COM Ambassador Blog

Jon: Please Don’t Stop the Music

What’s up guys? We’re about three weeks into the new semester, and as classes start to pick up, it’s great to have something to de-stress and take your mind off of all the work that is quickly piling up. For me, my a cappella group fills this role in my life. The BosTones are one of BU’s premiere co-ed a cappella choirs, and I am so glad that I’ve been able to dive into the group as a freshman.

I sang all throughout high school, and I loved being able to hang out with a bunch of great people and make awesome music. Naturally I was a little distraught over the idea of finding another group like my high school choir, which had been a part of my life for the past four years. However, when I got to BU I was blown away by the size of the a cappella community, and since all the groups were so welcoming I decided to audition for as many as possible. Fast forward a few weeks, and I was a new member of The BosTones, a jazzy, poppy, belty, and crazy group of people.

The thrill of the stage is great, but the truly wonderful part of being in an a cappella group isn’t the glamour, or the performances, or the recording sessions – it’s the people. Being able to know that on Tuesday and Sunday nights I’m going to walk into the Mugar Library (yes, we have a practice room in the library, and no, we don’t get shushed by librarians, it’s sound proof) and hang out for a few hours with a great group of people who all love coming together to have fun, support each other, and make some sweet music. Everyone in the BosTones is brought together by a love of singing, and I’m glad they’re in my life. When college gets crazy and hectic, as it sometimes does, it’s great to know that I always have BosTones to come back to.

The BosTones are just one more reason I love BU: there’s a student group for everyone. For me, it’s a cappella music, and for others, it might be gaming, or student government, or even Kendo (a Japanese form of fencing). No matter what your interest, you’ll find it here, and you’ll find people who are just as passionate about it as you are. I can’t end without a little shameless self-promotion, so if you want to see some of what The BosTones do, check out our concert footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOZo55830tA&list=UUTX5kWZUchPOI2KVfWWRUuQ&index=8&feature=plcp. Also, congrats to our two new members Harry Meltzer and Jun Tsuboike! We’re looking forward to working with them.

That’s all for now! See you at auditions…

Julianna: A BU Style Guide for any Occasion

What to wear to your first day of classes as a college student:

It’s like the first day of pre-k all over again, minus the Power Rangers backpack. You’re a whole lot of nervous, but also really determined to have the best day EVER. Hold on a sec, and put down that curling iron and brand new fall cardigan. No need to glam yourself up on the most important day in September. Why? Because Boston is as hot as the Sahara Desert. I hate to be the bearer of bad news ladies, but you won’t be breaking out that new fall wardrobe until the middle of October, the earliest. So if you want to appear all calm, cool, and collected on your first day of school, then dress the part (emphasis on the cool). Wear a pleated chiffon maxi skirt with a tucked-in loose cotton tank. Belt it at the waist and strap on a pair of leather gladiator sandals. If a floor-grazing skirt is not your thing, then wear a white tunic button-down in a light-weight fabric over a printed sundress. A pair of classic Sperry Top-Siders is perfect for this look. For the guys, you know that you actually care about how you look today. I mean, come on it’s the first day! So remember to shave and put on a pair of chino shorts with a v-neck tee. Your shoe of choice this semester will also be the Sperry Top-Sider.

What to wear to a normal day of classes:

So it’s past the middle of the semester. You are now a certified pro at this thing called “college life,” and your new best friend is the Venti coffee. Get dressed, wash up, and be in lecture in T-minus 10 minutes? Psssh. No problem. Here’s how to roll out of bed and look decent on a time crunch. Comb that wild Ke$ha bed-hair and slip on an embellished headband. If all else fails, hide your rats nest under a knit beanie. You have no time to fidget with pesky buttons, so throw on a boatneck jersey top, skinny jeans, and velour loafers. Stay warm and get some insta-glamour with a black faux fur vest fur. Guys, layer a half-zip sweater over a thermal top with jeans and a pair of Converse. Oh yeah, don’t forget to get that morning gunk out of your eyes. Ew.

What to wear to your part-time job/internship:

Time to network and make that résumé golden, so dress to impress! A navy or black blazer is your business wear must-have. Wear it over a stretchy wool dress, and cinch it at the waist with a thin bright-colored belt. Try a suede pump or a ballet flat. Why not try a fashion risk by color-blocking an outfit? Skip the boring black trouser, and get a pair in mustard color with a skinny cropped leg. Wear a royal blue button-down shirt , nude flats, and a statement necklace. Boys, style that classic oxford shirt and black trouser with a gingham print tie. The next day reverse the look: wear a gingham print button-down with a solid-colored tie.

What to wear while out and about in Boston:

Whether you’re hitting up the Pru or exploring the South End, dress with comfort (and style) in mind. Boston has some bi-polar temps, so everyone should master the art of LAYERING. Girls, try a bright long-sleeved top under a faded chambray shirt. Wear ultra skinny black jeans or an a-line skirt with opaque tights. Try an olive green utility jacket, a chunky scarf, and a cross-body bag. Invest in a pair of black combat boots, such as Dr. Martens. I basically live in my combat boots, and I’ve learned that they go with almost anything. Guys, why don’t you get yourself a chambray too? Yay, chambray shirts for everyone! Get it unisex clothing! Charcoal colored chinos rolled at the ankles, canvas sneakers, and a neutral-colored utility jacket completes your look.

What to wear to Sunday brunch:

Respect the Sunday brunch. It will instantly become your favorite meal of the week. Whether you and your crew keep it economical by choosing to go to the dining hall or pretend that your lives are The Hills and go to some mildly “classy,” yuppie-filled cafe, just know that it’s totally okay to bum it out. So ladies and gents, bust out your beloved flannel button-down, 1,000 times worn-in jeans, and the band tee that makes all your friends super jealous. Girlitas, throw on something knit, such as a cute ear-warmer or circle scarf. Just don’t get too comfy in your brunch attire by staying in your fuzzy slipppers. Lace up those beat-up Chucks, and go off and nom on some bacon!

Kaitlin: Bending Over Backwards for Yoga

Hello friends! I’m so excited to be writing as a COM ambassador for the first time. I hope you’re getting excited about starting your COM journey with all of us! It’s going to be an amazing experience that I’m sure you’ll never forget. And with that, there are few moments in our lives that can truly be considered milestones. Finishing high school, entering college, obtaining your first job, getting married. But for me, my biggest milestone so far in my life was reached last weekend. After 200 hours of training in six months, I officially became a certified yoga instructor.

I’ve been a yoga practitioner for quite sometime now, but I have Boston to thank for my pursuit of a teaching certification. At the beginning of my freshman year, I started to miss going to the yoga studio all the time as I did back home on Long Island; I had the blues. So, I started to explore the Boston yoga scene on the internet, eventually leading myself towards Back Bay Yoga Studio (BBY), which is right off of the Arlington T stop on the Green Line. First off, if you’re looking to begin practicing and don’t know where to start, this is the place to go. BBY offers an awesome new member special, which includes two weeks of unlimited classes for only $25. This is exactly how I got my start. I found myself going everyday, sometimes more than once, diving into the awesome facilities the studio has to offer, and learning from the city’s best and most well-known teachers. I learned so much, and I automatically rediscovered my deep passion for the practice.

My decision to go through teacher training wasn’t a hard one. I was profoundly inspired by my main teacher Ame Wren, and when I learned she was leading a training with the studio’s owner Lynne Begier, I called my dad right away, and told him I was investing the $3,000 that I barely had to my name into the training. It was the first time I found myself so incredibly excited and ready to begin a new journey.

But it wasn’t so easy.

As I mentioned, it was a 6-month long endeavor. I often found myself in the studio for more than 20 hours on the weekends. I was assigned various book reports and other extra homework on top of my work here at BU. Nonetheless, I cannot explain how worthwhile the reading and writing was. I had the pleasure to work alongside thirty wonderful people, all of whom were going after the same achievement as me. We shared unlimited tears and laughs, and I feel so lucky to have them all a part of my life!

This experience transformed the way I think, look, act- basically my whole way of life. I pay so much gratitude to every thing I learned about yoga, myself, and the world around me. I’m so eager to start teaching, of course, but I also simply look forward to growing my own practice and to continue expanding my mind and keep learning.

If you’re interested in starting yoga, please don’t hesitate to let me know! I’d love to help out and give some suggestions on where to go, who to see, what to wear, etc. Among the stress that comes with being a college student, sometimes all we need to do is sit on a mat, close our eyes, and breathe.

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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.

“TomKat”: Meet Our Newest COM Ambassadors!

Hey all! As you can see, our COM Ambassadors have been busy blogging away for the past few weeks telling you everything from their first week of classes to their adventures studying abroad!

Each year, we have a new roster of COM Ambassadors ready to meet and assist prospective and incoming students at Boston University's College of Communication (BU COM). With that being said, it's time to introduce some of our newest COM Ambassadors for this upcoming year.

Julianna Flamio:

Year: Sophomore

Major: Magazine Journalism

Hometown: Eastchester, New York

Jon Mayer:

Year: Freshman

Major: Undeclared (Advertising Track)

Hometown: Carlisle, Massachusetts

Kaitlin Daddona:

Year: Sophomore

Major: Public Relations

Hometown: Southold, New York

Taylor Walker:

Year: Freshman

Major: Undeclared (Broadcast Journalism Track)

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Lauren Haslett:

Year: Sophomore

Major: Advertising

Hometown: Mount Laurel, New Jersey

Stephanie Semet:

Year: Freshman

Major: Undeclared

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Daniela Vasquez:

Year: Sophomore (Transfer Student!)

Major: Public Relations

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Alexa Galloway:

Year: Freshman

Major: Undeclared (Broadcast Journalism Track)

Hometown: Santa Maria, California

You may recognize Alexa from COMlife.

Our newest CA's come from a wide variety of majors and backgrounds and are excited to begin blogging for you guys! They are also working on a COM Ambassador Video and Profile to place up on our website! Look out for their profiles coming in the near future!

Signing off,

TomKat

Daniela: Into the City We Go

Hey everyone! As a new COM Ambassador, this is my first blog, and let me just say I’m so excited for this semester. It’s only been two weeks, and already my schedule is crazy hectic. As much as I love everything I’m a part of, taking a break every once in a while can do wonders to your mindset.

Boston is one of my favorite cities in the world. I grew up in the suburbs, and even though I had Miami and Fort Lauderdale nearby, it’s not the same as actually living in a city. When I came to BU, I told myself I was going to take full advantage of what the city had to offer me, everything from concerts to internships. Sometimes though, it’s difficult to find those precious free moments. These past couple of weeks have definitely been like that. So yesterday, after a long weekend of work and studying, I decided to put everything on hold and enjoy a stress-free night.

Last night, a couple of my friends and I went into the city to watch a movie. Instead of just walking to the Fenway Regal, we took the T downtown to the AMC Loews Theatre by Boston Common. I had never been there before, but I liked it immediately. It was a huge theater, practically empty since it was a Sunday night. The walls were decorated with classic movie posters and large black and white photographs. I looked up to find famous quotes beautifully inscribed on the ceiling. We bought our tickets for Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which I was dying to see after reading the books. We got some ice cream and made friends with the people who worked there, which got us about four extra scoops each!

When the movie ended, it was too late to take the T back. So we walked. There’s something really beautiful about a quiet city in the middle of the night. The chilly air kept our legs moving as our voices echoed in the silent streets. We passed by the Fairmont Copley Plaza and stopped outside the entrance. It was built in 1912, one hundred years ago. We admired the huge golden lions that guard the hotel and decided at once to go in and explore. It’s a beautiful building. Golden lights flood the hallways and the lobby. Everything was polished and classy. We walked around slowly, talking in hushed voices, completely in awe. As we were making our way out, one of the managers came out and politely inquired what exactly we were doing. We told him we had never been inside and were just about to leave. We were then subtly escorted back outside, in the classiest manner possible. We burst out laughing as we walked away, all agreeing that was probably the nicest, most sophisticated way we’ve ever been kicked out of a building.

We kept walking through the streets, until we turned onto Newbury and then finally Commonwealth Avenue. We talked about our happiest memories, and I thought in the back of my mind that this night would have to be added to my list.

I feel very lucky to have such simple opportunities like this. Life moves so fast; it’s easy to get swept away. In everything I do, I’m always looking ahead. But it’s nights like those that remind me how important it is to look around.

So work hard and get involved as much as you can in the BU community. I know I wouldn’t have my schedule any other way. But if you ever need to relax or clear your mind, take a walk around and explore. It might just be exactly what you need.

Mike: Abroad in Madrid!

Hola chicos!

I can’t believe I’ve already been in Madrid for almost three weeks now! I've been going nonstop since getting here and I'm still completely exhausted. I feel like I've been here for ages, it's very strange. But so far I am absolutely loving it. It is so different from home-- the culture, the food, the people, the nightlife. Every street I walk down I have to stop and take pictures. The architecture is like nothing I've ever seen. The people here are all very friendly (so much nicer than New Yorkers), and I am definitely glad I’m being forced to speak Spanish all the time.

My host family is wonderful. My mom, Pilar, is so kind and welcoming. We call her "mapi," a term of endearment her kids called her when they were young. Her daughter, Maria, is also very sweet. She's a lawyer and is always starting up conversations with me, even if I have to take long pauses to try to respond. It has been a lot of head nods, smiles, and "si's" while I've been here. Neither of them speak English. They'll know a few words here and there but I have to speak to them entirely in Spanish, which is certainly frustrating because there is so much I'd like to speak to them about but I'm not nearly knowledgeable enough to carry on full-length conversations. My comprehension is definitely much better than my speaking. My classes are all taught in Spanish so my understanding of the language is rapidly improving.

I’m enrolled in the documentary filmmaking program here (there’s only 3 of us!) so I'm taking four classes: documentary filmmaking, Spanish cinema, colloquial Spanish, and translation for film and theater. So far they are all interesting. In Spanish cinema we are covering a bunch of Almodovar movies, and in the colloquial class I am learning all kinds of Spanish slang ranging from casual greetings to ordering beers at a bar. In the translation class, we are translating scenes from classic movies like Annie Hall into Spanish. Woody Allen is definitely not an easy writer to translate, so it's pretty challenging. The documentary class will consume most of my time as the three of us begin pre-production for the film we are shooting. We’ve been looking around the city the past few weeks to find a topic to explore. We decided to focus on the cultural significance of “pan” or bread in each meal in Spain. We are traveling to different panerias to film the process of bread making and interviewing different families to see how bread plays a role in their family dinners. I’m sure we will be eating a lot of bread along the way so I definitely don’t mind that. Overall, the food here has been delicious. There is ham and egg in everything! And they also barely refrigerate anything! The eggs, milk, and juices are always left out. So strange.

I've already visited Toledo, a small village about an hour outside of Madrid. It was so quaint-- cobblestone streets and beautiful churches and synagogues. I felt like I had stepped into a scene from Don Quijote. Next weekend, we are traveling to Granada, which is supposed to be filled with Moorish architecture. I can’t wait. We have already booked other weekend trips to Sevilla, Barcelona, and Amsterdam. In March, I have a two week spring break where we are planning to go to Dublin and the southern coast of France-- Nice, St Tropez, and Monaco, and then venture over to Italy to cover Florence and Rome. Yup, I know you’re jealous.

I will be sure to keep you guys posted on my travels! I miss Boston and hope everyone is off to a great semester.

Hasta luego,
Mike

Alexa: All About Boston Restaurants

Hey everyone! Boston is such a great place for so many things! We have awesome sports teams, great sightseeing places and incredible food! The dining halls here are great, especially at West campus where I eat frequently, however it’s always nice to go out to eat once in a while.

Roast Beast is located at 1080 Commonwealth Avenue and it’s delicious. No seriously. This place specializes in both roast beef and turkey sandwiches. It’s a charming little hole in the wall with a really friendly staff. They can make your order any way you can imagine. I personally order a regular roast beef on onion bread with house barbecue on the side and a bottled cream soda to take it down. For anyone who is up to a challenge Roast Beast offers the “Thermonuclear Challenge” The task is eating a sandwich with a fiery sauce that has hot peppers in just five minutes. While this may seem like no big deal, I have witnessed this challenge and it is crazy. People cry. However if you win, you’re meal is free and you get a free t-shirt! This place is definitely a must try and if you say Alexa sent you, they’ll… ok they won’t do anything special except for probably comment on how frequent of a visitor I am. But seriously go!

Another great place is called Bottega Florentina. This is an Italian eatery that specializes in many Italian cuisines, especially pasta. There are two locations, one on Newbury Street and the one I usually visit at Coolidge Corner in Brookline. On Tuesdays you can get any type of pasta with any type of sauce imaginable for only five dollars! I usually stick to the classic spaghetti with meat sauce but they have so many delicious options. Like Roast Beast, this place isn’t huge so service is very quick and pleasant and with every order you get fresh, homemade bread. Trust me this place will redefine all your expectations of pasta.

I promise the rest of my blogs will be more about my activities ie. (BUTV, COMlife, Intermural Basketball…) but for now I think it’s worthwhile to know some of the great food establishments that surround BU! Until next time…

Kate: We Made Our Mark

Every January, about a week before classes start, the campus fills with girls—thousands of them—all getting ready for sorority recruitment. Whether a sorority woman or a potential new member, everyone has a certain excitement and anxiousness that can only be found during recruitment.

This year, over 600 PNMs came out to the Marriot Hotel in Copley to “Make Their Mark” on Greek Life. Only five days later, the same 600+ girls received their bids and excitedly joined their new sisters!

I’ll be honest, Greek Life is not huge at BU, definitely nothing like the “Go Greek or Go Home” schools I grew up around in the Midwest. But we are a growing community and each year, more and more freshmen and sophomore women are joining the nine chapters we currently have on campus. I went through recruitment as a freshman and it was a stressful, exciting, tiring, thrilling, and completely worth it week of small talk, pictures, cheering, and lots and lots of girls. But without it, I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends on campus and future bridesmaids… yes, I went there with that cliché…but its true.

And in addition to the sisters, one thing about BU Greek Life that I really love is the support. We attend each other’s philanthropy events, help when our community is in need, and encourage each other through everything. Last year, the nine sororities worked together during Sigma Chi Derby Days, a weeklong philanthropy event to benefit cancer research, and raised almost $30,000! And when a house that members of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity live in caught on fire this semester, the entire community bought supplies and food to get them back on their feet. That service and support will always make me proud to be a member of the Greek community.

Greek Life at BU is one of those things that you get out what you put into it. If you want to get really involved, that opportunity is absolutely available to you. And if you want it to be one of the many different things you do on campus that's fine too. But it has provided me an incredible support system over the past year and given me some of the best experiences I’ve had at BU!

For more information about Greek Life, check out www.bu.edu/greeklife or @BUGreeks on Twitter!

Tom: Auditions, Auditions, and More Auditions

Tom Hey guys! The second week of classes only means one thing for students involved in theater on campus: Auditions.

While running between my own auditions, I figured I would share with you guys the procedure for auditioning for some of our theater groups on campus. For the purposes of this blog post, I’m only going to go into auditions for BU On Broadway and Stage Troupe, but there are also many other theater groups on campus you can get involved in!

First Up: BU On Broadway.

Here’s some background. BU On Broadway (OB) is our premier musical theater group on campus. The group typically puts on two shows a semester (this semester being Spring Awakening and The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee). Like all extracurricular theater groups, everything is student run from its direction to its acting. Students are welcome to pitch shows as long as they have a director and musical director on the pitch and a committee, along with the executive board, choose the plays that go up each semester.

Now, how to audition. You are welcome to audition for both shows for the group, but are only able to be cast in ONE. After auditions and callbacks, the directors of both shows meet to discuss who is cast in what. Both directing teams are in the same room at the time of the audition, so to make it simple, you just need to prepare one song (16-32 bars) for both shows. If you are lucky enough to get called back for both, they will coordinate with each other to make sure everyone is seen. My favorite part of having two shows is that it casts many more people each semester, as opposed to having just one show that everyone is auditioning for.

Next Up: Stage Troupe.

Here’s some background. Stage Troupe is our oldest and largest theater group on campus. While they predominantly put on straight plays, students are also welcome to pitch a musical for the group. The group puts on four plays a semester ranging from works by Arthur Miller to more contemporary works such as Farragut North and Dog Sees God. The same as OB, students pitch the shows they are interested in directing. Slightly different from OB, the shows are voted on by the general membership.

Now, how to audition. For auditions, the directors are in different rooms, but you are still welcome to audition for more than one (or all) of the shows. In the same fashion as OB, the directors will meet at the end to discuss who is cast in what show. For any straight play you audition for, you do not need to come with anything prepared: The directors will give you a side from the show for a cold-read. If the show is a musical, you will need to prepare 16-32 bars of a song (like OB).

To wrap it up. I’m sure you guys are thinking right now: “wait… how do we know what group to audition for?” The best part is, both groups coordinate with each other as well so you can audition for both groups. You are definitely open to audition for all six shows put on my both groups if you so wanted. My first semester I auditioned for four of the shows and got called back for three. Let me tell you: it certainly was a rough callback night. A word of advice: I would choose just a few shows to audition for.

That’s all for my audition guidelines. Stay tuned through the semester while I blog about everything from theater to advertising.