COM Ambassador Blog

Jimmy: Not So Spooky Halloween Movies!

Halloweekend is coming up soon. And for most people. it’s a time for the spooky and the scary. However, if you’re a Halloweenie like myself and need a from horror films, check out these non-scary seasonal movies!

Shaun of the Dead

Carefully calculated and choreographed comedy though the lens of a buddy comedy gone zombie apocalypse. This is an extremely rewatchable movie. Simon Pegg and Nicholas Frost have great chemistry as apathetic, loveable buds, who at the end of the day, just want to “go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over…” Which is a bit difficult when “this” is a plague of the living dead among their friends and family. Edgar Wright is probably the most skilled modern day comedy director and his first work might be one of his best.

Hocus Pocus

There’s a secret society of people who hold this movie close to their heart. “Hocus Pocus” kids are an underrepresented group. I think we’re all still a little bit shocked as to why Bette Middler is in this and why she works so well. The “I Put a Spell On You” sequence is mindblowing.

An American Werewolf in London

I got to see a midnight showing of this at Coolidge Corner this past weekend. It had super great energy and the audience went crazy for it. Directed by Animal House Director John Landis, the movie takes the tropes of the werewolf genre and turns turns the camp up to 10. A The comic direction is very keen and Landis has an eye for visual comedy (Edgar Wright cites this movie as one of his biggest inspirations!)

DISCLAIMER: This may actually be a LITTLE scary for some people. It wasn’t for me. But it’s important and very good so your inner film major should suck it up give it two thumbs up through the tears.

Labyrinth

This is not a good movie. THIS IS NOT A GOOD MOVIE. But it’s a joyride of awful line readings, overacting and a labyrinthine plot to rescue a baby brother. The Jim Henson puppets and production design is incredible. David Bowie’s “Magic Dance” makes me cringe. I think we should all take a moment and give thanks for the fact that the trope of dancing animals in kid’s movies is far less creepy than dancing David Bowie in tight pants in kids movies.

Beetlejuice

BEETLEJUICE is a blockbuster classic about a newlywed couple who accidentally dies and is forced to spook an intruding family out of their own house. Fun fact, the male lead is the principal from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! The titular character, BEETLEJUICE, is a scoundrel of a ghoul played by Michael Keaton (a less mopey Birdman). What happens when you say his name three times? I guess you’ll just have to watch BEETLEJUICE to fi–

Troll 2

Supposedly one of the worst movies ever made. I think it’s a gem. It’s hard to believe someone took this project seriously and thought it could ever be a compelling family scary movie. Travel to the mystical world of Nilbog, with a witch who can turn people into vegetables, goblins who thrive off green vegetable goo, and a middle class family just trying to have a fun weekend together.. It’s pretty weird. Highlights include when the writers decided the line, “You can’t pee on hospitality! I won’t allow it!” could pass as realistic dialogue.

The Nighmare Before Christmas

Full disclosure: as a kid, this one scared me too. But now I’ve grown into it. One of the few holiday movies that can double as another holiday movie.

THIS IS HALLOWEEN

HALLOWEEN

That is all.

Halloweentown

To be completely honest, I haven’t watched this movie in years. This movie helped Disney Channel Original Movie writers create a “Mad Libs” script for movies about kids discovering a supernatural ability (@ The Thirteenth Year, Luck of the Irish, Twitches [WHICH ALSO IS ABOUT A GIRL DISCOVERING WITCH POWERS!!!], . But I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently. The scene with a skeleton taxi driver turning around and speaking to a group of frightened children is iconic. I bet that it would’ve been an Uber driver if the movie was made today…

Rachel: 10 Things I Wish I Knew before Studying Abroad in London

When I first left for London, all the changes I considered were big picture: flight, suitcases, shoes. I failed to realize that there are a lot of small things you figure out when you get here that you aren't expecting. I figured I would let you in on what I've learned so far.

1. The shows on Netflix are different here!

When you go abroad, you hook up to the internet abroad, and if you're in London, that means no Hulu, no CBS (I missed the last three weeks of Big Brother and was devastated) and no binge watching the Netflix shows you started at home. It also means when you google, you're automatically brought to UK sites, which can be pretty helpful when you search "sandwiches near me."

2. Fall, or rather Autumn, is different

I didn't realize how much I would miss fall back in Boston. People don't understand what apple picking is here. I literally had to explain the concept of it to one of my professors. Also, the leaves don't change colors as vibrantly in London and people don't really seem that into pumpkins, either. They still have PSLs, for all the fanatics out there, so you won't miss out on fall flavors.

3. You can't redeem your Starbucks Rewards, but you can still use your app to pay

I was pumped when I found out I could use my Starbucks app hooked up to my home card without being charged international fees. I figured that meant more stars for me because one pound is $1.30, which would mean more rewards for me. Turns out, it just meant more stars for me. You can still redeem stars when you use your US Starbucks account to buy drinks, but you can't redeem your free drinks because the rewards are technically US rewards. Bummer, but I still need my GTL, and the wifi is still free. Also, big plus, there is no extra charge for soy milk here, woot!

4. BU's Abroad Program is open to more than just BU students

For some reason, I thought I would recognize everyone when I got to London. Yeah, BU is a big school, but you tend to see a lot of familiar faces around campus. When I got here, though, I realized that the majority of people I was meeting and befriending went to other Universities. I've met people from Villanova, American University, Yale, the University of San Fransisco, and so many more all here with the BU program and living in my building!

5. Food expires super fast in London (They also don't refrigerate their eggs???)

There are four grocery stores near the BU buildings that people will usually shop at: Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose and Whole Foods. Sainsbury's is the most reasonably priced for the most options, but Waitrose sometimes has good deals and is on the way home from class. All of them except Whole Foods charge for plastic bags, so I would recommend reusable. Most importantly though, all of them are fairly confusing to navigate. They organize the stores strangely here, and even more odd, they don't refrigerate their eggs! I was so confused when I found the eggs next to the spices the first time I went grocery shopping. The food also expires within a week, so you have to make time to shop every single week. The vegetables get these weird bubbles on them, so be wary.

6. It gets real cold real fast

I'm dumb and only brought a raincoat to London. I figured a winter coat would be too bulky, and I could just layer. I also brought as many pairs of shorts as I did sweaters. I am telling you now, don't do what I did. Bring long sleeved shirts, cardigans, scarves and other clothes you can layer because you'll have days where it is nice and sunny and all you need is a long sleeve and other days where it is pouring and freezing. Also, please, bring a winter coat. I have been trying to survive in my rain coat, but I know I'm going to cave sooner or later because it is frigid.

7. Use 3 for your phone plan (Yes, that is the name of the company)

So many people have been having issues with their phone while in London, myself included. We all compared phone plans and discovered that the company "3" is the best deal. It's £20 a month and you can use your data internationally. That means if you travel at all you will be able to use google maps without having to pay extra. Trust me, it is a life saver. The last thing you want is to be lost in Paris with no way of using your phone. The shop is located on High Street Kensington, so you can walk to it if you have any issues.

8. The Tube isn't your only option for transportation

The tube is magical and easy to navigate and so clean you won't want to travel any other way, BUT it doesn't offer much for late night services. It's also not the cheapest or always the most direct option. The buses run 24 hours, are cheaper than the tube and can bring you closer to some locations. If you opt for Uber, remember that you get charged international fees if you have your homeward hooked up to the app. Also, if you want to venture outside of London, the regular public transport can't take you there, so you have to use the national rail services. When you can, buy those train tickets online at trainline.com. It will actually save you £15+ in comparison to buying the tickets at the station.

9. The water out of the faucet gets real hot real fast

Okay, so there is this tiny little caution sign by some of the sinks about hot water, and I am telling you TAKE THAT SIGN SERIOUSLY. The water is actually scalding if you turn on just the hot water. The first time I showered, I couldn't figure out how the water worked and practically burned my skin off (You turn the circle piece in the middle to change the temp). On the bright side, you don't necessarily have to boil water for tea. You can just get it right out of the faucet! Also, while we are on the subject of water, the toilets don't flush super well, so you either half to hold down the button (yes, button) or press the bigger button of the two (yes, two buttons) to get it to flush.

10. People are super into dogs in London

People seem to value their pups more than their kids here. Dogs are allowed in pretty much every establishment and are always out and about. They're also super well trained and proper, and you'll see them walking without leashes. Vets even make more money than human doctors! The one downside is, because most people are super into their dogs, they're also super protective of them, which means fewer pets for the dogless (aka me). Now, I have to really analyze owners to see whether they seem like the type to let a strange American pet their dog.

Megan: Get Fit for the Small Price of Your College Tuition

As a college student with a tiny income, I really want to do things that are free. Also as a college student, I don’t go to the gym half as much as I should, but who really has time?

BU actually has a free way to force you to go to the gym! Yep, I’m talking about PDP’s.

PDP’s are free sports and fitness classes, offered through BU’s very own Fit Rec, that are actually super fun. There are so many class options available to us as students, and we don’t have to pay a cent to take most of them. The classes are pass/fail, and to pass you just have to show up most of the time. Plus, there are often make-up classes or other sections to go to so there isn’t a big F on your transcript. That means they’re super flexible when you get sick or have a really stressful week.

I’ve taken three PDP’s:

Golf: This class is seriously fun. You meet in the Track and Tennis Center past the West Dorms and hit golf balls around once a week for an hour. I learned how to successfully chip a golf ball in certain directions (and into a small basket, but I won’t brag about that), and how to drive a ball really far! A lot of grad students in Questrom were in my class so that they could golf with their future bosses one day, which I thought was hysterical.
Beginners Swim: My two roommates and I took this class last semester, and twice a week we got to suit up and swim around in both of the pools in Fit Rec. Growing up I was a part of my neighborhood swim team, but I actually learned two new strokes specific to saving other people or yourself in the water through this class! I also got to jump off the diving board, which is just super fun.
Beginners Ballet: The PDP I’m currently taking, and it is probably my favorite one so far. We meet for an hour and a half twice a week with the funniest ballet teacher I’ve ever had. We go from stretching and lying down on the floor to plies at the barre to leaps across the floor!

Taking Beginner PDP classes are great because you are never expected to have any prior experience with the sport. Plus there are so many different kinds of classes you can take, from sailing to boxing to nutrition to even rock wall climbing. And, if I want to I can take upper level swimming or dance classes with the experience I’ve gained.

You can take these classes either on your own or with friends and still have a fantastic time. I loved my golf class even though I didn’t know a single person in the class, but its also so much fun to swim or dance with your friends, and work together to improve!

Another interesting thing about PDP’s is that they’re all offered for different amounts of time: since my golf PDP was only once a week for an hour, I added the swimming class too and still had plenty of time to do all of my work.

I would HIGHLY recommend taking at least one PDP during your time here. Pick one that interests you and fits in your schedule, and go for it. If you don’t like it, you can always drop them (but I can pretty much guarantee you’ll have a great time). Maybe I’ll even see you in my pilates class next semester. Good luck, and exercise on!

Tyler: Boston, According to Television

Boston is portrayed in so many ways through television. Nothing truly captures the full essence of this city, but here are some fun shows set in Boston that you can watch, anyway:

1 - Chasing Life: April Carver is an aspiring journalist, working her way up the ladder at The Boston Post; however, her life is turned upside-down when she is diagnosed with leukemia.

So this show is pretty bad, in my opinion. It only lasted for two seasons, and the plot is fairly basic. They didn’t fact-check well, so often there are some awkward sequences that don’t make sense. In the series’ opening scene, April is running to the Children’s Hospital (near the Fens) to interview a celebrity sports player, but she runs from Beacon Hill, through the Common, through Government Center, to the Waterfront. My first thought was, “you’re going the wrong way?” Simple misdirections like this and inaccurate Boston references were enough to keep me going, though. Oh, ABC Family, thanks for the laughs.

2 - Suite Life of Zack and Cody: Zack and Cody are twin teenaged-boys living in Boston’s luxury Tipton Hotel, and the series is all about their shenanigans.

Let’s throw it back to our childhood! Who can forget about the magical moments of London learning how to use a gearshift (“Do you mean the prindle?”), the haunted Suite 613, and That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana? And the best part: if you think about it, Suite Life takes place in OUR neighborhood. The Tipton Hotel was supposed to be right next to Fenway Park… Anyone up for a trip to Hotel Commonwealth?

3 - Falling Skies: Following a worldwide alien invasion, the newly-formed Second Massachusetts Regiment tries to take down their new enemy and reform the country they once called home.

This was a lesser-known series produced by Steven Spielberg that started very strong and died off. During its first season, it was ranked high with other newcomers like American Horror Story, which eventually surpassed it. Lucky enough for you, the first season takes place in Boston! The protagonist, Tom Mason, is especially cool since he was a BU history professor before the invasion. I won’t spoil any more for you, though.

4 - Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: On her 16th birthday, Sabrina Spellman goes from being a typical teen to a witch! Now she must balance her social life with her newfound magical powers.

Back to childhood once more! The more popular, early seasons take place in a small town outside of the Boston, but Sabrina spends her later years going to school and working in the big city! It probably has similar inaccuracies to Chasing Life, but who cares? I’ll watch it for the nostalgia. Also… Can we note how Sabrina went to school for journalism and DIDN’T consider BU? Yikes.

5 - Cheers: Former Red Sox pitcher Sam Malone turns to running a bar for a career, and the series focuses around his, his workers, and bar regulars’ lives.

This series embodies Boston’s pride and joy. Almost the entire series takes place in the bar, so you don’t see much of Boston, but the show is iconic. Winning countless awards, this series was the Friends before Friends, sprung the hit spinoff Frasier, and created the memorable Diane Chambers (a fictional BU grad. student!) and Sam Malone love story. Please watch it.

And although I haven’t watched it yet, I’m going to give a shout out to American Gothic. It just aired this summer on CBS, so it’s on my list. It was also created by a BU COM alum, so definite brownie points. And NBC’s Smash has a small stint in Boston during season one. This is a horrible show about Broadway that is still 100% worth the watch.

There we have it, folks! Get crackin’!

Katie: Taking Chances with New Opportunities

When I was a freshman in college, I was an English major working toward a minor in musical theatre. I wanted nothing more than to stay involved in the performing arts, something that had been the cornerstone of my life since middle school. Soon, though, I realized that while I loved performing, a strict musical theatre program was not going to be what I had anticipated. I then re-did the dreaded common application, transferred to BU, and began my communication major.

Fast forward to sophomore year. What career path could I chose that would combine my love of theatre and my writing skills? Well, PR seemed like the best choice—I'd get to work in the entertainment industry while using my writing and communication skills. Most importantly, I told myself I wouldn't think about taking a job outside of the theatre, film, TV, or general entertainment industry. I interned with a Broadway PR agency in New York City, I had an amazing time, and I thought I would never, ever want to do anything else.

Now, as a senior at BU, I've had the opportunity to intern at a boutique public relations agency in Downtown Boston. Instead of working in the entertainment industry, I've been assigned to home, design, and health clients. I work with insurance agencies and air purifiers—two subjects I would've never deemed interesting. However, at this internship I am getting more hands on experience than I ever have before. I am doing all of the tasks an entry-level PR practitioner would be doing, such as pitching, handling influencer relations, and working with clients directly, while I'm still a student. It's easily one of the best experiences I've had while attending BU—and it's all because I stepped outside of my entertainment comfort zone and applied to this internship on a whim. I chose PR as a way to stay involved in the arts, but now I've found I just love the practice of public relations itself, no matter the client.

The lesson I've learned from all of this? Never underestimate the chance to learn something new or to create new opportunities for yourself. Take risks and venture outside of your chosen focus—you may find yourself in a position that you love!

Hanna: Listen to WTBU’s Hottest Radio Show: The BUchelorette!

I love talking about relationships, but I don’t always get the chance without sounding like a love-crazy dream girl. Most of us like to dish about the romance lives of ourselves and others, but while the topic is universal, sometimes it's a hard conversation to start. What if you are talking to someone with a different sexuality than you and you’re not sure if your questions would be insulting? What if your idea of a good partner completely clashes with everything your friend is saying about theirs? Or what if you want to talk to your partner about something a little taboo (cough, sex, cough) but you just don’t know how to bring it up?

As a college student, I’ve faced all of these scenarios and more. While I’ve wanted conversations about love to continue (they tend to give me a guilty-pleasure feeling), they’ve often been cut short out of caution against awkwardness or personal disclosure.

Luckily, my friend Sarah Sosland felt the same. Sarah recognized how much people learn about themselves and others when discussing relationships, as well as how much fun they had while doing so. A member of improv group Liquid Fun as well as two student theatre groups, BU On Broadway and Stage Troupe, Sarah wanted to find a way to combine comedy and entertainment with topics of love and sex. Sure, relationships are pivotal to most entertainment arenas, but personal reflections about our own perception and understanding of love is much less common.

Thus The BUchelorette was born! COM’s radio station, WTBU, made room for Sarah’s radio show on Monday nights at midnight (ok, it's technically on Tuesdays). Sarah’s show began with a matchmaking goal – she wanted to feature single contestants (a BUchelor or BUchelorette) and present them an array of potential partners. Through radio games based on that contestant’s likes and dislikes, the contestant, who remains blindfolded until the end, would choose a winner. The prize? One first date, paid for by Sarah herself.

The BUchelorette then evolved into an additional round table, which Sarah likes to call “the pound table.” The show is “sex positive,” meaning that it treats all healthy and consensual sex as a positive thing. However, Sarah’s show is unique in that it opens itself to all romantic and sexual opinions. Discussion panels have been increasingly diverse thus far, with perspectives from people with wide ranges of experience, relationship backgrounds, and thoughts about all things love.

Each week, the pound table features new guests and focuses on a different topic. The first episode, called “Worst Firsts,” centered around stories of first times that went terribly. The “first times” could be anything, from a first kiss, a first date, a first experience with something new, or even just a first celebrity crush.

Another episode focused on crushes, how people respond to them, and how personal crush stories have played out. Another aired on National Coming Out Day and featured stories about, yes, “coming out,” and living as someone of non-straight sexuality.

My favorite thing about the show is not that it's hilarious. It’s not that it teaches me about relationships in this society and it’s not that it introduces me to many different types of people. All of those things ring true, but my favorite thing about the show is the way I’ve responded when it ends at 2AM. The BUchelorette has led to so many great conversations with my own partner that have made significantly positive impacts on our relationship. I’ve spoken with friends who also tune in, and we’ve explored ideas and topics that we probably should have talked about sooner. Sarah may not have expected her fun dating show to provide an outlet for people to express an important part of their lives in such a healthy way, but that is exactly what she's doing each week.

Oh, and her first attempt at the BUchelorette game? The couple is still dating four weeks later. If you’re single and searching, you should probably give Sarah a call.

Check out The BUchelorette on their Facebook page and message them if you’d like to be part of the show. You can listen to past episodes here: http://spinitron.com/radio/playlist.php?station=wtbu&showid=2753 and you can tune in live at WTBURadio.org on Monday nights!

Kaley: When Life Happens in the Right Place

On April 28, 2013, my dad dragged me to BU Accepted Students’ day. I had no desire to go, except for, maybe, the free bacon. As I sleepily grumbled in the passenger seat, Dad reassured me that there was no pressure. I didn’t have to like BU. I just had to give it a chance.

Boston always seemed like an inferior sister city to New York. Quieter, duller, older. I was dead set against the cliché college town. There was nothing there for me.

Mapquested directions had us turn down Bay State. A newly-bloomed tree-canopy fell over the car, and my eyes were pulled towards the intricacies of the brownstones. The Charles glimmered from between side-streets. I was hyper-aware of the way my heart was softening. So I did what any COM-destined kid would do, and tweeted about it.

“Kinda falling in love with Boston.”

I wanted to dig my heels in to the cobblestones and march right back through my house and into New York. I really did. But Dad made me stay for the bacon, then past the bacon, and then the BU in LA Internship program presented, and all of the sudden I wanted to stay on my own.

The two-hour drive home was a completely different hue than the one there. Dad and I buzzed with ideas and opportunities and possibilities. No school had a program like BU’s LA semester. At no other college could you spend most of undergrad in America’s oldest city, and then finish your last year in one of our newest. No one else was as established on both coasts. Boston felt right. And the sunshine state at the end of the tunnel felt even more right.

My three years in Boston were bolstered by world series wins and marred by 8-foot snowbanks. Life happened. Most of the time for better, sometimes for worse. And then I made it to the City of Angels.

I woke up for work today looking at a hazy skyline with the Pacific Ocean sprawled behind it. I got in my little red rental car, blasted this new song by the Chainsmokers called “Closer” (don’t know if you’ve heard of it), and eventually screeched into the NBC Universal lot. Up the parking garage I climbed, passing spots reserved for everyone from the executive producers of The Voice to the costuming department for This is Us. I smiled to myself as I parked in an unmarked spot with a view of Harry Potter World, and then trounced through stages where beautiful creative things were happening on the way to my office. Tomorrow I’ll do the same at Warner Brothers, when I pass the Pretty Little Liars set on my way to offer Conan O’Brian cheese plates in his green room.

Born and raised on the East coast, I left everything when I made my first trip West. There are moments – when I’m exhausted from interning 40 hours a week and having class until 10 pm, when 3000-mile stretch marks devastate relationships, when I really just need to hug my mom – there are moments when I question whether I made the right decision. Because, for better and for worse, life is happening.

But since April 28, 2013, I’ve learned that as long as you put yourself in the right place, life will happen as it should.

Esra: Apartment Hack: Easy Kale Chips Recipe

Being self sufficient can be hard -- especially learning to not rely on the dining hall. Here's an easy and healthy snack recipe you can make in your apartment!

This recipe is super simple and one of my go-to’s when I’m craving a salty snack.

What you’ll need:

○ Kale

○ Olive oil

○ Salt

○ Nutritional yeast

The reason I haven’t included measurements is because it’s completely customizable (in a way you can’t really mess up, so those of you who panic without exact measurements, I promise it’ll be fine).

Preheat your oven to 350°F
Wash, de-stem, and cut/rip your kale into small pieces
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Spread kale on parchment paper
- Tip: make sure it’s not piled on top of each other too much or it won’t get as crispy (for example, the batch I photographed could have been spread out more, but I wanted to use up all the kale I had left)
Lightly drizzle kale with olive oil
Salt and nutritional yeast to taste (this is what will give it the cheesy flavor — personally I opt for a bit less salt and a whole lot of nutritional yeast)
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crispy

Kreag: Why The COM Foundation Requirements Are Great (Even If They Seem Scary)

In his most recent blog post, CA Zach talked a bit about the CAS Focus that all COM students must complete and the ways in which you can work it into your major. That got me thinking a lot about the upcoming Spring semester scheduling as well as one of the biggest concerns potential students always seem to have: our liberal arts foundation requirements, AKA the COM Foundation Requirements.

As an employee of COM Undergraduate Affairs, I constantly speak with prospective students about he various classes they would need to take as a student here. Something that always seems to concern or at least surprise people is the inclusion of the COM Foundation Requirements, previously known as our Freshman/Sophomore Foundation Requirements. Often times people seem to worry about fitting these classes into their future schedules or finding classes that will interest them. Whenever this seems to be a potential students concern, I love to tell them about the endless opportunities that the College of Arts and Sciences provide us in order to fulfill these requirements.

So, if you are looking at BU and you’re concerned about what you’ll have to take a student here, listen up! You have so many choices over in CAS. As a Film student, I was very stressed at the idea of having to take Humanities, History, Philosophy, etc classes. However, once I actually looked at the extensive list of the classes offered, I discovered just how many options I had. I took a Film and Philosophy class my first semester here, something that ended up being one of my favorite classes, and guess what? There goes my philosophy foundation requirement, completed! I know quite a few people taking a class called Politics of The Wire right now that counts as a Political Science class. Honestly, any class that lets me watch TV as homework is okay in my book. And for all you Journalism majors, there is a huge selection of history classes, many of which cover topics relevant to journalism and its history.

But you know what else is cool about the Foundation Requirements? The classes you take don’t HAVE be relevant to your major. As much fun as it is to take a Film Anthropology class, it can also be very cool to take a basic archeology course, or learn about the potential for life on other planets in an Astronomy class. I think one of the greatest strengths of COM’s liberal arts requirements is that it really forces us to explore other topics, things we might not ever have had an interest in. I know I discovered a love for anthropology because I had to take a social science class, and now I’ve taken that interest and made it into my CAS Concentration (maybe a minor, but that’s still up in the air).

As we approach Spring scheduling (yikes, this semester is really flying by), stay open minded. Find the classes that seem interesting to you, or find a class that covers a topic you’ve always wanted to learn about.

Here are some recommendations for some great liberal arts classes:

AN101: Cultural Anthropology: This class was great. I never expected to find anthropology as engaging as I did. I think what appealed to me most is that much of the course material is old in story form via first hand reports on various cultures, and as a writer, this really connected with me.

Philosophy and Film: This was a great philosophy class, especially for someone without much knowledge on the more “theory” based side of film studies. It was also a great way to pick up some basic terminology and concepts before taking Understanding Film, a required FTV major class.

MA113: Elementary Stats: Okay, math is not my favorite subject. But this class made it bearable. Whenever someone comes to COM Undergrad Affairs to talk about math classes, I always urge people to check out this class. Its simple, especially if math is not your strongest subject, but everything you learn is valuable in real world situations. Plus, you don’t have to use a graphing calculator, which is honestly fantastic. I hate graphing calculators.

Zach: How To Make Your CAS Focus Apply to Your Cool COM Major

So, I’m sure all you freshmen/potential are freaking out about what the CAS focus is? Well, in short, is a series of 3 classes in CAS in any subject. A lot of the time, people turn that into a minor, given that CAS minors are usually 5-6 classes. You really can do anything. It’s really freeing. As free as a COM major can be, being able to pick another subject to delve into a little bit is also cool. I have a love affair with Spanish, and I knew going in to college it would be my minor. However, I did not realize how much it would intertwine with my TV studies.

First, I took classes that interested me and related to my career. So far, I’ve taken a Spanish Through Performance and Theatre, and Spanish Film & Media. Both related, pretty obviously, to my major. In my Spanish theatre class, we would do improv (woohoo!) and write plays in Spanish. They didn’t have to be perfect, but they did help me improve my Spanish a lot. In that class, I got an introduction to Spanish Films. That class was so enjoyable that I then took Spanish Film. We took in depth works that ranged genre’s and also the body of work of Alejandro González Iñárritu. It broadened my understanding of the stories being told and introduced me to a genre I really love: magic realism.

This upcoming semester, I plan on taking the next step. I will be studying abroad in Madrid, and I hope to intern while I’m there. I would love to work on a telenovela or Spanish news broadcast. While I won’t be studying in a COM specific abroad program, I will be applying my Film & TV major abroad. I hope to completely invest myself into watching Spanish television to get an understanding of what people are watching outside the US, and what from the US they are watching.

This blog post tbh is just me geeking out because I love Spanish and I love TV, find a CAS focus that you love, and the connections with your major will follow.