Places On Campus – Page 7 – COM Ambassador Blog

Sarah: Free (and legal!) Movies on Campus

We all love free stuff, and as college students, we have plenty of it available. At any given campus event, you might walk away with flip cam, a gift card or, best of all, a free t-shirt. While I welcome all free things, there is nothing quite as satisfying as a free movie. Here are a few (legal) ways to catch a free flick right here on campus.

Krasker Film Library

This place is Mugar’s hidden gem. In the basement of the library hides a secret stash of over 18,000 movies on DVD, Blu-ray and the ever-popular VHS. Krasker has every film from Citizen Kane to Superbad, and plenty in between. All of the films are catalogued and can be reserved online. You can’t take films out of the library, so head here on a rainy day when you have an afternoon to kill.

Geddes Language Center

This is the Krasker of foreign films, housed on the fifth floor of the College of Arts and Sciences building. There are thousands of films in nearly 30 different languages, including Russian, Korean, Italian, ASL, Creole and Yiddish. Language professors typically use this facility for class screenings, but individual students can also reserve films. All you need to watch a film is your BU ID. These films must also stay at the center.

Cinematheque

If anyone knows the worth of a good movie, it is BU’s Film & TV department. Each semester, several writers, directors, producers and actors visit COM as a part of the department’s Cinematheque series. Our guests typically screen a movie or TV episode and then hold a Q&A session afterwards. Sometimes we’re even lucky enough to get COM alumni who have struck some success in the business. Last month, Jennifer Getzinger was here to screen an episode of Mad Men that she directed. Pretty cool, huh?

Redstone Film Festival

Another department event, this film festival is all about student work. All COM students are invited to submit their original work, which is judged by a panel of industry professionals. Once a year, they roll out the red carpet in front of the Tsai Performance Center to screen the top films and announce the winners. It feels like a Hollywood movie premiere right on campus. The theater always sells out, so show up early!

Programming Council Events

BU’s Programming Council hosts more campus events than I can ever keep track of. From open skate to comedy shows to semi-formal dances, PC does it all. My favorite PC events, of course, are free movie screenings. They host “drive-in movie” nights throughout the semester at different locations. When the weather is nice enough, they even project movies on jumbo screens on the BU Beach or Nickerson Field. The usually show double features, like Bridesmaids and Horrible Bosses, and serve free popcorn!

And if you just love the ambiance of the traditional movie theater, check out the GSU ticket office on the second floor for discounted tickets to Regal Cinemas. Being a BU student has its perks – take advantage of some of them!

Julianna: My Top Five Favorite Study Spots on Campus

5. PAL Study Lounge in Mugar Library

I’m the type of person who needs background noise during my study seshs, so the complete silence of Mugar just drives me insane. PAL is the only area in the library where you can talk as loud as you want or unwrap that candy bar without getting glares of doom. During finals week last semester my friends and I crammed around a table in PAL over Arnold Palmers and string cheese and studied our little hearts out.

4. Espresso Royale Caffe

Whenever I have a burning desire to look intellectual as I measure out my life in coffee spoons (a.k.a. read T.S. Eliot), I go to the resident hipster caffe of East Campus. Note, ERC is not owned by BU, but while you are there you are bound to bump into someone for your philosophy class or one or two TAs. I basically lived at ERC last spring during finals week. My routine was to snag a small round table in the back, order a shot of espresso, and get into the zone with my studying while I listened to the indie music playing in the background. Side note, do yourself a favor ladies and use the bathroom at ERC. It’s not immaculately clean or anything, but the stall doors are covered with lyrics and lines from poems. Definitely an experience. Their spicy chai tea is also an experience.

3. COM Lawn

This study spot is only available in September and May when it’s warm, so take advantage! I chill in the grass with my friends in between classes and type up assignments. Let’s be real, studying on the COM Lawn results in mostly people-watching and taking in the sunshine, so save this spot for lighter studying or catching up on emails. COM Lawn days definitely require a pair of Ray Bans or intense, oversized shades alla Mary Kate and Ashley.

2. SMG Starbucks

This Starbucks is located on the second floor of SMG and is basically the watering hole for SMG students, but I spot a decent number of COM kids whenever I’m there. I go to SMG Starbucks to do homework three times a week on average. Make sure to get there at awkward hours, such as 5-10 minutes before and after classes generally begin, so you can get a coveted table by an outlet. Hands down you’ll find me here on most Sunday afternoons with a venti soy iced coffee and in my Sunday finest: leggings and a flannel button-down.

1. Hillel House

BU Hillel is located on Bay State Road, and probably the most beautiful building on campus. It may be the center for Jewish life at BU, but Hillel’s doors are open to all students. Late shameless plug alert: I work as a part-time receptionist Hillel, and it’s basically my second home here at BU. I am obsessed with this place. If I’m not in class or behind the reception desk, then you can find me doing work on the second floor in the student boardroom or in the library on the first floor. During finals week the building is open for extended hours and the fourth floor chapels turn into study spaces with round tables and a traveling “hydration station.”

Tiffany: Sweet Spots for Building a Snowman on Campus

BU’s unique, city-like campus, at a glance, doesn’t appear to have huge patches of grass like the typical college campus. But that is exactly what we love so much about BU – a place where you can feel like you are safe and at home while still living in an active, exciting city.

However, if you do ever get the urge to spend some time in a sizeable spot of greenery, there definitely are a few sweet spots on campus. When the weather heats up, students tend to flock to these spots to throw the old pigskin around or simply soak up the rays and get their tan on. I, however, like to visit these spots in the wintertime when they are rather unpopulated, but filled with fresh snow. They are the perfect spots to make snow angels and build a snowman! Excuse the native Californian in me who still gets extremely excited at the first snow of the year.

Whether you prefer to lay out in the sun and tan, or like me, make your own Jack Frost, here is a list of the best places to do so on campus:

COM Lawn

We are the only college in the university that has our very own beautiful lawn and fountain right in front of our building. It couldn’t be more convenient to be able to soak up some sun right before class or have a snowball fight after.

BU Beach

Located right in the middle of campus behind Marsh Plaza, BU Beach is a popular spot for throwing the football around in the snow or sunshine. If you are lucky, you might even catch BU’s quidditch team practicing here.

Nickerson Field

Right in the hub of popular freshman housing in West Campus, the athletic field doubles as the biggest message board you’ll ever be tempted to post on. Students often write messages in the snow for all of West Campus to see and when we play against our cross-town rivals in hockey, the field often has BC Sucks etched into the snow!

Stuvi 1

A bit more secluded and quiet, the lawn right in front of the high-rise student apartment building is perfect if you are in the mood to feel like a kid again and just play around in the snow. It’s where I built my first ever snowman!

Taylor: Living on a COM Floor

The Stalker Phase. After most freshmen receive their acceptance letters, the nerve-breaking energy drifts from waiting near the mailbox everyday to scavenging as much information about BU as humanly possible. Students find scouring the university website and Facebook pages a good prep for answering typical questions that family members, teachers, and random individuals commonly expect them to answer. However, there’s one question that invariably enters young freshies’ minds, “Where should I live?” Unfortunately, a majority of U.S. universities are not designed like Hogwarts; there’s no sorting hat involved in dorm selection. Instead, there are great options for resident placement including specialty floors; the best in my possibly biased opinion would be the COM floors.

COMmonalities and Interest. College is truly an adjustment, however it’s easier to adapt to a new environment when people with common interest surround you. Living on a COM floor aids in course discussion with other students. When taking COM101, a required course for incoming freshmen, living on a COM floor gave me ample opportunities to continue class discussion and verify concepts.

COM Together. Anticipate social gatherings in cozy dorm rooms to watch the Oscars, Emmy’s, New Girl, Betty White specials, SNL, NBC Thursdays, and football games. There are a plethora of personalities housed on COM floors. Being a current resident of 11C, the only coed COM floor, I take pride in considering my floor mates as family. Discussions from room to room are very different. Some involve criticizing political oratories, others may be screaming matches analyzing the recent play by plays of a sports tournament, or group editing of a BUTV10 or WTBU radio story.

If you are curious about the format of dorms at BU or have questions about residence life check out http://www.bu.edu/housing. I’m so “Rhetty” for you guys to be housed within this TerrierNation!

11Cer,

Taylor W.

Jason: Best Late-Night Food (As Promised)

So I’m back with another entry to give you guys my opinion on everything BU. Like I promised, this post will be about Late Night Cafe. For those of you who don’t know, Late Night is an afterhours dining option separate from your regular meal plan; instead, you’ll be paying with dining or convenience points. Most students take advantage of this on nights when an essay or studying for an exam leaves you awake until the wee hours of the morning. For this reason, some late night cafes are open as late as 2am! For the most part, each facility will have a similar menu, although there are some differences between the options. The standard choices include pizza, various kinds of sandwiches and wraps, quesadillas, salads, etc. Any who, here is my break down of the different locations that offers Late Night Café.*

Warren Towers: As my home base last year, Warren Towers was my M.O. for Late Night. Being one of the largest dining halls on campus, it’s only fitting that they have a large array of options on the menu. Their most popular items are the quesadilla and the grilled chicken wrap. There’s a fresh fruit smoothie bar where you can order a custom made drink, a huge selection of Pepperidge Farm cookies, and a cooler filled with every energy or caffeine drink you’ll need to battle those late nights.

West Campus: West has their own version of late night. While they used to offer a similar experience to Warren, this late night option is now brought to you by Extreme Pita. Although this is a real establishment (as in not completely affiliated with BU dining) you can still pay for the food with your dining and convenience points. Personally, I prefer Extreme Pita over the other locations because they offer much healthier options.

Towers: I’ve only been to Towers a few times for Late Night but I would say that they have a pretty similar selection as Warren, the standard late night menu that I mentioned above. In addition, the times that I’ve been, the chefs have prepared other selections such as enchiladas and empanadas. They also have a smoothie bar.

The other dining halls that offer Late Night include Myles Standish Hall and Shelton Hall, both of which have the standard late night menu. HoJo (575 Commonwealth) also has a Late Nigh option called Café 575. I have never been there but according to Tom, “they offer muffins and stuff; maybe coffee too.”

*These are in no particular rank as Late Night Café is similar across most locations

Jason: Best Campus Dining Halls

After experiencing BU for one entire year I figured I’d sit down and write about something practical, something you guys might find useful. So here is my list of the top five residence dining halls at BU.

• West Campus- West gets my vote as the number one because of sheer variety. West campus has the most options by far and although I have never been able to say with certain that it tastes better than the food in warren, having more options allows for a better chance that you’ll find something that’s healthy and tastes good. I’m also pretty sure they always have a make-your-own quesadilla bar, which is awesome. The only downside is that for me the dining hall usually seemed more crowded than others

• Warren Towers- My home base would have gotten the number one vote except for this last month. I think whoever runs the dining in Warren Towers may have checked out a little early because the selection (and quality) of the food over the last month has not been on par with its usual high standard. Regardless, the food here is usually exceptional with plenty of choices. The desserts are so good they’ll probably kill you and the dining hall is much more spacious than West campus.

• Myles Standish Hall- Although the building itself might need some work, the dining hall is in pristine condition. There are two sides to this dining hall (separated by a hallway) One is a more lively, social setting with several flat screen TV’s and the other reserved for more intimate, quiet dining. While smaller than both West and Warren, there are usually enough options and the food is pretty good. There’s nothing really bad about the dining in Myles but I guess there’s nothing that great either. But hey, average isn’t that bad.

• Shelton- It has just about as many options as Myles, the dining hall is pretty nice, and the food was good. I’ve only eaten there once though so I don’t have much to talk about.

• The Towers- Ok, honestly, who decided to build a dining hall in a basement? As much as I love eating next two ceiling high industrial sized fans or radiators, or I don’t even know what they are, some windows would be nice, no? The choices here are fairly limited and I don’t know, I mean its not gonna kill you but there are better options than Towers.

I hope you guys find this useful. I am not endorsed by any of the five residence dining halls so my opinion of each is honest and unbiased. Stay tuned for my next piece on the top five places to eat Late Night.

Tiffany: Visiting Chef Series

This is a shout out to all my fellow foodies out there!

After many conversations with my fellow Terriers and friends that attend other universities, I have come to the conclusion that BU dining halls are arguable on the better half of college dorm food because it actually tastes good and offers a wide selection that include awesome burritos, mac and cheese, and custom sandwiches on a daily basis.

A few times a year the dining hall goes all out and has specialty nights such as soul food night, Chinese New Year night, and lobster night. However, my favorite time in the dining hall is during the guest chef series where dining services brings in chefs from well-known restaurants around Boston to cater all the dining halls on campus. With a simple swipe of a BU ID card, students can experience an array of flavorful foods that would normally put a hole in the broke college student’s pocket. But with the help of dining services, students can experience the delicious foods of Boston with the same ease and for the same price of any ordinary meal in the dining hall, which is already pre-paid for anyway.

In recent years, visiting chefs from Jerry Remy’s Grill in Fenway, Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square, and Maggiano’s Little Italy have provided the dining halls with quality deliciousness and filled the bellies of BU undergrads. They even try and replicate the ambiance of the respective restaurant with white linen table clothes for a nice upscale restaurant like Eastern Standard or with a man throwing out bags of cotton candy and popcorn to replicate the game day feel of Jerry Remy’s Grill. With everything from the décor to the tasty food, dining services really transforms each dining hall into a real restaurant.

Nothing is more awesome than being able to go downstairs to the dining hall in sweatpants and flip-flops and having restaurants food at the tip of your tongue, right?