COM Ambassador Blog

Hannah C: 10 Things We Learned From Legally Blonde

Several of our COM Ambassadors (looking at you, Christy, Hali, Ethan, Megan and Hanna) and I have worked for the past few months on a show called, Legally Blonde The Musical, which is based on the movie plus a slew of ten minute dance numbers and a bit more character development.

It’s funny, clever, and just a great time to perform. Like the movie, the musical portrays themes of empowerment and perseverance, friendship and loyalty. The musical might come across as a girly show, but it’s so much more than that. And if you look closely, there’s a lot to be learned from the story.

1. Friends can be found in the most unexpected places — even the hair salon.

2. Never underestimate the power of a positive attitude.

3. Stand your ground and don’t let people take advantage of you.

4. When in doubt, dance it out.

5. With determination, you can accomplish anything. Even if others tell you, you can’t.

6. It might take a little patience and resilience, but things will get better.

7. “Tattered books get left on the shelves.” Always dress for success.

8. We girls need to stick together…

9. There’s no greater feeling than winning your case. Or proving the haters wrong.

10. Elle said it best

See you on April 8 for Open House, the best day of the year!!!

Emily: My Best Advice for Adjusting to College

Before I arrived at Boston University, the one thing I was most excited about was having freedom; freedom to choose my classes, try new things, and do whatever I was in the mood for. However, upon arrival, my newfound freedom was a little overwhelming. Aside from classes and extracurricular meetings, I had complete control over how I spent my day. Although the idea of taking a nap whenever I wanted was exciting (because who doesn’t love naps???), I learned quickly that this wasn’t the best idea. After a few weeks, I realized they key to successfully adjusting to college was creating a schedule. Although I like to plan things out, I still make sure to leave room for fun!

1. Use your Calendar

I know it sounds simple, but scheduling tasks that you need to get done in your calendar is a super helpful tool. If you treat important tasks like an appointment, you will be more likely to get them done. I will almost never take a spontaneous trip to Mugar to do homework or study, but when I put it as an event in my calendar, I find it much easier to take the time to actually go.

2. Set an Eating Schedule

I don’t know about you, but for me my days revolve around when I eat. Early in my first semester, I just ate at super random times (4pm lunch anyone?), but as time went on I realized this was not such a great idea. Because I would end up eating lunch super late, it would push back my entire schedule, and I would end up going to bed really late at night. By setting out specific meal times, I was able to go about my day more efficiently. This isn’t to say that you can’t eat at a different time a few times, but keeping your routine relatively similar from day to day helps me stay on track.

3. Create a Routine That Works for You

You want to create a schedule that makes you feel efficient, but you don’t want to end up burning out. As much as you want to spend 5 hours a day at Mugar, that probably isn’t realistic. If your schedule feels like a burden, you probably will not stick to it for long. Similarly, if you create a routine that is too rigid and time sensitive, you won’t want to follow it. What I do is give myself a range of times to accomplish everything so that I don’t feel overwhelmed. If I have a test in a week, for example, I will lay out a few hours over the course of the week in preparation instead of putting it all within a day or two before my exam. That way, I feel that my work is manageable. I’ll put it in my calendar, and then I’ll take it day by day. Planning things out will help you feel that you can accomplish whatever you need to get done.

4. Leave Room for Fun!!!

While I like to plan out when I study and sleep, I make sure to leave a lot of open space in my schedule for fun! By only putting in what I feel is essential, I create a lot of opening in my schedule for spontaneous adventures. I make sure that my schedule gives me time to go out and have fun, or to just lay around in bed watching Netflix. While getting my work done is very important to me, I don’t want to feel deprived of anything. If I feel like I have no time to breathe and relax, I’ll just end up being less productive. So, while managing your time is important, make sure you balance your work with having fun and enjoying yourself!

Emma: Interviewing 101

The summer internship madness is upon us here in COM, folks, and you know what that means! It’s time time to start your research, booking slots with the CDC for resume and cover letter review, and to start prepping your interviews!

Coming from someone who just completed this tiring process, I can tell you that nailing your interview is key. It’s the best opportunity - whether in person, over the phone, or via Skype - for potential employers to gage how well you mesh with their culture and converse under pressure.

It can seem like a daunting task at first, but the key is to prepare as much as possible, so try these tips below to get yourself confident for the big day!

Come Prepared

This is key for all interviews. You should be walking into it with a deep understanding of the role you’re applying for, what the company is all about, and even a fair amount about who you’re interviewing with. Never hurts to do some digging on LinkedIn! For in-person interviews, be sure you have an extra copy of your resume, portfolio, or anything the interviewer asked you to bring. And for the love of all things good, make sure you know what time your interview is (and show up at least 15 minutes before).

Practice OUT LOUD

We all know practice makes perfect, but the best way to prepare for an interview is to be going over common questions out loud. I like to have the answers to common/anticipated interview questions written down in bullets (“Tell me about yourself.” “How did you choose this agency?” “What interests you about this role?”) and then use that as a baseline to practice out loud. This allows you to know what actually sounds good out loud, and helps you configure your response into a conversation that doesn’t sound scripted. Practice alone in your room, or grab a friend and make them listen to you for the full effect.

Ask Smart Questions

Before my first interview, I went to my faculty advisor for advice, and the best nugget he passed on to me was the idea that you show people how smart and engaged you are by the types of questions you ask. In doing your research about the company, find things you’re curious about (stray from the obvious) and ask your interviewer. I promise, they will be impressed that you cared enough to learn more.

Bonus Tips: Skype interview prep

Dress professional...ish
- The best part about a Skype interview is you only have to keep it formal from the waist up. In my last two Skype interviews, I wore a nice shirt, blazer and PJ bottoms. No need for uncomfortable slacks or heels, but obviously keep this a secret from your interviewer.
Take your surroundings into consideration
- Always take your surroundings into consideration. If you’re conducting an interview in your dorm room, try to position yourself in a way that your background is as plain as possible. Trust me, your interviewer doesn’t need to see every detail of the photo collage on your wall. As always, keep it ~profesh~. Also, make sure you turn off notifications on your laptop/phone, and make sure your roomies don’t walk in mid-interview.
Adjust as necessary
- As we all probably know, Skype/Facetime can be tricky. Call a friend to check your connection beforehand so you can make sure your video and microphone are helping you out. And finally, if you know you are prone to fidgeting (like myself), put a sticky note over your face so you can focus on your interviewer.

Interviews can be tricky and nerve-wracking, but each one is a learning experience! If you practice as best you can and follow these tips, you will be guaranteed to wow any interviewer lucky enough to be talking with you.

Ethan: The Importance of Extracurriculars

When I arrived at Boston University my freshman year, I was fully prepared to major in psychology. I was accepted into the College of General Studies, and after that I planned on continuing into the College of Arts and Sciences. That was the plan.

One day during my first semester, my roommate was going to the BUTV10 general interest meeting, and, on a whim, I decided to join him. I had worked a little with film in high school - nothing more than hanging out with a few friends and a camera, though. I went in with no expectations, and I half-heartedly signed up for a few shows. These shows went into production for the semester, and I dropped by Bay State’s first shoot of the season. Bay State is a soap opera (the longest-running college soap opera in the nation, actually), and I had no intention of becoming very involved in the show. I ended up staying for the full five hour shoot, and I loved it.

As a production assistant, I was doing everything from building sets to operating boom mics. I had no idea how to do any of it prior to the shoot, but everyone taught me the basics, and I was on my way. Throughout the semester, I was able to operate cameras, dress sets, and even act a little bit. The show is entirely student run, and the community of people working on set became an entire circle of friends.

Through working on the show, I became friends with a lot of the older students. When they would need to produce films for class, they would ask me to work on their crews. This was perfect for me because I wasn’t in COM yet. I gained experience on sets before I took classes in which I needed to produce my own work.

Eventually, I encountered a frequent question from my peers: Why aren’t you a film major? I never really had a good answer. For the longest time, I had convinced myself that pursuing a career in the arts was foolish. It seemed like every adult around me wanted to push science and math fields on me, and I just assumed that was what was best for me.

After being given the tools and opportunities to gain experience within film and television, I realized that not only is it what I love to do, but I can be successful doing it.

Classes (obviously) provide you with knowledge on a variety of subjects, but especially within COM, it’s important to put that knowledge to use. Throughout my time at BU so far, I’ve joined a number of clubs and organizations like The Daily Free Press, WTBU, Spoon University, and On Broadway. Though they may not fall into the same fields, these groups have offered invaluable experiences and a number of friends along the way.

I’m not the first person to say this, and I certainly won’t be the last, but get involved. See what you like - ditch the stuff you don’t. If you cast a wide enough net, you just might find something you love.

Bay State

Megan: How I Handle Stress

We’ve entered a very busy time of year, and sometimes it can be very difficult to juggle everything us college kids have on our plates. From our extracurriculars to our internships, and from our classes to preparing to be people in the real world, stress happens. A lot!

It has taken me a long time to figure out how I deal with my many stressors, and I’m still learning! It is a different experience for everyone, but I’ve put some of my tips below just in case you need some inspiration.

1. To-Do Lists:

I am the biggest fan of to-do lists. I put them everywhere: sheets of notebook paper, specific to-do list notebooks, my phone… wherever I can. I like to make them super colorful so its not quite so sad looking at everything I have to do. I organize everything I need to do for each class, then each activity I’m a part of, and then my real world problems. I also write everything down in my planner too, so I can see how it all looks over a few weeks or months. I can think of few things better than crossing everything off my list after a stressful week!

2. Getting Some Exercise:

Staying active really helps me maintain my calm during times of stress. I always strive to get all my steps on my FitBit every day, and when I’m really stressed I try to get up and walk around every hour. Just like the to-do lists, it is really nice to track my progress and see that I’m accomplishing things. I also always make sure I'm going to my PDP, I have to do it anyway and its a nice way to be active for a little bit.

3. Maintaining Your Routine:

This one is really important for me. When I start to lose my routine because I’m stressed, I feel even more upset than I was before. Taking things away from my routine leaves me freaking out because I feel like I’m losing control. Although there are times when you have to cut things out to accomplish the most important things on your list, knowing that I’ve done my best to stick to my routine helps me maintain my stress levels.

4. Setting Time Aside for Work, Setting Time Aside for You:

If I give myself a time frame to get my work done, I find myself more willing to sit down during that time and do it. However, I also try to remind myself that it is okay if I don’t get it all done within my time frame, as long as I’ve tried it’s fine! However, at the end of the day you have to give yourself time to take care of you. Take a super long shower, or a 20 minute nap, or do a face mask (I love a good face mask, let me know if you need any recommendations)! When you’re taking care of you, it will reflect in your work.

Stress happens, and that’s just a fact of life. Once you figure out what helps you stay calm, you will be able to do everything and anything you set your mind to!

Jimmy: Top Podcasts for FTV Students

Tired of listening to “Lemonade” on repeat while trudging up and down Commonwealth Avenue? Download some podcasts–more specifically, these film and TV centered podcasts to keep you up to date on trends and personalities!

The Vulture TV Podcast

I follow this one religiously. Based off the TV criticism website, The Vulture TV Podcast has a new episode every week about the most talked about shows and general TV trends. The hosts are powerhouses: Vulture Senior Editor Gazelle Emami, New Yorker and RogerEbert.com TV Critic Matt Zoller Seitz (who is a HUGE name in “TV Theory and Criticism”), and NY Times TV Critic Margaret Lyons. Each one of them is extremely well researched, and knows probably too much about TV. I constantly use it as a litmus test for what I should be watching, what names I should know about for class.

This podcast is also a great way to gradually learn TV history. If you’re a FTV major, it can be intimidating to talk with professors who assume you know and understand the impact of old shows like “Roots,” “Mary Hartman, Mary Harman,” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” The podcast has a bunch of special episodes dedicated to discussing the cultural significance of important programs, so you’ll get those extra points when taking Understanding TV.

Favorite Episode: “What Makes ‘Sesame Street’ Special”

This episode came out the week after PBS announced that “Sesame Street” was moving to HBO and talked about the implications of that decision. They review 48 years of content to discuss every boundary-pushing moment in “Sesame Street” and how important the pastiche of pop culture references is important for making children culturally literate. Full disclosure: I got teary eyed in the dining hall listening them talk about Mr. Hooper’s Death. Well worth the listen.

Austin Film Festival On Story Podcast

As the name implies, this podcast takes panel interviews from the Austin Film Festival and condenses them to a rounded hour format. The guests featured are Film and TV juggernauts and industry legends: Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan, “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, and “The Sopranos’” David chase among many others

Favorite Episode: “Paul Feig”

“Freaks and Geeks” has a special place in my heart. In this episode Feig talks a lot about drawing from his own life, restructuring and heightening real events to highlight the humor for a TV format. He’s also a funny and humbled dude.

Scriptnotes

Scriptnotes is hosted by John August and Craig Mazin, both accomplished Hollywood screenwriters and script doctors. This podcast was extremely helpful for me when I took Storytelling. With over 300 episodes, the podcast answers questions about formatting and industry standards I didn’t even know existed. They cover TONS of ground. Episode examples include: “The Job of the Writer Producer,” “How to Cut Pages,” and “Egoless Screenwriting.” In every show, they also review fan scripts and give specific advice on air, so you can see their process applied.

Favorite Episode: “Groundhog Day”

They spend the whole episode deconstructing the script to “Groundhog Day” and what makes it so great. I liked “Groundhog Day,” but I never thought THAT deeply about it. It’s pretty awesome.

Nerdist Writer’s Panel

If I told you to, “Listen to a podcast hosted by Netflix’s “Puss and Boots” series screenwriter, I would understand your apprehension. But don’t be fooled. Ben Blacker has tons of industry credits and knows how to elicit really great responses out of talent. Every episode, Blacker brings on a different celebrity writer. The conversations are generally silly, and biographical. Get to know the fun backstories behind favorite writers like John Green, Charlie Day & Glenn Howerton, or Corinne Brinkerhoff (a COM alum!).

Favorite Episode: “#167: Bojack Horseman”

Blacker interviews “Bojack Horseman” series creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg and production designer Lisa Hanawalt. They’ve been friends since high school, and their chemistry proves that. The interview itself is very comprehensive. Waksberg gives a lot of insight to the show’s darker moments, and how he balances the cynical philosophy of the show with shameless animal puns. Good stuff.

Carly: Black Mirror Episodes Ranked

Black Mirror: if you haven’t heard of it yet, you have now.

The British television series is a science-fiction anthology similar to The Twilight Zone in that each episode is a depiction of some sci-fi or dystopian society. With Black Mirror, each story provides a look at innovative technological devices that have enhanced society but at the same time become a tool for destruction.

Given that it is an anthology, each episode is a completely different story. That gives the audience the ability to pick and choose between different episodes rather than watching in order.

The stories are incredibly creative and diversity is plentiful. Episodes like the critically acclaimed “San Junipero” are more lighthearted, and tell a heartwarming tale of love. On the other hand, episodes like “White Bear,” are darker and touch on themes of vengeance and morality.

The underlying theme across the show is modern technology and the horrifying role it can ultimately play in our society. Some are merely entertaining, others are more gruesome. Some have deeper messages woven into their narratives and others just seem to enjoy the destruction. Below are a list of each episode ranked in order from worst to best, followed by their season and episode number.

13. The National Anthem (1.1)

12. The Waldo Moment (2.3)

11. Fifteen Million Merits (1.2)

10. Shut Up and Dance (3.3)

9. The Entire History of You (1.3)

8. White Christmas (2.4)

7. Be Right Back (2.1)

6. Nosedive (3.1)

5. Play Test (3.2)

4. White Bear (2.2)

3. Men Against Fire (3.5)

2. Hated in the Nation (3.6)

1. San Junipero (3.4)

Think these pictures give you a good idea of the journey on which you’re about to embark? You aren’t even close. And before you ask, yes that is Jon Hamm in “White Christmas” and Domhnall Gleeson in “Be Right Back.” Better get to it and hang on for dear life -- Black Mirror is a roller coaster of plot twists, innovative ideas, complex characters, and ominous predictions about our own future.

Tyler A: ASBean: How to Properly Spend Spring Break

What do you first associate the words “Spring Break” with? The beach? Parties? Sleeping your life away? What about volunteering? The Community Service Center’s Alternative Service Breaks program (or ASB) give students a chance to travel somewhere new in the US or Canada and provide meaningful service. There are over twenty trips that address a variety of topics from environment to homelessness to gender and sexuality. Each one allows students to engage with the community, gain new perspectives, and bond with people they may have never met otherwise.

This was our last day at Friedman. We may be smiling, but we were dying of sadness inside.

Last week, I was lucky enough to join the ASB trip to Chicago, IL with eight other students and a faculty chaperone. Our trip focused on the abilities focus area, which primarily focuses on advocacy for and destigmatizing people with disabilities. We spent five days volunteering at the Friedman Place, a supportive living community for individuals who are blind or visually-impaired. And it was the best time. Ever. Our volunteer experience mostly entailed getting to know residents and just making their lives more enjoyable so that we were more acquainted with people of another background and could understand the challenges they face.

Remind me to never sit on a glass box that’s 1,353 above the ground ever again.

I could write a novel to discuss the questions the trip raises, the things I learned, and what I’m walking away with, so I’m not going to do that today (but you are welcome to ask me all about it!). Instead, I just want to express to you all what a great experience ASB is and how you should take advantage of it. For a reasonable price, you are getting an invaluable volunteer opportunity, making lifelong friends, and exploring a new place. And by that, I mean we did have time to explore the city. Do not fret.

We went bowling one day! Are we cool or are we cool?

It is very important to be involved within COM and gain that professional experience you may need upon graduation, but as humans, we have an even greater responsibility to the world we live in. We should take advantage of opportunities like this to understand populations we wouldn’t normally connect with, give to people and places who may need it, and have fun!

Registration for ASB 2018 won’t be until November, so take your time considering the opportunity, but mark your calendars! You won’t want to miss this.

Katie: It’s Never Too Late to Explore Something New

Growing up, my entire life was focused on theatre. I went to rehearsals for two shows at a time, six days a week, with dance classes on Sundays to supplement that one free day. My 7th grade best friend had to make me a playlist of “real people music” for my iPod, because most of my music library was dominated by various Overtures, Entr’actes, and Finales. All of my friends were in theatre, and I never thought I’d be interested in anything else. Especially not sports.

While my parents watched the New England Patriots play on Sundays, I stayed as far away as possible. I was totally ready for the game food, for sure. But the game itself? No, thanks. I’m good with my “In the Heights” soundtrack. Despite the fact that we spent free summer nights watching farm team pro-baseball and every New Year’s Eve watching farm team pro-hockey, I was more interested in the fried dough than the actual games. The Tom Brady jersey I’ve had since age 12 was simply for showing off at school, where I hoped nobody would actually mention last night’s great play.

This all began to change when I moved to Boston sophomore year of college. Friends had extra tickets to Red Sox games. BU Hockey became a part of life when I joined The Daily Free Press and sat next to the sports editor. My whole life I had avoided sports pretty much like the plague, and now it was all starting to make sense. The fandom and the team spirit radiated through Boston. But it wasn’t until my boyfriend began religiously watching the Patriots that I started to as well.

What all of this rambling is getting at is the idea that it’s never too late to pick up a new hobby. Now a senior at BU, I take back what I said as a kid about football being boring. There’s something really special about a whole community of people coming together and rooting for something bigger than themselves. This Super Bowl was one of the craziest games ever, and I had the opportunity to witness it! I’m the first to admit that it isn’t worth being stubborn and avoiding something just because I disliked it in the past.

This isn’t to say that theatre wasn’t or isn’t still an integral part of my life. I used to write a theatre blog, and I spent a summer in New York interning at a theatrical public relations agency. I still listen to “In the Heights,” too. I certainly don’t forget where I came from, but it’s nice to have a new sort of hobby that brings me closer to my dad and many of my friends. It’s nice to be in the know, and it’s never too late to find new interests!

Daera: Surviving 8 AM’s

My first college schedule was awesome. I got my mom's approval on it, which is kind of a family tradition. When she went to college, my grandmother put her schedule together in the most magical way: my mom was done with classes by noon and had Fridays off. The first time she told me about that schedule, I knew I had to follow in her footsteps (I have a tendency to follow in my moms footsteps which is why I debated becoming an English major for a while and why I played the flute for seven years, but I digress).
My schedule first semester went like this: Monday and Wednesday I had class from 8-10, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-12:30 and Friday from 8-11. This semester it’s almost identical, except for the fact that I have class from 8-11 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It’s really not as bad as you think. To prove it to you here are my top 3 reasons for taking morning classes and my top 3 tips for surviving them.
Why I Take Morning Classes...
You can use morning classes as a way to go to bed early without seeming weird for not being as social as other people. I don’t know about you but I love sleep. Like if I had to choose between money, chocolate, and sleep, I would probably choose sleep. Most doctors recommend that at my age, we get about 9 hours of sleep and I follow that rule. I am in bed by 10pm and let me tell you it is great. If you’re like me and miss using the excuse “my mom said no” to get out of plans, you can now just say “sorry I have class in the morning, I need to go to bed” and nobody will question you! (It’s also a great way to keep yourself on a healthy sleep schedule but that’s not as important)

You have the rest of the day to yourself once you’re done with classes. No more rushing to fit in meeting with your teacher for office hours in between your busy schedule. You have time to seize the day! Last semester, I was always free for lunch plans. Literally always. Plus, you can do your homework during the day while your friends are in class and use the night to binge watch The X-Files before it goes off Netflix. (More information coming about managing your homework during the day)

It gives you a reason to get out of bed and lets you have the day to yourself without feeling overwhelmed. I deal with some fairly severe anxiety and it’s often really difficult for me to find the motivation to get out of bed. Even if I didn’t have anxiety, I would struggle to find the motivation to get started with my day with enough time to get ready and be productive even before I need to go to class (especially in the winter when it’s cold and windy). Having morning classes forces you to get started early, and then carry that motivation throughout the day!

...And How I Survive Them
I am not ashamed to embrace my love of napping to motivate myself to go to class. Sure I wake up early, but I can catch up on sleep later. Yes, napping can sometimes be a way to avoid work and can be considered a bad use of your time, but when I take a nap during the day I always feel like I can manage it because of how much time I have left in my day. Why not take a nap from 11-12:30 if I still have hours of free time afterwards.

Try to stay active and stay as far away from your dorm as possible. Your dorm seems like the perfect place to study, right? The quiet study area is just close enough for you to go back and grab materials you may have forgotten but far enough for you to avoid the comforts of your bed...at least that’s what you think. The reality is, you need to get yourself up and out. I like to take everything with me for the day and not come back until I’ve completed a certain amount of things. Sometimes you need to go grab food or go to FitRec to work up some energy, but that’s okay! I live in Kilachand Hall, all the way and East Campus, and I try to walk at least to the School of Theology Library to get some work done. If I’m feeling really motivated, I go to the 26th floor of StuVi or the College of General Studies Lounge and I take a walk through Brookline on my way there; that way I’m getting outside and getting exercise, but I have a stopping point.

Stay organized as much as possible. Lay out your clothes the day before, pack your backpack, and set as many alarms as possible. My alarms go off in 15 minute increments from about 6:45 to 7:30 and I’m not ashamed. It does help that my roommate is either never there when I wake up and when she is, she is a very deep sleeper. Even if I don’t find the motivation to lay out your clothes, at least have a rough idea of an outfit you could put on so you’re not scrambling. The most useful thing I can suggest, however, is to pack your backpack the night before and charge your computer. You’ll thank me for that one.