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t stick and I am forced to once again pull out my winter jacket. However, the good news is that since I finally got a taste of springtime in Boston I am completely ready for it again! Next time the temperature reaches above 70 degrees, you’ll find me at the BU beach with a raspberry frozen yogurt in my hand.

Until next time!