COM Ambassador Blog

Frank: Satire @ BU

I’m a journalism student and as such I’ve written my fair share of articles. From op-eds to features, to listicles to reviews, I’ve written all different kinds of pieces. This semester, though, I started writing something a bit funnier– I started satire.

During the summer, I applied to join The Bunion, Boston University’s satire news publication. Now satire has always been a thing that interested me, I’ve been a fan of The Onion for a long time and about a year ago I found out about The Hard Times and Hard Drive, who make fun of punk music and video game scenes respectively. I was bit by the satire bug last year and when I saw The Bunion was looking for staff writers, I submitted my application almost immediately. I say almost immediately because there was a very important part of the application I was having a hard time with: the article submission.

I had to write an article to finish my application. Luckily, I zeroed in on what I was gonna write about pretty quickly. At the beginning of the summer, I got a notification on Facebook about a post somebody made on the Official Boston University Class of 2020 group. I hadn’t checked the Class of 2020 Facebook group since my Freshman year, so I clicked on the notification and browsed the group to see what my fellow rising juniors were up to. As I found out, the group had become a wasteland. Nobody had posted anything on the group in a long time, I guess like me a lot of people had forgotten about it. Essentially the Facebook group was now a ghost town, people were still in the group but nobody posted anything. I thought this might be something funny to write about so I took it and ran with it.

Choosing a topic to write about was easy, the hard part was actually writing it. At first I wrote the article with the idea of the Facebook group being a literal ghost town, a remnant from the Wild Wild West, and there was a sheriff of sorts that would protect the group from any new posts. I worked on it for a couple of days until I finally gave up on making it work. The whole cowboy-sheriff thing proved to be too complicated, since I realized I knew absolutely nothing about cowboys. I scrapped the whole thing. I settled on just writing down my raw thoughts and put a sort of journalistic spin on it. That was easier, but it really wasn’t funny. It kinda just read as a rant that didn’t really go anywhere, but I guess the editors liked it enough to have me join the team.

I got a chance to rework the article a couple weeks ago. After going to writer meetings, talking to fellow Bunion Staff Writers, and getting to write pieces of satire on other topics, I finally got what it took to make my first article work. The first thing I did was pretty much erase most of it. A lot of what I wrote down just didn’t work, or only I found funny. I then made my target more specific and I gave it actual jokes. I basically reworked the whole thing.

It felt nice working on my first article again; it was almost as if I had come full circle. In the short time I’ve been with The Bunion, I’ve really learned a lot. If you’re interested in reading my articles and other articles made by even funnier people, check them out over at thebunionpaper.com

P.S. Here’s a link to my reworked first article: https://thebunionpaper.com/student-makes-post-on-bu-facebook-group-as-if-anybody-is-gonna-look-at-it

Kaya: Follow Your Curiosity

Don’t follow your passions.

I know, I know, that sounds like bad advice — terrible, even. After all, isn’t college about pursuing what you’re passionate about and taking advantage of all the opportunities you have to do so?

To an extent, yes. You shouldn’t throw your passions out the window altogether to do things you hate. Knowing what you’re passionate about and exploring that is a key step toward discovering what you want to do for the rest of my life.

Maybe I should clarify: Don’t follow your passions. At least, don’t only follow your passions.

Follow your curiosity instead.

Because while following your passions can lead you to new discoveries, further your academic and career pursuits, or inspire you to reach new heights, doing things you’re passionate about can also be stressful — really stressful — because you love those things so much. Every mistake or roadblock that separates you from what you love can feel like heartbreak, and it’s not exactly a feeling anyone wants to feel all the time. If you spend your whole life doing and chasing what you love, you’re bound to hit some of those roadblocks, and feel some of that heartbreak, along the way.

When you follow your curiosity instead, you might discover something new that you love. You might have an experience that takes you completely out of your comfort zone. You might realize that there is a lot more to life than the one or two things you’re most passionate about.

If you’re like me, you might apply for a radio internship on a whim, and realize that there’s so much more to journalism than you thought. Or you might end up in a class about food history, like I did, and decide to become a history minor — something that high school me never thought I’d do in a million years, because I was so dead-set on my passion for journalism and writing.

When you follow your curiosity, you realize things about yourself that you might not if you were only pursuing what you were passionate about. You end up with new perspectives, fresh ideas, and even more curiosity. You might change your path completely, or continue chasing what you love with renewed energy and passion.

When I followed my curiosity, I ended up in love even more with journalism, the field that allowed me to explore what made me curious — like movies — and write about that curiosity in dozens of reviews. My curiosity turned into a passion for film, and it helped me snag a question with one of my favorite screenwriters and actresses, Greta Gerwig, at a time that I was feeling a bit stretched thin by my own passions.

Her answer to my question?

You guessed it: “Follow your curiosity.”

After all, she said, “the worst thing that could happen is that you spend your whole life following your curiosity.” That’s one outcome I find hard to disagree with.

Claire: Boston Taught Me to Love Sports

Listen. I’m not a sports fan. Not at all. Ask me to name almost any player… I can’t. But, sports have provided me with some of my favorite moments in college and in Boston. I mean, we are in the City of Champions after all.

It was freshman year that I rushed over to the hockey games with my friends to cheer on the BU players. Just yesterday my friends and I were reflecting that going to these games were some of our favorite times freshman year. We didn’t care as much for the hockey as the being together and being part of BU. I’ll keep those memories with me a long time. The Beanpot is highly recommend for all BU students to go at least once.

Sophomore year the Pats won the Super Bowl and the city went wild (let’s not discuss what happened last year). I was gathered around a screen with my closest friends. We watched tense and filled with snacks we had all contributed. And, when they won (YES!!) we cleared our schedules to go to the Patriots Parade. It was freezing and pouring at the parade but I have never felt so much a part of Boston as during those few hours.

I’ve watched the marathon every year I’ve been in Boston and every time I tear up. I cheer on strangers, and sometimes friends (shout out CA Rachel), as they run through all kinds of weather to achieve a lifelong dream. I mean, Marmon is one of the best days of the year. If nothing else, we get class off for people to run through the city.

While studying abroad in London over the summer I watched every game that England played from the comfort of an overcrowded pub pretending to be a local. Watching in those hot, crowded pubs were some of the best moments of my life. CA Megan and I got so invest in the games we learned all the songs and cheers. We even picked our favorite players. Shout out to Harry Kane, the fourth best Harry in England.

And, this year the Sox are in the World Series! I’ve had the pleasure to watch a few games in Fenway, I can hear the crowds from my apartment, and I cheer them on in every game. I love seeing the city like this. Everyone is feeling the love for Bean Town. It’s lovely, and exciting, and bustling.

Boston, I love you so much and occasionally I really like your sports too.

Hali: You’re Studying Abroad? But Aren’t You a Senior?

To answer the questions posed in this title, yes! And yes!

I think an overwhelming majority of COM students choose to study abroad during their junior year. I don’t have any stats, but I’m sure someone in the Undergraduate Affairs office can give you some numbers. By the beginning of my junior year, however, it became clear that this wasn’t the best choice for me. And guess what? That’s okay!

After I made the decision to study abroad senior year, there were plenty of times when I worried I was making the wrong choice. The idea of coming back to campus and only having one semester left terrified me. I couldn’t bear the thought of missing Splash. My heart yearned to see the fall leaves cover Bay State Road one last time.

But as this semester approached, I grew more and more secure in my decision. Being abroad as a senior has given me an opportunity to reflect on my time at BU. As a senior, I feel so much better equipped to handle some of the challenges that come along with studying and interning in this new environment.

Just to make myself feel ever more sure that I’ve made an excellent life decision, I’ve compiled a list of reasons why it’s a great idea to study abroad during senior year. I’m studying abroad in London, but here’s a photo of me in front of the Colosseum. Go abroad so you can book cheap flights to Italy!

#1: Seize That Senior-Year YOLO Attitude
As a senior, you’re constantly aware of the fact that you’re doing things for the last time. You only get to experience college once, and it’s so easy to forget that as an underclassman. Being a senior has made me seize every opportunity I’ve had abroad, because I’m hyperaware of the fact that I’ll never have an opportunity like this again. I’m so lucky to be here, so I’d better act like it, right?

#2: Take time to get experience, experience, and more experience
Did someone say experience? If you’re a COM student choosing to do an abroad internship program, it feels SO good to go abroad knowing a thing or two (or a lot more than a thing or two) about your field. Junior year me wouldn’t be as confident at her abroad internship as senior year me is. I don’t regret taking the extra time to build my resume and recognize what I wanted to get out of an internship.

Processed with VSCO with m5 preset Follow me on Instagram @halisimone for more cloudy-sky London content.

#3: Gain New Appreciation for BU
It’s going to be so sad to leave London in December. But when I come back to BU, I know I’m going to cherish every moment. Knowing that I have such little time left to appreciate the COM lounge and the Warren Towers Starbucks makes me — dare I say it — excited (and emotional) to return back to campus. Wow, can you believe I’m weeping now?

This post isn’t here to convince you to go abroad senior year instead of junior year. It’s to remind you that you should go abroad whenever you want to! Think about what’s best for YOU, and how you want to shape your college experience and timeline. If that means having a little less time to enjoy the BU Pub, so be it (I hear the pubs are better in London anyway).

Kate: My Upperclassman Experience So Far

After syllabus week, I very quickly came to the realization that this semester would be unlike any other semester I have had at BU. My class time was minimal, my assignments were vague and long-term, and most of my work would rely on other people doing their job and reporting to me. This was daunting as I was used to the typical “write this essay by this date” or “read these pages in this book”. Instead, this semester, my sole assignments were to scout a location, direct a scene, and produce a film. All due at the end of the semester.

Looking at these large tasks that I had months to finish was insane and I didn’t know where to begin. So, my wonderful roommate suggested that I sit down and make a long list of every major task that needed to get done, and then break those large tasks into smaller step. And that was the first thing I did.

As the semester went on, I was in class less and less and spent more time sending emails, making phone calls, and having meetings. And not just with my friends or peers, but with actors, building supervisors, and insurance agents. I was living a life as close to the real world as I could possibly get while still in college taking 16 credits.

Now we’re halfway through the semester, and after these countless emails, phone calls, and meetings, I have accomplished things I didn’t think I’d be able to. I’ve secured multiple film locations in working businesses, held casting calls, hired actors, gotten insurance and accomplished many other steps that bring me closer to finish those semester-long projects. Some parts have gone smoother than others and I’ve seen first hand how long something can take when you bring other working people into the equation. But, at the end of the day, I’ve learned so much about actually making a film, and how all the working pieces and parts come together for this one project.

So, now that I’ve drone on about my life, the moral of the story is that the real world may seem scary and big (and to some extent it is) but by breaking it down into more manageable tasks, you can accomplish things you didn’t think you could. In addition, getting the opportunity to experience being part of the real world while still in college makes me feel so much more prepared for my career when I finish my four years here. Having these experiences as an upperclassman is giving me real tools that I am able to use throughout my future career.

Alex: 5 Fashion Essentials for All COM Majors

Alright, let’s get right down to it: if you’re reading this, you’re probably a COM student. But are you really a COM student if you don’t dress the part? Whether you’re an FTV, JO, or any of the MC majors, on thing you’ve gotta nail down in your time at BU is the quintessential COM look. Now, I know what you’re thinking--“But Alex! What is the COM look? How can I be as trendy and fashionable as you and the rest of the CAs?” While it takes years to perfect, you can start off by following these five tips:

1. Denim Jacket

Now some of you might be wondering, why start with a jacket? And to that I say, don’t question me. The denim jacket is a staple of COM fashion. It truly ties any ensemble together. Headed to a COM 101 lecture? Denim jacket. It’ll help you blend into the crowd and keep your feeble hopes of not getting called on alive. Spending a night out with friends? Denim jacket. You’ll stay warm and fashionable, letting everyone around you know that you’re "not like other guys/girls/people”. Late for an appointment with undergraduate advising? Denim jacket. It won’t get you there on time, but it might score you a compliment from your advisor. All in all, this jacket is the number one COM essential in my opinion; it’s the best way to broadcast to the world that you wish the 90s never ended and you don’t care who knows it. Bonus points if you’ve got a WTBU button on it.

2. Graphic Tee Shirt

Here’s where you can really let your style run wild. Have a little fun expressing your personality and showing how unique you are by wearing the same Pulp Fiction shirt as every other film bro in COM! A good place to pick these kinds of shirts up is in the boys' section at Target or the dad section at Goodwill. The best part about these graphic tees is they help you make friends. The more obscure your reference, the more likely you are to have an instant connection! And if your reference is too obscure, I guarantee that at least five people will come up to you pretending they know what it is, so it’s always a win-win. Bonus points if the shirt is ironic. Double bonus points if it references you in a familial role you clearly do not occupy (i.e., “World’s Coolest Grandpa”).

3. Cuffed Pants

Everyone in COM has somewhere to be; we’re all get-stuff-done type of people. And nothing says get stuff done like cuffed pants. Whether they’re long or short, slacks or jeans, high-waisted or cargo, the pants must be cuffed. We can’t risk having our day stopped by anything coming even close to catching on our feet. I know if I trip and fall during the day I feel like going home and eating ice cream and praying everyone who saw me trip all get collective amnesia before I have to see them again. So why even risk it by going no-cuff. But beyond that, COM kids all share a collective sense of what’s fashionable and what’s not. Cuffed pants are in. Victorian era men would scoff and women would faint. Everybody wants to see your ankles. Why not go ahead and give the people what they want? Bonus points if they’re patterned. Double bonus if it’s a ridiculous pattern but you somehow manage to pull it off.

4. Docs

There seems to be a bit of contention over this fashion point in the COMmunity. “What about Converse? Vans? Any other shoe that looks even remotely like the ones Tyler put out with Flower Boy?” And while I recognize and validate these arguments, I simply cannot bring myself to confirm them, and here’s why: while you might see a myriad of these kinds of shoes shuffling through COM halls on any given summer, spring, or even fall day, as soon as first snow hits, they’re as good as gone. And nothing replaces them in such great number as the Doc Martens that seem to materialize on everyone’s feet come December. It almost feels like BU hands them out during orientation. There’s just something about the weight of the shoes, the thickness of the soles that says, “You’ve got this!” even in the soul crushing, sunless, winter days. Bonus points if you’ve got the flowery ones.

5. Tattoo/Piercing

While there are a lot of things that scream COM, nothing screams COM quite like pain. Every COM major has seen some pain; what other reason would we have to be driven to these thankless majors (except for PR kids, they for sure have everything figured out)? Tattoos and piercings are the perfect combination of pain and pride in said pain that makes COM what it is. These monuments to self mutilation show that COM kids have the dedication, drive, and possibly, lack of forethought, to not only be exposed to and repeatedly jabbed with (a) needle(s) for hours at a time, but also that they’re willing to pay someone to do the jabbing. Whether it’s a small image always hidden by a shirtsleeve/pant leg or a face full of metal, tattoos and piercings show that COM kids are always willing to fo the extra mile to stay fashion forward. Points if the tattoo/piercing is COM related. Double points if your friend did the tattooing/piercing for you.

Macy: How to Survive a Remote Internship

This past summer, I had my first experience with a remote internship. I was a Communication and Social Media Intern for a non-profit called MitoAction, which involved writing patient stories, crafting newsletters, and creating social media posts. My internship was remote because this non-profit does not have a formal office. MitoAction is an international renowned non-profit and it is run by four women throughout the United States.

If you don’t already know, a remote internship is an internship that is completed, for the most part in your own home, on your own schedule. I know not everyone has or will experience a remote internship; however, many of the skills needed to tackle this type of internship are useful to many other aspects of life. That being said, let’s jump right in!

Schedule “work” hours each day.
Over the summer I was always extremely jealous of my peers who were able to go to their internships, do their work, and come home and relax. I yearned for that stability. Having a remote internship means that you are responsible for doing the work on your own time. There are still deadlines, and still a mountain of work to get done, but because there are no set work hours in the day, it is hard to stay on track and focus. I recommend setting work hours each day that work for your schedule. Once I determined I would work from 10:00 AM to 3pm each day, the work load got a lot easier to handle.

Stay organized.
Doing everything on your phone and laptop can be very hard to manage. It’s very easy for emails, social media posts, and articles to get lost in the jumble of your desktop. Create folders for each task, and save everything. You never know when you’re going to have to go back to the beginning of a project or make edits to an older draft. It is also beneficial to keep a copy of every article, social media post, and blog you create. It is useful to have a portfolio of you work to show future employers.

Communicate.
As students in COM we know how important it is to constantly communicate with your peers, bosses, and advisors. Just because an internship is remote, doesn’t change that idea. Every day with a remote internship is a challenge to communicate. Over the summer, I was on the phone most of the day, emailing clients back and forth, and texting my co-workers. I had previously heard that communication is key with remote internships, and that it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. It is important to reach out if you are confused, ask for help, and to keep talking to other people involved. A failure to communicate is a failure to learn.

Remote Internships can be very useful to have, especially if you live far away from the office, or if the company doesn’t have a set office at all. My internship taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I learned everything in the comfort of my own room. I was allowed to make my own hours and was not limited or confined to a cubicle for the whole summer. I could go outside to write, or work on a social media post from my friend’s house. There are certainly benefits to remote internships, but it is important to recognize the downfalls in order to best avoid them.

Casey: Film and TV Beginner Advice!

With one year of the Film and TV program here at COM under my belt, I’ve been thinking recently about the lessons I learned in the past year and how I can apply them as I move forward in my career here, and thought I would share a few with you.

Connections connections connections
If there is anything that is stressed in anyone’s not just film and TV but COM career in general, it is making connections. Connections to your peers, connections to your professors, and connections to people in the BU and Boston communities are so important, even if you don’t know exactly why at the exact moment. It could lead to a chance to get on set for a Prod 3 film, or an internship, or just a mentor to help you through your COM journey.
Initiative Over Skills
Film and TV is different than any other major here at BU, in that extracurricular experiences are equally important as classes to truly get the most of your experience in the program and find a job post-grad. As a result, there are a hundred different opportunities to pursue extracurriculars and get experience outside of the classroom, whether it’s through BUTV10, short film clubs, film festivals, or other personal projects. However, there is one thing that stops a lot of people from jumping into these activities: they don’t think they have the skills. And this is a completely legitimate concern, as it can be scary to go onto a set with no previous experience. But the secret to this is that although skills help a lot, all anyone is looking for here is initiative. Initiative, wanting to be there and showing up day in and day out will always get you where you want to be at COM and along the way you’ll gain skills that will open you up to even more opportunities. All you have to do is take the first step. Personally, I started BUTV10 last year working for COED as a writer with not previous writing experience, and Bay State as a Production Assistant having never been on set before. And as a result of showing initiative and wanting to be there, I was able to produce COED this semester after a year of writing for the show and will be producing Bay State next semester after a year and a half of showing up and just trying to learn a little bit each time I got on set.
Be Honest with Yourself
Film and TV is overwhelming and broad. There are a hundred things you can do in this crazy industry we’re getting ourselves into, and sometimes it can be a challenge deciding which tracks you want to take. The key is to be honest with yourself and let yourself actually get a feel for what you think is right. Personally, I started out hearing about all the great things that are involved in production and how amazing cinematography was and so I told myself that would be the track I would take and that would be it. But a year in, I have come to realize that really, I am more of a writer and producer than a hands-on production filmmaker. And honestly, that took awhile for me to admit. It can be tough to shift and re-evaluate after you are so certain something is right for you, but in the long-run you are going to be so much better off. So if you discover that something really isn’t for you, just be honest with yourself and make the shift. It may seem stressful at the moment, but you’ll be happier in the long-run.

Jimmy: What To Know Before Studying Abroad In Dublin

Hello! My name is Jimmy and I’m an FTV senior. If you’re wondering why you didn’t meet me at your fall orientation, it’s because I’m spending the semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland!

While I miss the comforts of Cecilia’s Warren Tower omelettes and slipping and falling on the metal strip on St. Mary’s bridge, choosing to study abroad has been nothing short of AMAZING! Here’s a few things I’ve picked up since arriving here.

Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland are two separate countries on one island.

I knew this before traveling abroad, but I didn’t know how touchy it was with the locals.

Quick history lesson: From 1139-1922, the entire island of Ireland was a colony of the British Empire. After war for independence, a civil war, and parliamentary reform, the newly liberated 26 southmost counties of the island went on to form “the Republic of Ireland” (what we just know as “Ireland”) in 1937. Because of a history of Protestant heritage and other political reasons, the 6 north most counties remained under the control of Great Britain and was designated “Northern Ireland.”

There’s a soft border between the two nations so it’s easy to physically move between the two (Belfast is a really cool city to visit!), but there are still a lot of differences in the currency, phone lines, etc.. There is a lot of resentment between the British and the Irish to this day, so don’t get them confused!

English is not the official language of Ireland.

After centuries of English colonial rule, the native Irish Language or Gaelic started to fade away, and only pockets of communities on the West Coast of the Island still spoke it regularly. In order to preserve this tradition, there was a “Gaelic Revival” in the late 19th century during which traditional Irish sports, myths, and were brought back into the mainstream

Since then, Irish language has been taught in primary schools and it was designated the “official language” of the island. Street signs, public transport, and government labels are listed in both Gaelic and English.

Gaelic is a very weird, specific language to pick up. It has much more in common with Russian than English or the Romance languages. But don’t be worried – only 41% of the island speaks Gaelic while 98% speak English.

Cars drive on the other side of the road.

This may not seem like a big deal. I’m not planning to drive a car in Ireland. I barely drive around in Boston.

Wrong. When crossing the street in America, you always look RIGHT first. And you take that for granted. Because when cars drive on the left side of the road, you need to look LEFT to catch them approaching or else you’ll get hit by a car

… I haven’t gotten hit by a car yet. But it was pretty close.

You’re allowed to drink tea any time of day.

This is my favorite thing about Ireland, because I would do this already in the United States but people would ridicule me for it. Now I’m the one ridiculing people!

If you go out to a restaurant for lunch, it’s not uncommon for the waiter to bring a pot of black tea. The Irish drink typically take their tea with milk and sugar, but not too much sugar. It’s very big in the workplace, because the Irish often take longer breaks than Americans.

Get used to reading a 24 hour clock.

I still struggle with this. Every time someone asks me the time at night, I need to do the mental math in my head and subtract twelve. Two months before I booked my flight abroad, I changed the clock on my phone to 24 hours in order to condition myself. But seriously, try and and get acclimated telling time the European way or you’ll accidentally book an Aer Lingus Flight to Paris for 10:00am instead of 10:00pm (or as they say in Europe, 22:00) 🙂

Enjoy the academic opportunities.

It’s a trope that abroad classes are blow off classes and that’s NOT TRUE! I honestly don’t think I’ve been as excited to learn since I arrived. Ireland has such a rich political and cultural history that’s very well preserved in the bones of the city. All of the classes here are very immersive and hands on – my history and Irish society classes took us on field trips to tie in the curriculum with visits to historical sites in the city of Dublin. We’ve been to museums, prisons, nature hikes, and even got to see a play at The Abbey Theatre among other trips.

The country is beautiful.

It’s really easy to get a great insta pic here because the architecture of the cities is charming and the countryside is beautiful. Here’s a few of my favs:

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If you have any questions about studying in Dublin, feel free to reach out to me at jbie@bu.edu.

Avery: How To Take Care of Yourself During Midterm Season

Midterm season is upon us, and basically everyone I know is stressed and overtired. How could you not be? All midterms seem to happen for every single class at the same time, and with clubs, internships, and jobs, having free time is a rare occurrence in many of our lives.

Keeping that in mind, I wanted to take this post to remind people to take care of themselves during this stressful time. It can be so easy to down 3 coffees and pull an all-nighter the day before a big exam, but it can be pretty difficult to actually practice healthy ways of staying stress-free, remembering self care and wellbeing during this busy time.

I have compiled a list of methods that I use to maintain a stress-free life when I feel overwhelmed. Some of these may seem pretty self-explanatory, but I hope that by putting them out there I’m reminding everyone to relax and focus on the positive 🙂

1. Don’t stop doing the things you love!

This may seem obvious, but it’s important to continue to do things that make you happy if you are stressed or overwhelmed. I personally enjoy exercising (I’m on the Women's Ultimate Frisbee Team here at BU!), writing (I write for Hoochie, a feminist blog and anthology series), and unwinding by hanging out with friends. Even during busy weeks, I try not to skip too many clubs, meetings, or social gatherings because sometimes taking the time out of your day to do the things you love with the people you love is enough to transform your mindset and help you grind through that last page of your essay.

2. Practice self care.

For me, this means either spending a night in watching Netflix or a good movie, or going out and doing something new and exciting in the city. We have the entire city of Boston at our fingertips, so use it! Last night, after studying for my Comp Sci exam all day, I went out with some friends and tried a new restaurant in the North End. It didn’t take too much time out of my day, but it still got me off campus and felt like a breath of fresh air after working for so long. And if going out isn’t your thing, staying in is just as therapeutic! Have a “treat yo-self” night and watch a feel-good movie while eating comfort foods. Sometimes this simple method of self-care can make all the difference in the world.

3. SLEEP A LOT!!

Okay, we all know this isn’t totally realistic considering the fact that we are all in college and super busy all the time, but even after a night of 3 hours of sleep, napping is your best friend. To be honest, I couldn’t really nap until recently because I’m a very light sleeper and found it hard to nap during the day. If this sounds like you, consider getting an eye mask or ear plugs to help you fall asleep during the day. I did and it honestly changed my life- now I’m a huge fan of napping and you should be too!!

4. Do something nature-y (if that’s your jam).

So not all of us are inclined to outdoorsy things, but if you are, find a nice spot outside where you can study or just take a walk outside! The foliage is beautiful this time of year, and you might as well take full advantage of the weather before it gets insanely cold in Boston. I like taking walks around the Common or Esplanade to destress, or even window-shopping along Newbury Street. If you’re into more rigorous outdoor exercise, the BU Outing Club coordinates weekend hiking trips all over New England, which I would highly recommend!

5. Remember, it’s the little things that count!

Sometimes, it’s the smallest tasks that you can check off your to do list that make all the difference. For you, this may mean making your bed everyday so that your room looks a little neater when you leave for classes. In the same vein, it may mean cleaning your room more often, especially if your desk is your primary study space. I’ve found that having a clear desk to work on clears my mind as well. Other small things may be exercising more, eating healthier, or various other small tasks that have been sitting on your to do list for ages. Even if you feel like you’re all over the place in terms of schoolwork, getting other things out of the way will clear your head and make for a better mindset when attempting to accomplish tasks in other facets of your life.

Hopefully these tips were helpful! I think they are all very doable, but sometimes it just takes the extra push to get out there and get your mind off of schoolwork for a couple of hours. This is your reminder to do just that!! Remember that you GOT this, you’re incredible, and, most importantly, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF <3