COM Ambassador Blog

Tyler A: Fall in the Bay State

Have a little Fall Fever? No worries. Here are some remedies that will help you to get out of Boston and explore the region:

1. Apple Picking: A New England Autumn wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the orchard. This is the quintessential experience every Bay Stater and BU student should have. Grab some friends and take the trek! And yes, there is more to do than just pick apples. Many orchards have stores where they sell homemade goods (cider doughnuts, anyone?), and you’ll often find other cool stuff, like Pumpkins! Growing up nearby, my go-to was Tougas Farm in Marlborough, but Honey Pot Hill is another BU student favorite.

2. Salem: It’s October, and things are getting spooky around here! Visit this very historic city, which easily accessible by the Commuter Rail, for Haunted Happenings. During October, the town comes alive with haunted houses, festivals, parades, and so on. I visited Salem on Halloween my freshman year, and it was an unforgettable experience. Don’t like spooky stuff? That’s okay, too. Salem has a lot of history and is still great at any time of the year. Fun Fact: did you know that Salem was the capital of Massachusetts before Boston and was considered one of the most important cities to the original 13 colonies? Go visit and discover more!

3. Witch’s Woods: So maybe you like Halloween but you don’t want the crowds at Salem. We have other options! Check out Witch’s Woods at Nashoba Valley Ski Area. It’s open Thursdays through Sundays and hosts a variety of attractions, from carnival rides to haunted houses to a “Jack-o-Lantern Jamboree” to hay rides! Better catch it quick, though, because the last day is Halloween!

4. Walden Pond: What would New England be without its world famous foliage? Walden Pond State Reservation is great for hiking and taking a little break from the city lifestyle. Take a trip down Route 2 to get there and experience the place where Henry David Thoreau spent his days in the birth of the transcendentalist movement. You can even see a replica of his one-room cabin!

5. Plimoth Plantation: Take a trip back in time and down the South Shore to the old Plimoth Plantation, an interactive indoor/outdoor museum focused on educating people on the historic Plimoth Colony. Experience Native and English cultures as they interacted back then!

Now, ~fall~ into the best season of the year! Enjoy!

Zach: Ranking the Bagels of BU

HELLO I AM BACK and it is time for another BU Food Ranking… today I will be ranking the BAGEL options near campus. Now, I will admit, this is a little biased, I only ever order the same thing. I am a little old jewish man so therefore my order is a lox bagel sandwich on an everything bagel. I sometimes will go for a whole wheat everything if I am feeling healthy. So… here goes my thoughts…

6: Starbucks

These are not bagels. They are cardboard. I won’t even waste my words here.

5: Einsteins in CAS:

What a NIGHTMARE. The line is always such a disaster. The bagels are SOGGY because they were FROZEN. I know they are not FRESH. It is a disgrace and I am disappointed that BU thinks of this as a legitimate bagel option. They get points for location however.

4: Rhett’s in the GSU

Now I will admit, this has a low ranking because it does NOT have a Lox bagel sandwich… so @BUDiningServices… get on that. However, their bagels are delicious and the chipotle chicken sandwich is always a lovely lovely option. Again… points for location.

3: Bruegger’s Bagels

I really do love Bruegger’s bagels, and I have a lot of nostalgia for when I lived in Myles and would go there most mornings. They get points for putting capers on the bagel sandwiches, for having truly HOT bagels that have just been pulled out of boiling water. Also… the bagels here are not too expensive. So really great points here. Locations are okay, they have a location in Kenmore and one in Coolidge. This really would be higher on my list but for some reasons the bagels don’t have a WOW factor.

2: Kupel’s Bagels

Okay I know they are far away from campus, but holy wow these are good bagels. Yes they are more expensive, but they even have a distinction between NOVA LOX and SMOKED SALMON. I mean they are really getting into my old jewish nitty gritty here. Their bagels are stellar and they only lose points for price and distance and the LINE on weekends.

1: Pavement

So this is a basic top choice… I know… but they are so. good. I really truly love Pavement bagels. They are always consistent and never disappoint. They lose points for the line, the fact that you see people you know every time you go there and I don’t have time for that with cream cheese on my face. Also… all the employees look like they are in an SNL sketch about hipsters. Their delicious bagels make these oddities worth it though.

THANKS SEE YOU SOON KEEP CALM AND BAGEL ON.

Megan: My Favorite Place in Boston is a Rock

My favorite place in Boston is a rock.

Now, it isn’t just any rock, in fact, you have to do a little bit of traveling to get there. You start the journey at the entrance to the Long Wharf, by the Marriott hotel and Faneuil Hall.

Follow the wharf down until you approach the water…

And, once you’ve reached the far-right end of the wharf, you have reached my favorite place in all of Boston to be: The rock right on the corner.

It boasts some pretty incredible views of the Boston Harbor:

And the wharf it is connected to has some pretty insane history too. It dates all the way back to 1710, and is the oldest still-used wharf in the city.

But, beyond that, this is my happy place in the city (I know what you’re thinking, a rock?!). Whenever I have a day or few hours to myself, I am most definitely going to end up sitting on this rock looking out into the harbor.

Sometimes I get there by walking basically the entire length of Boston from BU to the wharf, and sometimes I’m already downtown for my internship and am just on lunch break. But, no matter what, my explorations always lead me back here.

I’ve done a little bit of thinking about this, why this is the spot I always make it back too. For the one thing, I love being close to water (maybe it’s because I’m a water sign, or maybe it’s because I’ve lived close to large bodies of water my whole life), but it also shows me how much life is happening around me in Boston at all times.

From my spot, I can watch airplanes take off from Logan, listen to tour guides on the harbor boats talk about Boston, and witness a photoshoot or two for Instagram. I’ve sat at my rock and done homework, but I’ve also just sat taking everything in and listening to music, like the one time this summer I sat there for three hours listening to The Great Comet of 1812 soundtrack.

Sitting on my rock provides me an enormous sense of comfort, and I’ve realized just how important it is for me to have a place in the city that really feels like home to me.

Lilah: New Kid on Set

I have a story that epitomizes my time as a new Production Assistant this summer. I had the opportunity to work on “The Sinner,” a new television series produced by USA Network. I was the youngest person on set by 5 years, and I often misunderstood directions. Part of this is because a film set has a different language. This story has less to do with that language and more to do with my own ignorance, but it still shows how things got lost in translation for me during my time on set.

The Key PA had asked me to get our Assistant Director a “peanut butter and jelly sandwich, heavy PB and heavy jelly, triangle cut.” I enthusiastically ran to Crafty to execute the best PB&J this man had ever seen. For context, I never ate sandwiches as a child, so I am still pretty foreign to sandwich culture. I spend 15 minutes making this beautiful creation, bring it back, and a fellow PA says, “Uh, I think he meant cut down the middle.” I had cut the sandwich into a literal triangle, and I realize that I did not know what “triangle cut” meant. In my defense, I only started eating PB&Js in college! Sue me!

I left the sandwich by the door, and raced back to Crafty to construct another PB&J - cut down the middle this time. After 25 minutes, I hand it to my anxious AD and return back to my post. Suddenly, every crew member starts coming up to me and asking, “Hey, can I get an octagon-shaped sandwich?” Ah, another mistake: I left the sandwich on a bench, everyone got a picture, and word spread fast. From then on, that mistake was my trademark.

Although I was anxious about being the youngest crew member, it turned out to be an amazing experience. My naive mistakes gave other people a break from the stress of filmmaking. While I didn’t necessarily enjoy the torment, it reminded me about the nature of a film set. In the end, they respected me. I worked insanely hard for almost 4 months, 15 hours a day. A common saying for me was, “She’s young, she’s learning.” The crew taught me how to laugh at myself, and how to move on from errors. If you are ever the youngest person on set, use it to your advantage. Make friends with whoever crosses your path, because they want to give you advice. Being the center of a joke on set was truly amazing, because everyone learned the new kid’s name!

Here is a photo of the incident. Pictured next to me is our Director of Photography, Radium Cheung.

Angeli: What I Learned from Traveling with BU Admissions

A couple of weeks before I returned to campus for the fall semester, I was in the Midwest for the first time in my life. My younger sister was getting ready to begin her first year at Washington University in St. Louis, and I tagged along to assist with the oh so fun move-in process (a trip to a new city with great food wasn't a bad incentive...) Amidst the shopping, unpacking, and exploring, I couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia. I thought back to my own freshman move-in and relived the unfaltering excitement of being in a brand new place with so many new friendships, experiences, and lessons to come. I then thought of all the hard work my sister and I had endured to get to the universities we now love to call home. Without the slightest of doubts, I knew that either of us would be willing to work twice as hard if we had to do it again.

Life being its unpredictable self, I also received quite the unexpected email while sitting at the St. Louis airport. The BU Admissions office had reached out to me to see if I was interested in interviewing to be a student representative. If selected, I would get to share my Terrier story in four Florida cities. About a month later, I sat in yet another airport, waiting to fly to my hometown of Fort Lauderdale. My "rockstar tour," as my friends have endearingly come to call it, would begin in Miami that Sunday morning.

From there, I would travel to Boca Raton, Orlando, and Tampa with a team of Assistant Directors of Undergraduate Admissions. At each location, we hosted a one-hour reception for high school students interested in applying to or just learning more about BU. My role was to be the undergraduate voice, which more specifically entailed a ten-minute speech on my academic and extracurricular achievements thus far. Ever the optimist, I couldn't help but also throw in a conclusion with the basic underlying message of "follow your dreams, kids!"

Getting on stage was somewhat nerve-wrecking each time, but it was ultimately so worth it to be able to answer questions and offer advice to the students and parents who approached me afterwards. I actually think my three days "on the road" are among the most rewarding I've ever had because of those post-reception conversations. I definitely didn't expect that teaching others about what BU has to offer would result in learning some new insights about myself, but it absolutely did. Here are a few of my biggest takeaways:

1. BU has exposed me to some cool stuff. - When I first sat down to write my reception speech, I thought it was going to be insanely difficult. I worried that I wouldn't know what to talk about for a whole 10 minutes, but I quickly came to realize that 10 minutes wasn't enough time at all. The greater concern was what I wouldn't get the chance to talk about. Summarizing two years at a university like BU, let alone in a city like Boston, is pretty challenging, especially if your mantra has been to seize every opportunity available. I somehow narrowed down my list of highlights, which ranged from being able to create a thirty minute podcast for my WR150 final project to holding a leadership position in an organization as an underclassman and (rather randomly) taking Tai Chi as my first PDP.

2. I've (thankfully) come a long way since senior year of high school. - As I interacted with reception attendees each night, I thought back to when I was in their exact same position three years/a lifetime ago. When I was seventeen, I knew that I wanted to live in a city and study something communication-related. That was about it. It took a lot of self-reflection and forcing myself out of my comfort zone to get to the assurance I feel today. Do I still encounter self-doubt? Absolutely. But being at BU, constantly surrounded my incredibly driven and passionate people, has propelled me to maintain a standard of confidence in myself that I definitely lacked in the past.

3. I'm too proud to be BU. - Knowing that I'm a COM Ambassador is already a pretty big indicator that I enjoy gushing over this school. Getting to share my Terrier love beyond this campus was a whole other experience, though. I was given the chance to really think about all BU's done for me and now I'm a bit obsessed with ensuring it can do as much for future students. So just a fair warning for all: I'm prone to overly spirited rants these days.

Caroline: Boston, I Love You

Boston is a beautiful, historical, youthful city. The population of Boston increases 25% when labor day rolls around due to the abundance of colleges and universities (and this doesn’t even include our smart friends in across the river in Cambridge). That also makes it a smart city. There is so much to learn here and so many people of diverse backgrounds to learn from. Speakers and scholars from around the country and around the world flock to Boston to inspire and educate young, budding students. Boston sports allegiances run strong. I’ve been lucky enough to experience two Patriots Super Bowl wins. The atmosphere was contagious (and I’m a Giants fan) And who doesn’t love getting yelled at in Boston accent while legally crossing the street?

As youthful as the city may be, it is also old. Boston has so much history and you see it all around the city. Walk anywhere downtown and you’ll see something from the 1700s. The other day I was walking on School Street and I had to stop for a moment to admire the brick and steeple of the Old South Meeting House juxtaposed with the modern, glass Arch Street high-rise. The scene perfectly encapsulated the personality of Boston. You can follow the brick path of the Freedom Trail on your way to the Apple store. You can walk from your Student Village apartment to Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in America. You can get on the T underneath the Old State House.

Old South Meeting House, Photo Courtesy of Boston Art Gallery

Boston is also an incredible city to live in as an aspiring professional. There is such a vast collection of industries here for students to embed themselves in. Politics are abound, you can intern at the State House. WGBH is on of PBS’s largest production hubs. Cambridge is brimming with tech companies. The Boston Globe is a powerful news paper. We have more than 20 hospitals for those interested in the medical field. Not to mention worldwide advertising and public relations agencies. I could go on, but I think the point is made. Where else to get professional experience as a student then Boston?

You may have noticed lots of seniors have been posting about the friends they’ve made and what they’re going to do after college. For my last semester in Boston, I just wanted to pay homage to the city I’ve called home for the past three years. I have found lifelong friends and realized my career path, but it all happened here in Boston. Who knows if I will end up in Boston after college (it depends on who will hire me!), but I do know I will definitely be back. If not for an extended period of time, at least to visit often. I’ll leave you with my favorite photos of the city I’ve taken over the years.

Me overlooking Red Sox fans at Fenway Park

Boston skyline as seen from South Boston

Charles River, Boston, and Cambridge from the Esplanade in springtime

The Harvard University Arnold Arboretum in October

Emma: London vs. Boston: Important British Life hacks to Know Before Studying Abroad Across the Pond

Let’s get the formalities out of the way here, people. I know, if you’re considering going abroad and/or have read your way through this blog, you’ve seen various tips on applying and making the most out your experience. That said, I just have to repeat really fast how incredible going abroad can be. Lucky for you, COM makes it very possible.

Now that we have that covered, I’m here to offer up some advice to those who’ve just been accepted to the London program. First off, CONGRATS, you’re going to have the experience of your lives (sorry, I know, we’ve covered this. Last time, I promise). Anyways, in many ways, living in London is like Boston. You’ve already got the city life know-how’s down for the most part, and you already speak the language, so that adds an extra layer of comfortability.

That said, there are some things about London that are very different than the US, things you wouldn’t necessarily expect or know before coming here. Lucky for you, I’ve been noting some of these things down, and organized the top 50 into a nice, neat list for your scrolling pleasure. I’m sure there’s more than 50, but I’ll cap it at that as to not overwhelm you. Plus, it’s no fun if I ruin all the surprises.

London-bound friends, enjoy! And just make sure you know your lefts and rights before you get here.

You probably already know this, but the British drive on the left side of the road. I’m only repeating this because it WILL confuse you and I do not want to see you get hit by a black cab.
On that same note, pedestrians do not have the right of way. Don’t expect cars to stop for you at crosswalks unless the walk sign is on
Check the pound-to-dollar ratio DAILY. London is very expensive and it’s easy to get suckered into paying $5.50 for a tiny coffee if you aren’t paying attention
Speaking of coffee, your regular drip coffee is few and far between. Time to get really into espresso or do the budget approach (like me right now) and adopt a fond appreciation for instant coffee
Street signs are usually attached to buildings, so be sure to look up when you’re looking for where to go
If you think the squirrels in Boston Common are bad, just wait until you meet the giant pigeons and swans of all London parks
Trash cans are basically mythical creatures, that’s how few of them there are
Eggs: they are NOT refrigerated, and will likely be orange BUT they are delicious
London is BIG, much bigger than Boston. Always check to see if where you want to go is a walkable distance first
Restaurant service is much more relaxed. It’s usually on you to ask for the check
Tipping is different than is the U.S. Tip what you’re comfortable with, but typically for dinner service, the standard is 12.5% (but be sure to see if your bill already has it included)
It is never one weather pattern all day. ALWAYS have a raincoat/umbrella on you
“Everybody Loves Raymond” is always on TV here for whatever reason
Fries = chips and they are NOT as good as American fries (luckily, McDonald’s serves regular fries if you need a fix)
The tube is awesome, but the etiquette is different than the T. Prime example: no one talks on the tube. As my marketing professor said when I asked her about it, “It’s just not done, darling.”
Personal opinion: the peanut butter here is terrible
When you walk into a building from the street, you are on the ground floor. What we consider the second floor is the first floor
Oftentimes, you have to order drinks and food at the bar directly
Not as many places are open late, so plan your late-night snacks accordingly
Sometimes, you have to pay to use public restrooms (always have change on you)
BU tip: washing machines are EXPENSIVE. Not saying to wait until you’re down to your last lone sock, but definitely wait until you have a substantial load
Tea and scones are amazing in every capacity, I promise
Coin and bill size is confusing. Example: the pound is significantly smaller than the 2 and 50 pence coins
Emergency exits are green
Lights turn yellow before they turn red AND green
Cadbury is better than Hershey’s. This is a fact. Also, be sure to try a Cadbury McFlurry, it will change you
If there’s one H&M nearby, there’s probably 6 others within a one-mile radius
The British appreciate pastries at every meal and it’s awesome
British people are quiet, but awesome, especially people who work on public transport
Train language is very different. On the T, they’ll yell at you to get behind the yellow line. On the tube, it’s “please mind the gap”
Be mindful of how much history is behind Britain every day, it’s really so cool
Curb = kerb, tire = tyre
Z = zed, a line = a queue
The “@” button is in a different place on keyboards
The British JUST got cookie dough. Currently being marketed (only) at Whole Foods as “an American delicacy”
Uber may or may not be here when you get here
Convenience stores are not always super convenient
It never gets too cold here, but 70 degrees will feel hot
Mail boxes: they look like large fire hydrants and are actually called post boxes
Paper size is bigger (use A4 when formatting)
The food here has few to no preservatives, which is great, but just buy what you need at the store because it goes bad fast
Usually, grocery bags cost 5 pence each, so save money and bring your own
Take-out = take-away, and usually prices between eating in and taking away are different
Imperial College, which is right next to BU’s buildings, has the best farmer’s market on Tuesday. Would 100% recommend hummus from The Bow Belly
I have yet to go to Nando’s *gasp* but that is a very big, popular chain here
Tesco = Cit Co., Sainsbury’s = Star Market, Waitrose = bfresh, Whole Foods = Whole Foods
Strikes are a big thing here, so always read up on the news and plan your trips accordingly
London’s main airports for travel: Heathrow (you’ll be flying in here most likely, but you probably won’t travel to and from it as much), Stansted, and Gatwick. All of them take significant time to get to, so plan trips accordingly
Citymapper and Sky Scanner are god-sends
Always always use a private browser when searching for flights/trains/hostels (saves you $$$)
BONUS: T.J. Maxx is T.K. Maxx, and the one by campus does not sell homegoods, like towels (you can get cheap towels at Sainsbury’s. Avoid being like me, who did not know this, went to buy one Marks & Spencers the first day, and ended up being stuck with a beach towel for the rest of the semester)

Sam: How I Discovered What I DON’T Want to Do (And How You Can Too)

Me— 18, naive, senior in high school: “I will attend Boston University’s College of Communication, and I will be a world renowned journalist!”

Me— 20, still naive, sophomore in college: “I have absolutely no desire to go into journalism, but good thing I love advertising! I’m going to be a copywriter at a big-city agency!”

Me — 21, STILL naive (and questioning if I will ever grow out of it), 3 months before graduating: “I. Have. NO IDEA. What I want to be.”

I wish I was the kid that came out of the womb knowing I was going to be an anesthesiologist, or the one who after watching my first episode of Law and Order: SVU was already on track to law school. But alas, senior year of high school I was amongst the vast majority, unprepared for my newly deemed adult-status and unaware of what my future would hold. I decided that my love for writing would have to get me through, so I chose to study journalism and dreamed of being the next Ann Shoket (former editor in chief of 17 Magazine, which I was a proud subscriber of). However, not too long into COM 101 I realized that loving something and being decent at something were two very different things, so I moved on, searching for the next path that could take me to my desired future of fulfilling contentment.

If I knew anything about my future, it was that I wanted to do something creative; I fluidly moved on from journalism to advertising, and thought I had found my next dream job. I took creative courses and joined extracurriculars, trying to hone my new passion for copywriting and design. However, this was only the beginning of years of “guess and check” where I tried to force myself into loving something that I didn't in turn love. Between classes, internships and everything else, I found out exactly what I do not want to pursue as a career.

So now I’m here, the future looming over me like a cloudy crystal ball, with no idea of what I want to do and a million ideas of what I don’t. But instead of feeling as though my trials and errors were wasted time, I am grateful for the failures that I have experienced that have helped develop exactly who I do want to be. I have found that learning what I don't like to do helps narrow down everything that I enjoy. So while I may not know what will come in the new year, I do know with great confidence that I will not go to law school, join a team at a big-city agency, become an anesthesiologist, or work as a renowned journalist any time soon.

Nick: The Power of Friendship

As I sit on the third floor of COM and await my next FPS reservation, it’s easy to get nostalgic about the last three years. Being a senior is a weird feeling, and I’m not sure it has set in quite yet. On one hand, this is the first time I’ve been on campus since last fall, and I’m eager to reconnect with old friends and make the most of every remaining second I have in college. On the other hand, you’re basically forced to have one foot out the door so you can prepare for post-grad life and, gulp, the dreaded unknown that is the real world.

When I look back at my BU career to this point, many things stand out. My on-air experience through BUTV10, my time onstage, long nights at the Daily Free Press office during the fall of my junior year, getting up at three in the morning for Meet the Press every Sunday last spring, to name a few. COM has given me so much in the way of practical experience, but that’s hardly the most important thing. What I remember most about these years are the people I’ve met, the mentors who have helped me along the way and the lifelong friendships I’ve forged.

Jane and I produce Offsides, and I have COM to thank for bringing us together. She's been there since day 1 freshman year when we didn't even know how to read off a teleprompter

Sure, I’ll remember Offsides, BUTV’s only pro sports talk show, and the progress my fellow producers and I have made to improve it, but I’ll remember the people first. Nick Picht, who produced Offsides my freshman year, went from being an intimidating senior to one of my closest friends and mentors. He took me under his wing and has advised me throughout my college career. I couldn’t be more grateful for that, and I hope to be that same person to another freshman. I also got a job at the Boston Globe sophomore year through another Offsides friend – build these relationships and your network will grow along with your friendships.

My time onstage has been memorable and fun – it’s an important outlet amid all my other career-focused activities (so much so that I’ve decided to give another go this semester). But once again, it’s all about the relationships. I decided to do BU On Broadway’s American Idiot sophomore year with my best friend, and I left the process with 20 additional best friends. College can be rough, and having a support system to turn to is crucial – it doesn’t matter where you find it, but it matters that it’s there.

Ah, the Daily Free Press. BU’s independent student newspaper has shaped my college experience and given me unmatched journalistic experience, but I never would have stuck with it had I not been surrounded by such wonderful people at the FreeP. I met my roommate there, and plenty others who I’m certain will remain in my life long after we’ve entered the esteemed realm of COM alumni. The long hours and UBurger trips were tough on me, but my friends kept me going. Someone once asked me if COM kids are competitive. From what I’ve seen, COM students are motivated to pursue similar goals, and they’re eager to see their friends reach and surpass them.

Long hours at the FreeP office flew by with these goons by my side. Justin, Nick and Jon were my FreeP sports partners-in-crime first, but over time became some of my best friends at BU

My internship with “Meet the Press” in the spring was transformative in ways I could’ve never imagined. I met senators, members of Congress and governors, but the group of friends I made through the BUDC program is one of the biggest reasons why I enjoyed my semester there as much as I did.

I’ve been asked on tours, “What’s it like to go to a school as big as BU?” And I always come back to the same answer: BU doesn’t seem that big if you find your niche and surround yourself with a network of support. Then, not only does Comm. Ave. start to seem smaller, but COM does as well. And COM is such a tight-knit community anyway because of its size. The people you meet here will not only be your peers, your camera operators when you need to a standup and your editors, they will be lifelong friends.

Sydney: Summer Study Abroad in Dublin

I had the amazing opportunity to spend this past summer studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland through the COM Internship Program.

We lived on campus at Dublin City University’s All Hallows Campus. This was my view when I left our dorm building.

We all took one class and were placed into an internship. My class was about contemporary Irish society. My internship was at a casting company called Ali Coffey Casting. I was in charge of scheduling and booking actors for castings, as well as managing the waiting room. I was able to meet a bunch of locals and hear about their lives in Ireland!

My internship was located in central Dublin right up the block from the famous Temple Bar.

A university you may have heard of, Trinity College, was nearby. So was Grafton Street! Fun fact: Even though Ed Sheeran mentions Grafton Street in his song Galway Girl, the famous street is located in Dublin. It’s a popular shopping area.

Studying abroad is an amazing experience! For one, you make great friendships that will last beyond your time there. You can travel with them to new, beautiful places and create once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

I traveled to many spots within Ireland including Galway, Cork, the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney, Belfast and the Giants Causeway.

Galway

I also traveled outside of Ireland to Brussels, Belgium, Edinburgh, Scotland and London, England! Once you’re in Europe, traveling is easy and pretty affordable if you book far enough in advance. Memories made and experiences with friends are worthwhile.

Brussels

Moral of the story: If you have the opportunity- study abroad!! I personally recommend a summer in Dublin.