COM Ambassador Blog

Eliza: Get in the holiday spirit, even when finals are getting you down

Well Terriers, ‘tis the season and that refers to two things: finals and the holiday season. When I was younger, my parents always started playing Christmas music as soon as they could, and now it’s become a part of my usual routine every December. But with finals on the mind two, it’s important that the songs I’m listening to fit into my usual ~Mugar vibes~ playlist on Spotify. Below, I’ve listed ten of the songs I add every year. Because if I’m going to be studying, at least I can do my best to get a little holiday spirit into it.

White Christmas – Bing Crosby: There are countless versions of this holiday classic, but this one is my favorite. Most people don’t know the song debuted in the film Holiday Inn, which starred Crosby alongside Fred Astaire, before the film White Christmas made it so popular.

Home for the Holidays – Perry Como: Another classic, but this time I choose Como’s version because I grew up listening to this album on LOOP all of December. It’s also a great motivator to get my work done so I can be closer to being home for the holidays.

Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy – Bing Crosby and David Bowie: Who would’ve thought these two would be able to get together and make such a great song?

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Jack Johnson: Jack Johnson is a staple on any of my studying playlists, and his cute version of this song lets Rudolph stand up for himself in the end, which is (I believe) a totally valid update to the original.

Silver and Gold (Instrumental) – Decca Concert Orchestra: This is from the very old school animated Rudolph film and I will never stop loving it.

Carol of the Bells – Mannheim Steamroller: What do these guys do when it’s not the holiday season?

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Mariah Carey: Gotta include one from the holiday queen herself, but I resist All I Want for Christmas is you because it’s too much of a certified BOP for the library.

The Bells of Christmas (Greensleeves) – Frank Sinatra: I’m always surprised by this song, and I have a soft spot for Sinatra, so this one always works.

These are just some of the songs that make my finals cram sessions and late nights in the library seem a little more festive. What songs do you listen to during the holidays?

Zach: How to ease the pre-grad dread

Graduating is a very very very very very daunting event coming up for a lot of people (some even sooner than me... sorry December grads) and it is easy to get caught up in the fear of this pending doom. I have been overthinking ways to avoid these thoughts or turn them into positive ones and here are some tips!

1: Stay Busy

This semester I was the Vice President of Liquid Fun, Producer for Hothouse Productions, and I directed Spring Awakening for BU on Broadway... so I barely had time to think about how I was going to ripped away from all the things I love to start completely fresh and alone in 6 months.

2: Keep in Touch with Potential Employers

The most exciting part of graduating is putting your degree to work, so especially after your most crucial internships summer before senior year, it’s good to keep in touch with them and remind them you exist during senior year! Let them know what projects you are working on so you can carry a solid relationship with them post-diploma.

3: Start Saving

One of my biggest fears about graduating is that I have no life-skills to be able to live on my own with no family or college network, so I started a savings account on an app called Digit that rounds up all my purchases and quietly takes money from my checking and puts it into a savings account. I am trying to save for 3 months rent in New York City... wish me luck!

4: Focus on things that aren’t beholden to college

I was really scared recently that graduating meant I lost my identity because I am so involved at BU. I had to take a night to really think about all the things I am and CAN BE without my activities and friends here. Focus on things you love that transcend location: for me that was improv and theatre. I can still see and participate in both of those things once I am graduated and living in a major city!

5: ENJOY!

Take your last chances to get caught up in all the college stupid things because soon real things will be your worries! Let yourself get lost in roommate drama! It’s stupid and pointless but so is being young!

Kreag: THE FAREWELL BLOG POST

Well everyone, this is it, my final blog post as a COM Ambassador and as a college student! As of this Friday, December 1st, I will officially be done with college, which is an absolutely crazy thought. It feels like just yesterday I was driving into Boston to move in for freshman year. But here I am, three and half years later, in Los Angeles, where I always hoped to end up, preparing for my final class of college!

My time in Boston provided me with some of the best moments of my life. I met some of my best friends and took advantage of some amazing opportunities that I wouldn’t have had anywhere else. Boston became my home and I am terribly sad to leave it behind for the huge metropolis that is Los Angeles, but I know some day I’ll find my way back to Beantown!

For my final blog post, I decided to compile a list of my favorite places/things in Boston, and a list of the things I wish I had done during my time in the city. For any incoming or current students: check these places out; four (or 3.5) years flies by quicker than expected. Make the most of your time in Boston!

FAVORITE PLACES/THING I DID IN BOSTON

The North End, specifically all of the pastry places, like Modern Pastry. (Honestly, I think Modern is better than Mike’s, plus it’s cheaper.) There’s a lot of history in this part of town, lot’s of old buildings and churches, etc. It’s the perfect place to just walk around and absorb the city.

Relatedly, I love Faneuil Hall, mainly because it was where my family would always take me when we would visit Boston when I was younger. I just think it’s such a cool place, with plenty of different dining and shopping options. There are always performers there as well, and you’ll be only a few minutes away from the harbor, another fantastic place!

Coolidge Corner is another one of my favorite places in Boston. There is so much to do there: shopping, eating, seeing a movie. The Coolidge Corner Theater is an absolutely beautiful theater and always shows smaller indie films that might not show at Regal or AMC, which is great. Brookline Booksmith, right across from the theater, is also another great place to visit. They have a whole basement full of used books for great prices, and the store consistently brings in authors for a variety of events!

Illuminus, an art festival held on Landsdowne Street: The last time this festival happened was my sophomore year, and I’m so sad they didn’t bring it back until this fall while I was away in LA. During Illuminus, Landsdowne street was shut down and filled with a variety of art installations, most of which involved amazing lights. It was quite a amazing to behold and I would totally recommend attending the next time it comes to Boston!

Spectacle Island- When I worked as a program assistant for the AMP high school program, I was able to bring my students on a trip through the harbor to Spectacle Island. Not only was the boat ride beautiful, but the island itself is magnificent, with plenty of walking trails and beaches made almost entirely out of sea glass. I guess it really was a spectacle.

THINGS I WISH I HAD DONE

Boston may not be the biggest city, but there is still so much to do both there and in the surrounding areas. One of my biggest regrets was failing to go to nearby places such as the Bunker Hill Monument or the USS Constitution Museum. The USS Constitution was one of my parents’ favorite places to bring me and my siblings when we would visit Boston as kids, so its a shame I never had the chance to see it while actually living nearby!

The Institute of Contemporary Art

This museum is on the water! You probably see your friends there on Snapchat and realize that it’s a super cool museum and wish you took the time to visit! Or maybe that’s just me…

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

I’m noticing a trend here with museums. Again, I lived about ten minutes away from this museum over the past three years and somehow never managed to visit it. Fun fact, it’s free to get in with a student ID or if your name is Isabella (I only qualify for one of those), so I really had no excuse not to stop by!

Well everyone, this was just a short list of the things I did and wish I had done while in Boston. I think it serves as a way to commemorate the many great memories I made while visiting these places, with friends or on my own, all while learning the city and growing to call it home. I’m sad that my time as a student at Boston University has come to a conclusion so soon, but I am beyond excited to see what the future has to offer me. I’m so thankful for the many opportunities I have been offered during my time in Boston, especially those offered to me via COM. Being a COM Ambassador is one of my favorite memories of all, and I’m so happy I was able to spend the better part of my time at BU helping welcome in new students.

Lilah: Some Thoughts about Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving break brings many mixed emotions. Kids are thankful that they get to escape school at the apex of stress, aside from finals week. However, some dread going home to confront their odd families. This is especially stressful when you are a film and television major. I do not know what to do when family friends say, “So what are you planning to do with that degree?” I was at a restaurant, and I ran into an old family friend and his parents. When my parents asked what his major was, he said business management. “None of that art nonsense in this family, no,” said his dad. “Zoinks,” I thought to myself. He then asked, “What’s your major?” to which I sheepishly responded, “Film and television.” He looked embarrassed, and so did I.

Personally, my family is entirely in the entertainment business, so they cannot judge my decisions like a third party. However, they can scrutinize every little decision I make because “they know best.” I am not completely sure what is best. I will say that, whenever someone criticizes your decision to pursue a communications degree, you must remember that you get what you put in. Like that man, a lot of people view the arts as nonsense. Sure, if I was a parent, I would love for my child to pursue something that had a stable income. Instead of instilling a sense of financial stability into my mind, my parents have always taught me to be headstrong and hard working. I have found that, with the qualities they gave me, success follows. As does happiness. On the other hand, I think the world would be way worse off if the arts weren’t there to distract from mundane activities or bad times.

On the subject of family, I must write a little love letter to mine. Everyone that knows me knows that my family is the heart of everything I do. As I grow older, I see that my family is morphing into a stereotype of itself. Our activities include singing around the piano and dance parties, exclusively. We are loud and obnoxious, but our bond grows tighter every year. As I left to return back to school, I realized how much I needed my family - especially during sophomore year, during which the “sophomore slump” can easily overwhelm you. When things are difficult at school, your family will always be there to support you. For me, calling my mother every day is the only way I can survive.

Overall, Thanksgiving brings you together with those you love, or those you dread to see. Just remember to defend yourself when someone says, “Oh…” judgmentally when you say what your major is. You are working hard here at BU, and you cannot let anyone invalidate your work. Also, cherish your family, because you do not know how often you will see them in the future. ALSO, despite how exciting or busy college life is, CALL YOUR MOTHERS!

Caroline: BUTV10 is My Life

My last blog post was a love letter to Boston. Now, for my last blog post on campus (catch my abroad post from LA next semester), I have to write about the most important thing in my life: BUTV10.

I first heard about BUTV10 when I was researching colleges in my sophomore year of high school. I liked BU because I could take lots of classes, I didn’t have to be hyper focused and decide as a 17 year old that I wanted to do, say, screenwriting for the rest of my life. There was flexibility. There was also this great television station where students could produce their own shows. Other schools had that, sure, but something about BUTV10 got me really interested. The website was cool, the content was fun, and I could see myself working on their shows.

Next step was when I went to the Academy of Media Production (check out their website). It’s a high school program at BU for students interested in production. After I determined that I liked BU from my online research and a quick campus visit with a friend, I found out about AMP online and decided I had to go. I had such an incredible experience there. I fell in love with BU and I got to work on projects that were just like what BUTV10 was making. Plus, I got to learn from the faculty advisor for BUTV10 (the academic director of AMP) AND the general manager of BUTV10, who was a teaching assistant at AMP. I used the same studios BUTV10 shows like Good Morning BU and Bay State are filmed in. I also met two of my future best friends and roommates at AMP, but I tell everyone that so I’m sure you know already. I remember lying on the COM lawn late one afternoon and I decided I was going to apply early decision to Boston University.

Fast forward through an awesome senior year—its September and I’m in Boston. I take a video every day, and here is the a screenshot from the video I took when I went to the BUTV10 general interest meeting as a wee freshman (so young and naive about filming vertically instead of horizontally).

unnamed — My first BUTV10 General Interest Meeting, Sept 10, 2014

Like most students at that meeting, I was full of excitement and absolutely in awe of the Paper Trail presentation and wanted to work on it. Luckily for me, the producer and cinematographer taught me at AMP, so I had an inside man. After a few weeks of general BUTV10 training and some Paper Trail training I was on set working on a real college television show, learning how to work on a set for the first time. I remember getting the call sheet for the first shoot and I was listed as “grip/electric” and I had no idea what that was. But I showed up to set anyway and soon learned I would be helping to rig the lights and diffusion and set up the dolly track for the camera. That was such a fun set to work on. The whole crew was organized and professional, but we also had a lot of fun. I learned a lot about filmmaking from the producers and crew that helped me a lot in my production classes. I didn’t even know you needed to use a sandbag until I had to be a human sand bag because we ran out one day, holding on to a C-stand with a flag (a type of light shaping tool) so it wouldn’t blow over. Not only did I learn, but I was a part of something special. Paper Trail was nominated twice for the Emmy Foundation’s College Television Awards and won two NATAS Boston/New England College Awards and two Telly Awards.

unnamed-4 — Me (and my now roommate Dylan) on the set of Paper Trail as “grip,” first day filming with BUTV10, October 4, 2014

Freshman year brought many other exciting opportunities within BUTV10. I got to film soccer games for the Athletics department. I operated Chyron (graphics) for 2014 Midterm election coverage. I was chosen to work on the basketball crew where I operated graphics. Later on in the spring semester, I was able to technical direct some basketball games and I eventually made my way to the director’s chair. I’ll never forget—the first time I ever directed a basketball game. I was so nervous and something was going wrong—they wouldn’t start the game. We were live, but the referees were just fidgeting with the ball. I find out in the first break there was a problem with the ball, one play complained it was overinflated. ESPN got word of this, and a clip from the game, and played it on SportsCenter that night. Why, you ask? This came just weeks after the Patriots’ deflate gate fiasco. “They’ve got a problem with their ball inflation up there in Boston,” the anchor mused. That was pretty cool, but the story overshadows the fact that I was very nervous that game and needed a lot of help. I was doing something I’d never really done before. I directed the morning announcements in high school and I got to direct a little at AMP. But this was a basketball game. Anything could happen at any point. I got through it with the help of the crew and staff.

Sophomore year I was able to branch out more. Paper Trail was over and I needed a new show to work on. I signed up for a developing show BU Late Night that didn’t end up getting on to BUTV10. I filmed more soccer games, did some women’s ice hockey and field hockey too. I joined the Student Management Board as Show Liaison-in-training to help communicate with all of the producers. After the Show Liaison left to go to Los Angeles, I took over. I joined Good Morning BU, the live weekly morning news show as technical director. I got better at directing basketball games. Through my experience with BUTV10, I learned valuable skills that I was able leverage to get summer internships. At LAX Sports Network I was able to jump right into production running the teleprompter, cutting highlight reels, and wrapping cables—all skills I learned through BUTV10. Professor Cavalieri, our faculty advisor, helped me get my second internship researching for a PBS American Experience Documentary.

unnamed-5 — BUTV10 STUDENT MANAGEMENT BOARD, SPRING 2015 (SHOUTOUT CA RACHEL AND FORMER CA CLAIRE)

Junior year was by far my most important with BUTV10. I assumed the role of General Manger. I directed Good Morning BU. I directed our election coverage (see my blog post from last year ). I directed more basketball games and developed. I helped film One on One interviews with people like Larry Charles (producer/director for Seinfeld, Borat, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more), Stephen Schiff (executive producer of my favorite TV show The Americans), and comedian Demetri Martin. I got interviewed by BU Today twice about BUTV10. I took on a lot of responsibility this year and it was challenging at times. I had to plan my time meticulously and stay organized. I had to learn how to manage people and delegate tasks. I had to assume responsibility—for successes and failures. I got to lead the General Interest Meeting in the same room I sat just two years earlier.

unnamed-6 — DIRECTING BU MEN’S BASKETBALL WITH TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ZAMBETA TSAPOS, NOVEMBER 2016 (COURTESY BU TODAY)

unnamed-7 — DIRECTING GOOD MORNING BU, NOVEMBER 2016

Now I’m in my last semester with BUTV10. While I have handed off some of my responsibilities to underclassmen now, just as it was handed to me, I’m still working hard with BUTV10. I’m training a new general manager and setting up more organizational structure to ensure the organization will continue to grow. We're also training a new director for basketball. My time is winding down and I’m very sad about it. It’s hard to have a conversation with me without me talking about BUTV10. It has been the most rewarding, challenging, and valuable thing I’ve done at BU and that alone was worth the BU tuition. Don’t get me wrong, I had a lot of incredible classes at BU as well, but the practical experience I got from BUTV10 will be the most valuable for me when striving to achieve my career goals.

15392865_1375564439141224_4736865562329855154_o — BUTV10 holiday party with Olivia Etienne and Zambeta Tsapos, December 2016

I can’t leave out all of the amazing friends I’ve made while working with BUTV10. One quick shoutout to my BUTV10 partner in crime Justin who lived and breathed BUTV10 with me. And I can’t finish this post without giving my sincere thanks to Professor Cavalieri for being an incredible faculty advisor (he even won an award for it from the university). Without Professor Cavalieri’s support my time spent with BUTV10 and my contributions to the organization would have been minimal. Meeting him is yet another reason BUTV10 was the best thing I did at BU. I can honestly say I am the person I am today because of BUTV10, and I know whatever success comes to me in the future, I can thank BUTV10 for getting me started and giving me the tools to succeed.

CAROLINE, AT THE COM ICE CREAM SOCIAL, LOVING EVERY SECOND OF BUTV10

Angeli: Philanthropy, From the Greek “Philanthrōpos”

When I first got to BU, I had no intention of getting involved with Greek life. My older brother had been in a fraternity and for years had recommended that I “at least try it” when my time as an undergrad rolled around. Despite his persistent recommendations, I just didn’t see myself having that kind of college experience. My plan was instead to become as active as I could on campus mainly by pursuing communication-related extracurriculars, so that my free time could be spent in ways that were both enjoyable and advantageous to my professional soul searching. I certainly didn't foresee finding myself on the brink of hypothermia on the coldest night of Fall 2017, wholeheartedly committed to ensuring a flag football tournament benefitting a childhood cancer nonprofit would go on.

But first let me retrace my steps a bit. By the end of freshman year, I had followed my initial plan quite nicely. I was in just about everything COM, from BUTV10 to WTBU, and had still gotten to try my hand at a few just-for-fun activities as well, like BU On Broadway. I was never bored (if anything, much too tired.) I’d met a lot of great people along the way. And I felt more than acclimated to my new environment. Nonetheless, something was missing and I just wasn’t completely satisfied.

Throughout my childhood and well into my high school years, I had done a lot of community service. Philanthropy was a value my parents had instilled in my siblings and me from an early age and eventually grew to be something I loved to do without any sort of urging. I had always planned to stay committed to service during college and even began my BU career with FYSOP, but I’d be kidding myself if I said it remained a top priority of mine for the rest of that year. It wasn’t until I returned to campus as a sophomore that I really realized how much I had missed it.

Around the same time, I made another important self-realization, if not confession. I had many things in common with the friends I had become closest to, but they had just one commonality amongst each other that I did not share: all of them had gone through recruitment. More importantly, they each ended up in a sorority where they truly felt at home. At first, I didn’t regret my decision to remain anti-Greek life. I was happy for my friends, and they never made me feel like an outsider. On the contrary, they tried to include me in their new community as much as possible. As time went on, however, I couldn’t help but wonder what I had really missed out on (translation: I couldn’t help but feel the occasional FOMO.) If several people that I related to were in Greek life, was it really as antonymous to my interests as I had always assumed?

That spring was my chance to get an answer once and for all. And sure enough, it was as pleasantly surprising as I had secretly hoped it would be. I went through recruitment with an open mind and found my way to a sorority I am now incredibly grateful to be a part of because, in doing so, I also found that piece of my college puzzle that had been missing. I can definitely only speak to my own experience here at BU, but Greek life has proven to surpass all of the stereotypical expectations I once held for it. I know longer believe there is a "sorority type" or that Greek organizations are purely about socializing. Philanthropy is a large portion of what this community stands for and by far my favorite part of being a member of it. In just two semesters, I have been able to participate in a variety of events supporting important causes like an end to juvenile diabetes and breast cancer research. Above all, I’ve gained a newfound commitment to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the focus of my own sorority’s efforts, that I aim to maintain beyond my undergraduate career. From volunteering at a local RM house to serving as Event Chair for our annual Friday Night Lights fundraiser, it’s been truly rewarding to be able to contribute to this organization’s immense impact in my own small way.

Christy: A Time for Lasts

Since coming to Boston University in September 2014, I have experienced so many “firsts.” I went to my first college class, I survived my first Boston winter (it was the storm Juno…) and lived in my first apartment, just to name a few.

I just celebrated my birthday with all the wonderful friends I’ve made over the last three and a half years at BU, and it hit me: this is the last time I will be able to celebrate with all my closest friends in one place.

Now, I realized, I have experienced so many firsts that it might be time for some of my lasts (such as my last COM Ambassador blog post).

I know it sounds sad and dramatic, but with only a month left at BU before I graduate, I think I am allowed to be. Graduating early comes with its advantages and excitement, but it also means I have a semester less of time in Boston, at BU and with my friends. But, what’s the point of being sad? I don’t have only a month left — I have a whole month left! In this month, I am going to do as much as I can to see my friends, make memories and make the most of this month. To do this, I promised myself I would:

Make it to all the plans, events and activities I am invited to.

I am a homebody and really value my alone time. But, I am just doing myself a disservice by losing out on time with my friends.

Make plans to go places I have yet to visit.

I already started this by planning trips to both Salem and Martha’s Vineyard last month, but there’s still so much more to do. I have never been to the Lawn on D, and I have SO many restaurants still to try.

Do now, sleep later.

Not later into the morning, but sleep when I am actually tired instead of retiring for the night in bed at 5:30 p.m. with Netflix and mac and cheese.

Say “yes” more.

I am a very indecisive person … but if I don’t say yes now, when will I?

The friendships I have made while in this incredible city have helped me grow, and are invaluable to me. Hellos may become goodbyes and firsts may become lasts, but at least I know when I leave Boston in December that I have made the most of my time left.

Nick: The Art of Saying No

If you’re a COM student, chances are you’ve got a very busy schedule. Sometimes students in other colleges at BU will scoff at the fact that most COM classes only meet once a week, but they’re forgetting one key point: all the work that happens outside the classroom. One of the best things about COM is you’re practicing the skills necessary for your career from day one. If you want to be a journalist, you’re out covering stories and conducting interviews. If you want to be a director, you’re putting those skills to the test on your short films. If you want to be a producer, you’re scheduling shoots and putting potential producing prowess on display.

But all this great professional experience lends itself to a familiar COM dilemma… “I don’t have enough free time.” Between balancing schoolwork, likely a myriad of extracurriculars and a possible part-time job, finding time to sit back and binge-watch Stranger Things may not be as easy as you’d like. Which leads me to the solution: the art of saying no.

Now if you’re anything like me, you tend to overbook yourself to the max (iCal has become my best friend). I want to make everyone happy, and this often means that I say yes to things that I later regret. If you overbook yourself, you could end up losing sleep, skipping meals or getting sick.

So one of the best lessons I’ve learned in COM, especially my senior year, is to take care of myself and sometimes turn things down if I know they would only make my life more difficult. Don’t wait as long as I did.

With added free time this semester, I was able to be perform in Stage Troupe's production of Grease with some pretty awesome dudes.

Turning down an internship for fall of my senior year was a difficult decision, but one I felt was necessary. I had come off a busy summer interning with both WEEI, writing content for their website, and NBC Boston’s investigative team. My schedule was pretty busy as it was, and I considered interning on my two free days without work or class. Let’s just say I’m happy with the decision I made. As it turns out, those days have proven to be valuable times to schedule interviews, shoot b-roll for class video packages and sometimes just unwind and watch TV.

I was also tempted to take on more responsibility in my extracurriculars, but decided to go another route. Without being bogged down by my extracurriculars, I auditioned for another show this semester and was cast in Stage Troupe’s production of Grease. I have always loved performing, and figured this could be one of my last opportunities to do something like this. It didn’t have to do with my major or advance my career, but that’s ok. Sometimes you need to do things for yourself.

With the added free time, I was also able to book a flight to Washington, DC in early October for the annual Online News Association conference. This was an incredible experience – both in terms of returning to a city that I love and also networking opportunities. This would not have been possible if I didn’t say “no thanks” every once in awhile.

And best of all, with my added free time I’m able to spend more quality time with my friends, some of whom are either graduating in December or headed to do the LA program for the spring semester. You’re only in college once, and it’s important to remember that you have the rest of your life to work. Find some time while you’re at BU to turn down an offer and go to that Red Sox game, spend the night at the ICA, check out some of the delicious eats in the North End. You’ll be glad you did.

Carter, Simon and I spontaneously bought tickets to a Red Sox playoff game, and it was one of the best days of the semester.

Sydney: How PRSSA has prepared me for the real world

I came into BU undecided with my major in the College of Arts and Sciences, completely unsure about my future career path. After realizing my passion for communication and learning more about COM through COM101, I declared my major in Public Relations the summer after my freshman year. But, to be honest, I didn’t really know what Public Relations was, so the best decision I made was joining the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) to help me figure it out.

I attended my first PRSSA meeting the first week of sophomore year. I was enthralled by the opportunity to hear from guest speakers and what working in the PR field is actually like. I attended every weekly meeting, eager to learn from industry professionals about their experiences and advice. By the end of my sophomore year, I was so passionate about PRSSA that I decided to run for the e-board. Everyone running for a position had to give a speech to members in attendance. I was nervous to speak about myself and why I felt I was capable for the position of Programming Coordinator in front of my fellow members. However, I overcame this fear and was elected into the position.

As Programming Coordinator, I am in charge of scheduling our weekly guest speakers. I was intimidated to reach out to industry professionals at first, but realized it wasn’t so scary after all. They are all excited to share their wisdom and experiences because they were once in a place of fear and confusion like us. I came back in the fall semester with the majority of guest speakers booked, and couldn’t wait to hear and learn from them.

PRSSA has taught me so much about the Public Relations world. I had the opportunity to attend the PRSSA National Conference, with over 1,000 PR students from around the country, hosted in Boston this year (shout out to CA Rachel for being one of the students who planned it!). I spent four days learning from industry professionals such as IBM Chief Brand Officer Jon Iwata, CEO of The Celebrity Source Rita Tateel, as well as speakers from PR agencies such as Weber Shandwick and Ogilvy PR. I also connected with other PR students from all over the United States, and Peru, who had similar goals and interests with me, realizing that PRSSA is far more than just our BU chapter. It was a great experience that I am so grateful to PRSSA for.

If you have any interest in Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, or the Communications field in general, I definitely recommend joining PRSSA. Hearing from diverse speakers at weekly meetings has helped me determine what type of organization and industry I would like to work in for the future. This pre-professional organization truly prepares you with connections and advice for the post-grad world!

Rachel: Surviving Cold Season

It's that time of year again: cold season! This is the time of year where everyone is busy with assignments, not sleeping much and spending time with their friends in warm spaces, which let's be honest, provides the perfect conditions for festering disease. I did not make it out unscathed this season, but I do have some tips for making illness more bearable.

1. Nap

Sleep is so important, so make it happen. I know things can get overwhelming this time of year with pending assignments, but resting is essential when you are sick. Maybe do readings in bed followed by a nap, or try to budget your time, so you can go to bed at 10pm instead of midnight. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep!

2. Hydrate

Water, tea, green juice, what ever fluid you prefer - make sure you drink lots of hydrating liquids. Your body needs water especially if you have a sweaty illness where you're losing fluids (ick but true). Water is great, so hydrate!

3. Oranges (Vitamin C)

Vitamin C is more for before you get sick, but I still like to partake in some OJ drinking during ill time. Vitamin C improves your immune system and a strong immune system can improve your ability to fight illness. ( I may be a COM student, but I can science when it comes to sick time).

4. Hot Drinks (Stay Warm)

It's already chilly outside, so you are going to want to bundle up. Being sick, though, makes it even more important and comfy to layer yourself in sweaters and scarves and wrap yourself up in a blanket. Plus, bundling makes it easier to rest when you are napping.

5. Friends

Misery loves company. Isn't that a saying? Having company when you're sick makes it easier to tough through the sneezes and coughs. Plus, if you have really great friends, they will bring or make you food when you're not up to making some yourself.