Claire: Boston Marathon 2K16

The Boston Marathon is upon us! For those of you who are not familiar with the Boston Marathon, it is a BIG deal here in the city. In honor of Patriot’s Day and the race, Boston University and most business are closed. So, that means everyone takes it to the streets to celebrate with friends and cheer on the runners.

The Boston Marathon has always been one of my favorite days in the city because there are an endless amount of fun things to do. The city fills with excitement and it is simply just happiness.

The race begins just before 9AM in Hopkinton Massachusetts and passes right through Boston University South Campus, Kenmore Square on Commonwealth Avenue, all the way to Boylston Street in Copley Square.

This is a day to set your alarms nice and early so you can meet up with friends for breakfast before the race begins at 9AM.  Then, you don’t even need to leave campus to be right in the thick of it. You can cheer on all 30,000 runners as they make their way to the finish line right on Commonwealth Avenue.

This will be my final Boston Marathon L tears I’m so sad what

Here is a picture of my first Boston Marathon ever, oh boy time flies.

Chris: Moving Off Campus – A Step into the Real World

One of the decisions students have to make toward the end of each academic year is where they're going to live the following year. Because I was abroad last semester, I had to make the decision during the fall as to where I was going to live this Spring.

Unlike the previous three years, I made the decision to move off campus and in neighboring Allston, which is down the street from BU's West Campus. As mentioned in the title, moving off campus while in school is a bit of a step into the adult world.
One of the first things you have to do is pay bills. The basic bills include rent and utilities (electricity, heat, and water). Sometimes apartments will include utilities in the rent price. An additional bill that many people will pay is to a cable company for some basic cable channels as well Internet. One thing to also keep in mind is that it's important to pay these bills on time so that you do not hurt your credit score.
Another basic part of living off campus is you probably won't have a dining plan (fun fact: once you live off campus or in BU apartment style housing you're not required to have a dining plan). However, that does mean if you don't have much cooking experience, you'll have to start learning. Thus far, my forays into the culinary world have produced half decent omelettes, overcooked steaks, and plenty of evenings in a smoky kitchen.
The area where living off campus really pushes you into adult world is when things go wrong. While living off campus, if something goes wrong, you can just call your RA, they'll call the facilities department who will take care of the issues. However, while off campus if something goes wrong like the leak I had a few weeks ago, you have to get the landlord involved, as well as repair people. The biggest thing there is working in repair people with your class and work schedules, which for us COM students can be very full at times.
All in all, much like college in general, moving off campus is a step towards more independence as we move closer to adulthood. However, with that step come several more responsibilities, which people should keep in mind if they choose to explore the option.

Donald: Advice to My Freshman Self

In just a few weeks, I'll be walking across Nickerson Field in a red cap and gown and leaving BU, a place that has become a new home for me for the past few years. Graduating college is one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced. It makes you feel super nostalgic and reflective.
Thus, leaving behind the COM Ambassador program, a program that has allowed me to meet many students who have walked through the doors of COM and attempt to give them advice (even though I'm still trying to figure out my own life), is another example of a very difficult goodbye I'll have to give.
If I could do college over again, there are definitely a lot of things I wouldn't do. I probably wouldn't have gotten a dining plan with a lot of meal options (the GSU seriously has the best food on-campus), I would not have left my bass guitar at home freshman year, and I would have moved off-campus earlier. While this list could go on forever, I've decided to list the 6 major pieces of advice I'd give to my younger self in the hopes that they may possibly help an incoming freshman next year.
1. Get off-campus more!
I didn't truly venture into the city of Boston until later in my sophomore year. I regret not going to more concerts and shows and art galleries in the city so much earlier. Boston is a fascinating city, which is constantly attracting different speakers and celebrities all the time. Explore! And no - going to the Boston Common (while fun) does not count as exploring the city. Venture to the Jamaica Pond and attend Porchfest, a summer concert series on the front porches of people's houses. Venture out to Quincy and visit some cool shops. BU has an amazing campus, but you're only in Boston for so long. Take advantage!
2. Don't be afraid of upperclassmen
I spent a lot of time freshman year looking at upperclassmen, especially seniors, and wanting to befriend them but being afraid that I was too young or too much of a freshman to actually hang out with them. Little did I know, when I just asked to hang out, many upperclassmen said yes. As an upperclassman now who hangs out with freshmen, I've learned that class years really don't matter. All of those fears you have about going up to someone "cool" shouldn't be real! Upperclassmen have been in this city, and at this school, longer than you have. They can give great advice and show you the ropes while you're still adjusting.
3. Leave room for electives outside of your major
If you only take required classes, you'll miss out on the array of amazing and interesting courses offered all over the university. Maybe you're a PR major who takes photojournalism just to learn how to take better photos at family parties. Or maybe you take a course in the College of Fine Arts just because you were never able to. Try to budget room in your schedule to have fun and take classes you'll enjoy - even if they don't satisfy a requirement. I took a course called Urban Sociology my sophomore year. Even though it did not count for a requirement, it is still one of my favorite courses I've taken at BU and has reshaped many views I've had about urbanization, how cities function, and my role as a citizen in a city.
4. Changing your major is OK
This is something that can NEVER be said enough. I think what makes students more anxious than actually satisfying requirements after changing majors is telling people (or coming to term yourself) that you've changed your mind. But that is OK! While the logistics of changing may be more or less difficult depending on when you decide to do so and what you decide to change to, follow your passions. Major in whatever program makes you the most excited and has the most interesting classes. And even if that major isn't in COM (which I surely hope it is), that's ok too! What matters is that you're happy and excited about classes you take.
5. You learn a lot more from talking to people than any class you'll ever take
While my last two points talked a lot about classes, I just wanted to remind you all that there is so much you gain from BU outside of the classroom. I changed my major to journalism after getting involved with WTBU and meeting amazing mentors who talked to me about the program. After meeting leaders in non-profits at the Community Service Center, I've decided to pursue a career in service work and education, rather than journalism. I've learned more about systems of injustice from interviewing people around Boston than I have in sociology courses. While classes are important and have given me a huge intellectual and academic understanding of the world, meeting actual people - whether BU students or members of the Boston community - will stay with you much longer than any classroom lesson. The world is filled with amazing people and make the extra effort to go out and say hi before you graduate.
And lastly, have fun! College will fly by before you know it.

Eliza: Flying Solo: Abroad Alone

In case you haven’t heard, study abroad is kind of a big deal here at Boston University.  We love it, we won’t stop talking about it, and all the cool kids are doing it.  For a lot of people, (especially Communications people), study abroad comes around during junior year, mostly second semester, and involved taking on some other city with close friends and peers.  Going into college I always knew I wanted to study abroad, but I also assumed I would go with friends and enjoy the time with people I already new, but now I am going off into a summer and semester abroad with only a few distant acquaintances.  Last year, I made the choice to go abroad my junior fall, hoping that some other friends would do the same. In the end, it turns out that they didn’t.

This coming fall semester I will be traveling to London essentially by myself.  I’ll have friends in Geneva, and Dublin, and Florence – but will be alone in London.  Sure, I was upset at first but then I really thought about it. It will definitely be tough at first but I am so excited for the chance to explore a city and to meet new people.  It will be a totally fresh experience, almost like starting college all over again, but I will still have my incredible support system back in Boston who will be only a call or text away.  Moral of the (annoyingly personal) story is that I’ve realized it’s totally ok to strike off on my own if it means pursuing what I want, which is exactly what abroad is.

Here’s a list of good things about going abroad alone:

  1. Choosing what sights to see and when to see them:   I tend to want to see everything always, and being abroad without any close friends will give me the chance to really plan my own travel.
  2. Meeting new people:  Being abroad without people I already know will really force me to meet you new people, and could help me immerse myself in the culture there more.
  3. Adventure: It’s out there! And as much as it might be scary, being alone will add another whole level of excitement to being abroad!

Kreag: Open House 2016

As a COM Ambassador, some of my favorite activities from the past two years have been the annual Open House events for prospective students.  I think part of the reason I love Open House so much is mainly due to the wonderful experience I had back when I visited Boston University for the second time.  Being able to go behind the scenes in a way is really eye opening as to how much Boston University and specifically COM itself cares for its students.  It is amazing to see how much work the Undergraduate Affairs department and the COM Ambassadors themselves put into Open House in order to ensure that it is the best experience that it can be for potential Terriers.

However, not all of our accepted students are able to make it to an Open House.  I am aiming this blog post at all of those students who cannot attend so that they can get a bit of a look into just what happens at our Open House events.

There are definitely some highlights to every Open House that we host, and its definitely very hard to determine what exactly my favorite part is, so I’m just going to go through Open House step by step and talk about what makes it so amazing!

The morning typically begins around 7am, which is definitely the only bad part of the day.  However, we move to Tsai auditorium very quickly after that, where we are provided with Starbucks coffee and some fantastic bagels, which really makes up for the fact that we have to wake up before seven a.m. on a Saturday.

From here we move into a variety of presentations.  COM’s Dean Fiedler talks to the prospective students and their parents a bit about the school and everything they will encounter here.  Then it was time for both Claudia and I to talk to the audience, which was a very fun opportunity.  Last year, both of us were just regular ambassadors, but this year as the Coordinators of the program, we were able to get up on stage and help run the show, which was a fantastic experience.  As someone who did a lot of public speaking in high school, it was a lot of fun to be able to bring back those skills.

After this we presented the Open House video, which was Full House themed this year, and featured quite a few of our COM Ambassadors.  Big shout out to Claudia for shooting that video and putting it together!  It was a lot of fun and got a lot of laughs from the audience, and will be online sometime in the next few weeks, so if you want to see it, keep an eye on the COM Ambassador twitter!  The video serves as an introduction to all of our COM Ambassadors, who come rushing down the isles an not the stage, where they tell us a bit about who they are.

We then broke into the three different departmental presentations- Journalism, Mass Communication+Advertising+Public Relations (I like to call it MAPs), and Film and Television.  These are always a lot of fun, and this was my first time attending the MAPs presentation, and it was very cool learning a bit more about their programs since I’ve ever heard Film and Television presentations before. Though I did miss sitting in on the FTV presentation and seeing all of the cool stuff they show, I think all of the departments do a fantastic job of explaining just what it is that they offer the students.

After the presentations we break down into the student and parents lunches.  Its a great chance for students or parents to get to know each other as well as the ambassadors.  Its a lot of fun for us to be able to sit down with prospective students and tell them about all of the experiences we have had here in COM.

Next is one of my favorite parts of the day: The student panel.  This year we had five students who sat down with us to answer all of the questions that students and parents had to offer.  There was a great variety on the panel this year: two seniors, a junior, a sophomore, and a freshman expanding across the various majors that we offer here in COM.  It is a great opportunity for students to find out about life here at BU from the perspective of current students.

We end the day with tours of the College of Communication, where all of the prospective students are able to tour the school with our COM ambassadors, which is yet another great way for them to see some of the great things that COM has to offer.  They get see the wonderful resources we offer such as Undergraduate Affairs and the Career Development center, as well as some very cool places in COM like the BUTV10 studios.

I would like to end this post by congratulating all of the students accepted into the BU Class of 2020, and if you aren't able to make Open House and have any questions at all about BU/COM, please feel free to tweet me @kreagsheehan or email me at kreags@bu.edu!

Stacy: ~My Life Changing ‘Walking Down Comm Ave’ Playlist ~

My playlist filled with 70s, 80s and more will change any day into a better one. Bad weather? Check. Got a bad grade? No problem. In a fight with a friend? You won't remember after listening to these songs in this specific order.
 Enjoy, it's my gift you:
Everyday People - Sly & The Family Stone
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me - Billy Joel
Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns and Roses
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!
September - Earth, Wind and Fire
Hold On - Wilson Phillips
December 1963 (Oh What A Night) - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles
Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
(Add these if you're feeling extra dramatic):
 
 
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths
Africa - Toto
Careless Whisper - George Michael
Your Song - Elton John
Heroes - David Bowie
Add these if you want to embarrass yourself by dancing in public: 
 
 
Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol
I've Had the Time of My Life - Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes
The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
Flashdance... What A Feeling - Irene Cara
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
You Make My Dreams - Daryl Hall & John Oates
Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis & The News
I promise by the time you walk into work or class... you'll feel like a champion. Because you are one.

Zach: Fight the Zzzzzz with Zach

How to get your sleep cycle back on track when college robs it from you!

I, along with many of your COM Ambassadors, am a very busy person. Recently, I was a part of Liquid Fun’s 24 Hour Comedy Marathon which tested my limits as a tired person. It inspired me to share how I get by without my hair falling out at BU.

1: You Don’t need Netflix.

I am a TV major, I love TV. I may be coming from a different place because I talk about TV in most of my classes so I’m not lacking exposure, but I have stopped watching TV. Yes, when I get time to breathe and relax on weekends I will try to watch an episode. But I know some people who watch Netflix every night before bed, my thoughts to them are: STOP! Rachel and Ross will ALWAYS end up together no matter how many episodes you binge at 3:00AM! You have work to do! Go to bed!

2: Set a Bedtime

The latest I will ever do work (except for finals week) is 1:00AM, most nights that is 12:00AM. There is this miraculous thing called the human spirit that will allow you to get your homework done. I promise, also if you set a bedtime, you are much more likely to get it done. You’ll spend less time on Facebook and more time on your essay. Then whether or not you finish, you are in bed at a decent hour.

3: Download “SelfControl”

It’s an app that blocks distracting websites. It’s easy, it helps you get things done.

4: Take Naps

This is a harder one for me since I no longer live in Warren and can nap for 15 minutes with only a 5 minute commute, however, naps are VERY important. It is a better way to spend your time than gabbing in the GSU for five hours, no matter how tempting that can be.

5: Newbury Can Wait

You probably don’t even have enough money to be shopping on Newbury anyway. Brunch can happen with your parents. Take that time on Saturday to get some rest for the upcoming week that will probably be somehow busier than the last.

6: STARBUCKS

You know what to do: refer to my blog post ranking the different Starbucks locations on campus.

Kate: COM Classes to take before you graduate

As Fall 2016 class registration rounds the corner (for those of you not graduating #blessed), many COM students turn to friends and older classmates to ask what classes to take and which professors to take it with. Here's a round up of some favorite COM classes, from a graduating senior (me!).

Media Relations (CM441): I took this class in the spring of my junior year with Professor Joseph. It was one of the first classes I had taken in PR after CM301 (Intro to PR) so I was really going in blind to what media relations meant in the PR industry. I learned so much about the variety of PR tactics such as news conferences, feature placements, special events and media tours. We examined famous PR campaigns that portrayed effective and ineffective media relations. For one project, we had to actually pitch to a real-life reporter which was a first for many of my classmates (including me). For another project, we held a fake press conference for a client of our choosing who was announcing a new product/service for the company and were taught how to stay on message and navigate tough questions. This class really taught the basics of media relations and made the PR professional role more approachable.

Design/New Media (CM323): I took this class, with Professor Walsh in the fall of my senior year, because I had no graphic design knowledge and knew college may be my only time to sharpen my skill set before entering the PR industry. Prof Walsh also teaches in CFA so it was really cool to experience her artistic expertise in a COM setting. The entire class was based on 4 projects that introduced and refined our skills in Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. These projects included a creative lyrical piece, a candy advertisement, a brand logo creation, and a music launch campaign. We also learned how to talk about graphic design and notice it in the world around us. Although the class was challenging because I am the opposite of artistic, I left the semester feeling confident in my beginner skills in the 3 graphic design platforms. To learn more about Professor Walsh, check out her BU website.

Crisis Communication (CM522): I took Crisis Comms in the fall of my senior year with Professor Joseph. In this class we learned about the stages of prevention and response for corporate crisis. We examined real crises that companies were facing in real-time during our class (think Chipotle and Volks Wagon) and wrote a crisis communication plan on a company of our choice. We learned how to address media in a press conference post-corporate crisis. We also analyzed how social media impacts corporate crises. This is a very interesting and fun class for those who like to problem solve and strategically think through issues a brand is facing.

PRLab (CM473): I took PRLab with Professors Shanler and Joseph in the spring of my senior year. I loved it so much that I wish I had taken it sooner! PRLab is the nation's oldest student run PR agency and allows students to gain valuable industry experience in an agency style setting. There is a diverse array of clients so some students may work in the corporate, non-profit or governmental sector. The class is set up as an agency would with account executives, supervisors, directors and agency presidents. Students enrolled in the class as account executives gain experience in media relations, event planning, branding, copy editing, content creation and social media management. They also make a professional portfolio that they can show off at interviews! Students can also enroll in CM475 which is the PRLab executive board. These roles vary but students serve as high-level resources and strategic managers for account teams. For more info, check out the website!

Angeli: COM, I’m home

Around this time last year I was a nervous wreck.

The Catholic high school I attended was relatively small, with only 370 students in my graduating class. Not only did everyone know each other, but everyone knew each other’s personal business and college decisions were no exception. I was never one to advertise my accomplishments, but that definitely didn’t prevent my acceptances from becoming public knowledge, too. As May approached, teachers and peers alike were all too frequently giving me opinions I didn’t ask for. When I first got the Trustee Scholarship from BU, the general consensus was that I’d be a fool to turn down a full-ride, especially to an out-of-state school (95% of my classmates stayed in Florida.) By the start of April, though, everyone was pushing me to say yes to an Ivy.

While I appreciated the support and concern, I knew the decision was one only I could make. I narrowed my top choices down to BU and UPenn, whose Open House days happened to be the same weekend, and planned a trip with my mom and sister.

First stop: Beantown.

I remember landing in Logan Airport and feeling an odd sense of comfort, as if I’d made the trip so many times before. It had actually been about a year since my last

(and first) visit to Boston, when I came to BU for a two-week journalism program. I honestly never expected to be back on this campus.

That Friday, I attended an event for Trustee recipients. Meeting both the upperclassmen and prospective scholars like myself was an eye-opening experience. I realized that BU is truly composed of an international community of students with all kinds of interests. After hearing what some of the other Trustees were studying or had done in high school, part of me even felt unworthy of being one of them.

It wasn’t until the next day, however, when I attended COM Open House, that I realized maybe I could pass as a Terrier. As I sat in Tsai auditorium that morning and listened to all the COM Ambassadors introduce themselves on stage, I realized they were the kinds of students I both wanted to be and wanted to be surrounded by. All of them appeared so confident, passionate, and charismatic. Moreover, it seemed as if COM had helped all of them solidify what they wanted to do in the future, something I had struggled to determine while filling out my college apps. When we walked to the next presentation, my mom and sister agreed that they could see me as a CA one day. As much as I hoped they were right, I really never thought they would be.

It’s therefore crazy to me that in a few days I’ll be introducing myself on the Tsai stage. And that I’ll be answering questions about COM rather than asking them. And that I interned for Claudia’s show on WTBU last semester when she was the one who first showed me the station at Open House. And that L.E. and I give tours together each week when I chose her to be my CA last semester because I remembered her saying she was from Florida at Open House. AND THAT I’M A COM AMBASSADOR AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY.

All because last April my very perplexed, senior-in-high-school self decided to attend COM Open House. If that’s not the greatest decision I’ve ever made, then cancelling my trip to UPenn the next day is.

(My mom may or may not have forced me to take this, okay?)

Kaley: Where to Save and Splurge in Boston

In high school I would slave away at one summer job or another. I twisted fro-yo, consoled crying kids at arts camp, and made bank as a nanny. Seventeen years old and I had a lot of purchasing power, which I more than happily exercised. Every spontaneous online purchase, though, was met with the same chagrin from my mom. "You'll want that money in Boston," she'd say. In what may come as a surprise to no one -it definitely has stopped surprising me -she was right. While there are a lot of creative ways to save in Boston, there are also tons of tempting ways to splurge. Here's a definitive list of the best of each:

Top of the Hub: SPLURGE. Located on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower, this restaurant is basically a must at some point during your BU career. Entrees are not cheap and there’s a strict no-jeans rule, but for a 360-degree view of Boston from the sky, it’s worth it. Start saving those summer job tips for this one.

Movies: SAVE. There is hardly ever a reason to cough up $15 for a movie on the Boston big screens. Instead, keep your eyes peeled for a plethora of freebie movie deals. I interned for Allied International Marketing last summer, and we would send out free movie tickets weekly. My friend (and fellow CA) Joe scored us tickets to see Trainwreck a month before it premiered, and we were pleasantly shocked when Amy Schumer herself walked out to introduce the film.

The Paint Bar: SPLURGE. At $35 per class, this can be pricey for a random afternoon activity. However, you definitely get what you pay for. Not only does the Paint Bar staff provide you with a canvas, paint, and thorough instruction, it also fills about 2.5 hours of your time with relaxing music, good conversation, and in the end, a new piece of art. And don’t let the name fool you —I’ve been there four times without ever taking advantage of the “bar” aspect.

Your Coffee Habit: SAVE. Yes, there are three Starbucks on BU’s 1-mile-long campus. And yes, Boston in general is laden with fancy, one-of-a-kind coffee shops. But those shops are expensive, and that Starbucks habit is going to add up. My advice? Invest in a Keurig during your pre-college Bed Bath and Beyond trip. The $4 you save on every coffee will pay off. Skip 9 Starbucks coffees, and you’ll have enough for one Paint Bar visit.

Study Abroad: SPLURGE. Okay, so technically this is not something you’ll spend money on in Boston. But it is an opportunity that BU affords you, and, ironically, it’s not the most affordable adventure you’ll ever embark on. Several of my friends are abroad right now, and after working hard to fill their savings account, they’ve been able to travel all across Europe, funding flights to Rome, Barcelona, Budapest. Personally, I’m saving for the study abroad program in London this summer. The visa alone put me back $500, and flights will be another $1000, but seeing the world? That’ll be priceless.

Transportation: SAVE. Uber and Lift have a huge presence in Boston, and the T runs very conveniently down the center of BU’s campus. Even those $2.60 rides add up, though, and I can’t stress enough how beneficial walking has been during my time at BU. Not only is it free, but it also gives you time to clear your head and get some fresh air (you might even stretch the mile-long walk to count as your daily exercise… I know I have). Transportation is one of those little expenses that can make a big difference. Always opt for the cheaper alternative.

There are so many fun opportunities in Boston, whether you decide to dip into your savings or not. Regardless, though, heed the advice your mom is inevitably giving you during your summer job, and save some of those paychecks for semesters in Boston.