COM Ambassador Blog

Brittany: Back up your Back-Up

The other day I was one of the COM editing lounges putting the finishing touches on a video package due later that day. For whatever reason, I turned my chair around and accidentally snagged the USB wire connecting my external hard drive to the computer. As my hard drive went crashing to the ground, one of my friends jokingly said from across the room: “I hope you liked your hard drive.”

I laughed it off and plugged it back in to resume work, but then the worst happened: my hard drive started making a loud whirring noise, and didn’t show up on the desktop. I immediately snatched the hard drive out of the computer and went running straight for the tech crew down the hall. He plugged it in, held it up to his ear, and said two syllables: “uh oh.”

As a broadcast student getting ready to enter the job market, an external hard drive is of utmost importance: on it was every package from every class I’ve ever taken at BU. There’s anchoring clips, live stand ups, sports features, hard news stories—everything!

Currently, my hard drive is in the hands of the BU IT department, and I’m hoping for the best. However, in the event of a worst-case scenario, all hope is not lost. Past and current professors have stepped up, offering their support (“We’ll do more projects to replace what you lost!”) and assistance (“I have some of your packages saved from the class you took with me”). I’m confident that between what might be left over on other people’s hard drives and what might be hidden in the archives of BUTV, I’ll be able to pull almost all of my content together.

Throughout all of this, the funniest thing is that most of the people I’ve told this story have had a similar reaction: did you back it up? I never knew I had to back up my external hard drive, which is supposed to be my back up! So to everyone else reading this, do yourself a favor and back up your back up! And if you don’t back up your back up and your back up fails… make sure you have people behind your back to help you figure out the next step! 🙂

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!

Jon: Surviving Midterms

Midterms. That dreaded word that causes students everywhere to quake upon hearing it. What’s scarier than the thought of the first big cumulative exam of the semester? The tell-all test when you reveal if you’ve been actively learning all semester or if you’ve been sliding down into your lecture hall seat and grabbing an hour or two of beauty rest every day. Get ready, cause it’s show time.

As spring break begins next week, professors tend to be loading on projects and exams left and right, in an attempt to get that one last evaluation in before students flee to sunshine and warm beaches. However, if you can keep your head among all this craziness, it’s more than possible to manage your time and successfully conquer your midterms. Here’s a handy list of tips to how you can survive “hell week”.

1) SLEEP - This comes first on the list because it is by far the most important preparatory tool and is also the easiest to sacrifice when things get crazy. Make sure first and foremost that you get your 9 ½ hours every night, because once you start to slip on that, you’ll fall into a vicious cycle of working inefficiently and therefore sacrificing more sleep as tasks take longer to complete. Also, research shows you will be happier, healthier, and better academically if your brain has the rest it needs.

2) Drink lots of water – It’s easy to fall prey to the tantalizing lures of coffee and energy drinks, which promise to give you those extra hours of focus you need. However, if you’re not getting enough water in your day, these diuretics will make you jittery and irritable. Hydration is key to staying healthy, so try to limit your consumption of caffeinated beverages.

3) Start studying early – What seems to be common sense to any impartial bystander is often ignored by frantic college students. The more of a head start you get on your studying, the more prepared you will be. I try to plan at least a week’s worth of course review, so that if gaping holes in my knowledge appear I have time to do something about them.

4) On a similar note, DON’T study the night before an exam – This old adage that they told you in SAT prep classes applies to your college tests as well. Chances are you aren’t going to be retaining anything you’re trying to learn or review at this point. Watch a movie, play a video game, go to the gym, or just hang out with your friends. De-stressing and getting enough rest is the best preparation you can get the night before a test. I can’t emphasize this point enough – don’t fall prey to the “last-minute-all-nighter-double-header” study sessions your friends or floor mates might be engaging in, it’s not worth it.

These four tips may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how easy it is to forget about them or rationalize not doing them. Stand by this list, and make sure you’re taking care of your physical and mental health, and you’ll be well on your way to midterm success.
Stay frosty,

Jon

Lauren: The COMmunicator’s Got No COMpetition

It was just a typical day when Ashley Waxman, a first-year graduate student here at COM, stopped by one of my COM classes to talk about “The COMmunicator,” the official newsletter for the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relations at COM. She encouraged the students in my class to attend one of their meetings, and lured us in with the prospect of free cookies and baked goods. I figured that I would give it a shot and was pleasantly surprised by what “The COMmunicator” had in store for me!

I quickly learned that “The COMmunicator” gives its readers insight into anything and everything that is going on in the MC/AD/PR Department! From special awards that COM has received, to cool upcoming events and interviews with successful alumni who are working in the industry, “The COMmunicator” covers it all! All the writers, editors and staff members are graduate or undergraduate students at COM and their website contains blogs, funny videos (check out “Good COM/Bad COM”) and tons of articles relating to everything COM.

Before I knew it, I was placed on the marketing team for The COMmunicator. We meet once a week in the COM study lounge and brainstorm creative ways to promote the website! We come up with clever designs for the flyers we hang around the COM buildings and research happenings in COM and the Boston area to tweet or post about on Facebook.

Working on “The COMmunicator” has helped me feel more connected with COM than ever before! I definitely suggest that any students who want to get more involved with COM check out “The COMmunicator!” They are always looking for students to write articles or help with their marketing/social media efforts!

The COMmunicator” will also be hosting a special event on Thursday, April 12^th that will feature COMpetition, COMedy and much more! Keep an eye out for more information!

Get connected with “The COMmunicator”:

Website: http://bucommunicator.com/

Blog: http://bucommunicator.com/categories/five/

Twitter: @bucommunicator

Facebook: BU COMmunicator

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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.”

Steph: The Power of Twitter

When I first heard about Twitter, my initial thought was, “So its just a website dedicated to Facebook status updates. That sounds really dumb.”

I was extremely skeptical about how great Twitter was. I swore I would never get one. That all changed once I got to BU. It quickly became clear to me that everyone and everything at BU had an online presence, especially on Twitter. This realization was also amplified as a COM student, where communication is everything.

So, I caved. Even though I had made one months before, I rarely went on it and never updated. I started following more and more people and things, and was introduced to the wonderful world of Twitter.

Contrary to my original belief, Twitter is not only a place for people to post pointless updates about what they were doing. There is so much information at your fingertips, including tips about all the cool things that are going on around Boston and BU.

As a prospective Film and TV major, I follow the Film and TV department on Twitter (@BUFilmTV). At one point last semester, their Twitter updated that Professor Jaramillo was going to be giving a lecture on the topic of Race in Mad Men. As an enormous fan of Mad Men, I grabbed two of my friends and headed over to the African American Studies House. The lecture was so interesting and thought provoking, and it ended up being one of my favorite things that I did last semester. Without Twitter, I never would have known about it!

Twitter is such a great resource for information. If you don’t already have an account, definitely consider getting one. You never know what you might find!

To get started, here are a few BU accounts that are extremely helpful:

Boston University: @BU_Tweets

BU COM: @comugrad

COM Ambassadors: @COM_Ambassadors

And now for some shameless self-promotion, follow me at @StephSemet!

Kaitlin: How to Survive as a BU Vegetarian

Hello all! I hope everything has been going swimmingly with the college search. If you’re still reading this blog, it looks like you’re on the right track.

Since the summer of 2006, I’ve been an on and off vegetarian. It started simply as an attempt to be cool, to parallel with my hipster-wannabe phase before 9th grade. Over the years, my vegetarianism has evolved into a serious, purposeful habit in an attempt to make a difference while improving my health.

So, when I first came to Boston University, I was so excited to be in the big city of Boston, because cities are usually more vegetarian-friendly than small towns like the one I’m from.

Sadly, I faced some disappointment.

Finding vegetarian places to eat was a lot harder than I thought it would be. But luckily BU offers TONS of options for ALL people, whether they be meat eaters, vegetarians, or vegans. Here’s a quick guide to pinpointing the perfect meals for your meat free and healthy lifestyle.

I always walk around the dining hall to see my choices, and tend to start at the Vegan Delight section. The dishes here are obviously always vegetarian, but you just have to be careful- a lot of the time, the food is fried in someway, which takes it off the healthy list. If this is case, I’ll move on.

The sandwich station is always a great place to stop. Sargent’s Choice offers it’s picks for healthy eating, including whole wheat breads and fat free cheese. Add some fresh, crunchy veggies, and you have a solid meal!

I never automatically rule out the dishes that are presented with meat, because a lot of the time they’ll serve it vegetarian style. This especially goes for pasta dishes. Just ask for your whole wheat penne without chicken and you’re good to go!

Breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner is always the easiest to eat for. Check out the healthy, whole grain hot and cold cereals, fat free yogurts, and delicious fruit salad that are available all day!

So, although people may think you’re strange for not eating greasy, fat bacon or constantly question your decision to cut fried chicken from your diet, your choices are just as plentiful as theirs (and a lot of the time, just a bit more healthy). Bon appetite! 🙂

Kate: PR Advanced: Unleash Our Generation Recap

This past weekend, I partook in PR Advanced, an annual conference hosted by the BU Public Relations Student Society of America as a participant and a member of the planning committee. Each year we bring together 200 students from across the United States (people came all the way from Ohio and Louisiana!) for a keynote speech, breakout sessions, a career panel, and a career fair. Our keynote speaker this year was unfortunately snowed in and unable to make it to the conference. But there to save the day were Kenneth Elmore, BU Dean of Students, and Professor Steve Quigley, PRSSA 2011 Educator of the Year, to fill in, offering students advice on where to take their careers. In this day and age, students have many options after graduation:

Agency vs. Corporate
Corporate vs. Government vs. Non-profit
B2B (business to business) vs. B2C (business to consumer)
Start-up vs. Established Company

And with so many options, PR students must understand the importance of culture and finding a niche where they feel comfortable. These motifs continued throughout the day. In the start-ups breakout session, BU alum Kris Ruby shared her story. Knowing her strengths and the market, she decided to take advantage of the changing field and started her own social media and PR firm. Tom O’Keefe a.k.a. Boston Tweet and Joseline Mane, co-founder of Boston TweetUp, shared how they are using social media to further their careers.

After lunch, student attended a career panel with representatives from across the field of communication. Brandi Boatner, an external relations professional at IBM, showed that B2B communication can be just as exciting as traditional B2C. And Mike DiSalvo (probably my favorite speaker of the day) from Ogilvy reminded students to have fun in an interview because that’s when you know the culture is a right fit for you.

Ending the day was the career fair. With a company as small as Ruby Media Group (four employees) to Burson-Marstellar, one of the largest international PR firms in the world, students had the opportunity to find out where they fit into the market.

As the career fair coordinator for the last two years, I have come to understand the importance of attending conferences and networking events like PR Advanced. Public relations is an ever changing field and the best advice you can get doesn’t come from a text book, it comes from the professionals who are in the thick of it all. And the business cards and potential future opportunities don’t hurt either. I highly suggest all students taking advantage PR Advanced in the future.

Daniela: On That Internship Hunt

Hey everyone! Hope your semester has been going well. It is flying by for me despite an increasingly hectic schedule, and I’m already starting to look ahead for summer plans. I’m a Public Relations major, and I want to go into the entertainment and event management side of things. So when I started to ponder internship opportunities, I came to one solid conclusion: I need to go to California.

With the West Coast on my mind, I furtively began scouring the Internet searching for potential companies. It was really difficult at first because I had a very specific interest, and most of the ones I found either did not apply to me or, worse, were unpaid. Another thing I was sure of was that whatever I found had to have some form of compensation. If I’m going to pack up and move out West for an entire summer, I need a little something more than just “experience” as incentive.

So I kept searching. I hit a breakthrough when I stumbled upon this website that listed almost one hundred companies with direct links to their employment/internship opportunities. Finally, I narrowed down about ten solid companies that were actively looking for interns in Los Angeles, seven of which were paying. Perfect.

I’m dedicating myself to editing my resume and sending applications these next couple of days. Here’s hoping for the best! In the meantime, I want to share a couple tips with you guys that could be helpful when you start your own searches!

Know where you want to go

It helps when you have a few set locations in mind of where you want to intern. It narrows down the search, and makes it a lot easier to find what you’re looking for.

Know what you’re looking for

Similarly, nailing down your specific interest will further narrow down your searches. You want to make sure that what you find will give you the best learning experience and long-term benefits.

The Search

Start browsing on internship websites and follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Some of the ones I use are InternMatch.com and YouTern.com as well as following @InternsNtheCity (which tweets about opportunities in NYC), @BostonInternshp (and no that’s not a typo!) and @PRJobLA. Twitter is an incredible resource. Even by just typing “Intern” and the location you want to work in the search bar will give you a ton of solid results. After exhausting that, browse the Center for Career Development and the COM Career Services databases. Update your profile and look for jobs that match you. And of course, don’t forget to look up specific companies if you have a couple in mind!

Get Organized

After searching every last form of “I need an internship” on Google, you’re bound to have a couple solid leads lined up. Bookmark all the ones you find and organize them into priorities. Some applications may have deadlines. Work on those first, as well as the ones you’re most interested in. Don’t leave your dream job for last! While you’re getting yourself organized, be sure to follow their social media. When they look at your application and begin doing some research on you, it looks good when they see the extent of your interest.

Tailor your resume to each company

Before you send in your resume, make sure it is organized in a way that will best represent your skills and what you can do for that specific company. Include their name in your objective, and put all the things you think they will want to see first. Go to COM Career Services and get a second opinion if you’re having trouble. When you’re absolutely satisfied, send away!

Tweet about it

Continue to show your interest in where you are applying. Keep an eye on your email and your phone calls.

Finding internships takes a lot of work. You need to be proactive. With a little bit of luck and motivation though, it will all pay off. So get searching, applying, and hope for the best!

Tom: I Wanna Be a Producer

Hey guys! Last time you saw me I gave you guys the rundown about how to conquer auditions at Boston University. This time I’m back with some more theater for you guys. Now I bet you guys are thinking – “yes, Tom’s really into theater, but what does this have to do with the College of Communication?” Through my involvement with BU On Broadway, I managed to find a way to combine my major in advertising with my passion for theater: I became a Producer.

Last semester, I took on being a producer for the first time for our production of The Producers (I know… producer of The Producers, way too much producer in one sentence.) Taking on the role of producer was a much bigger commitment than I thought it was, but it provided me with a huge resume and experience booster for the future. Plus, it was actually something I enjoyed doing and was applicable to my future career.

So what does a Producer do exactly?

1. Advertising, Advertising, and more Advertising. The Producer’s main job is to sell the show. This involves everything including poster design, T-Shirt design, and handouts for us to give out in the George Sherman Union. We also ran a social media campaign for the production using the hashtag: #PrOBucers (note the “OB” (On Broadway) in the middle).

2. Managing the Budget. Ah, the budget. A COM kid’s least favorite word. Unfortunately, being a Producer isn’t all fun and games advertising. You also need to take the cost of the whole production into account. The producers are responsible for making sure that the tech crew stays within their budget and are reimbursed through the Student Activities Office for all the purchases they made. While very tedious, managing a budget is an extremely valuable skill I picked up that’s relevant to any future in Account Management.

3. Work with the Student Activities Office. As On Broadway is a student group on campus, someone needs to be responsible for checking in with the Student Activities Office. This is where the producers come in. The producers need to fill out numerous forms in addition to making sure everything is set for opening night.

Here’s some advice:

While I’m not recommending everyone interested in communication run out and be a producer, I would advise new COM students to do what their passionate about. I got involved with On Broadway as an actor, and managed to blend my love for theater with my future aspirations in advertising. My advice: be a good student and stick to what you love. Your career aspirations will eventually work out.

That’s all for now! I hope to keep you updated with my newest producing endeavor: this spring’s production of Spring Awakening!