Kreag: Spring Break in New York City

You know what’s scary?  Its almost spring break.  I remember just weeks ago I felt like this semester was going soooooo slowly, and yet suddenly, here we are, less than two weeks away from a week of freedom.  I know that we have to survive midterms first, which are going to be a pain, but the hours and hours of studying will pay off once we begin our class-free week (and hopefully get some A’s on our midterms).

This year I decided my spring break was going to be exciting.  Last year I literally did nothing for spring break.  I went home, but my friends back in Agawam all have their Spring Break the week after BU does, so it was basically me sitting alone in my house for seven days.  This year, though, I decided to try something new.  Instead of going home, I’m taking a three day trip to New York City.  For a lot of people this probably isn’t a very exciting event, but as someone who has never been to the city, I am super excited.  In reality, the only city I’ve really ever been to is Boston, and as great as it is here, I am ready to go on an adventure in the Big Apple.

Here is a list of things I am really excited to see/do in New York:

-Rockefeller Plaza- I try and make it a habit to watch the Christmas tree lighting in Rockefeller Plaza live on tv every year, and the plaza always looks beautiful.  I know I won’t be seeing the tree there in March, but maybe I’ll catch a glimpse of Liz Lemon.

-Times Square- The hotel I’m staying at is actually in Times Square, which is super exciting since I’ve always heard that it is an insanely busy place.  Staying there for three days will be a perfect way to experience the life of New York City.

-Walk the High Line.  This is basically an old railroad converted into a linear park.  I’m hoping the weather remains nice enough to take a long walk down it at some point.

-The Statue of Liberty- I don’t know know if I actually want to journey to the top of the statue since I have a terrible fear of heights, but I at least want to catch a glimpse of it.

-Grand Central Station/Take the Subway- I have always wanted to see the inside of Grand Central Station, so this will be the perfect chance to do that!  Also, I’ve heard that the New York subway is much better than the T, so I’m excited to ride it and compare.

There are plenty of other things I’m hoping to do in New York, but these are the real highlights I’m hoping to hit while I’m there.  Hit me up on twitter @kreagsheehan if you have any fun New York City suggestions! 

Zach: REVIEW OF BASHO

I know you’ve all been waiting for what I had to say, and here it is ladies and gentleman, my review of BASHO EXPRESS at 700 Commonwealth.
ORDERING EXPERIENCE: 
It’s the same style as Chipotle. You walk down a line and pick things you want in your bowl/wrap. It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s straightforward. It qualifies as “Express” as expressed in the expression (name).
DESIGN:
Hip! It’s a hip lil place! They have cool lighting fixtures and cool wooden tables! The mirrors are a nice touch so you realize how cool you are as you are eating your food.
MENU:
There are a lot of options! But sometimes too many? I have a conflict of interest with the preselected options (such as Katsu Chicken) and they create your own, I think it would make me feel better if it were JUST create your own but I understand the rationale to pick both. Also it is pretty unclear what costs more and what doesn’t.
Last but not least… THE TASTE:
IT’S SO GOOD!!!!! LIKE OMG!!!!! I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY JUST GO EAT IT!!!!
9/10 POINTS!!!
(it lost points because it smells so much like basho everywhere)

Stacy: A New Perspective

Sometimes life events happen that shift your entire perspective. For me, I just had one of these shifts. I lost one of my best friends from home on Valentine’s Day, and it was, and still is, the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. I never thought I would lose someone so close to me so young. Laura would have been a bridesmaid at my wedding, she would have been an “aunt” to my kids, and she would have been around me my entire life. To not have her anymore is truly devastating.

After Laura’s passing, something changed in me. I really stepped back and looked at my life. Who is important? What matters? From here on out… especially with one year of college to go… I want to focus on what is important. I don’t want to care too much about the little things, worry about the future excessively, or put time and effort into things that aren’t going to amount to things in the future.

Laura was someone who always did what she wanted, and cherished her time with everyone she knew. She was kind to everyone, and always focused on making others happy. She truly fulfilled her purpose in her 20 short years she had on this earth. Her spirit impacted everyone who met her, and she was unlike anyone else I’ve ever met. I’m so lucky to be able to call her a best friend.

My advice for whoever is reading this post: live life. Take life day by day. I know it’s a cliché but it’s so true… life is incredibly short. Find your true friends and treasure them. Don’t hold grudges, don’t have regrets, don’t take anyone in your life for granted, and don’t flake on plans because you want to Netflix and chill. Don’t miss out on opportunities to make memories.

This can also be implemented on a minor scale as well. Eat two dinners in the dining hall if you feel like it, spend less time on homework if it means getting out there and meeting more people and spending valuable time with friends. Be kind to everyone you meet. You may not believe it, but a smile or holding a door for a complete stranger can really make someone’s day. It’s okay to not follow your plan. Stray away from your planner, take chances and follow through on your impulses. Life is too short to not live every day like your last.

So I hope you join me and take my advice. From here on out – treat each day is a treasure. I know I want to fill my last year of college with positive memories and immersing myself in my friendships. I want to live like Laura.

 

 

Kate: Tips and tricks for LinkedIn newbies or veterans

LinkedIn becomes more and more important for young professionals as they continue their college careers. Whether you are a freshman or a senior, its never too early (or late) to build up a professional network through LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great place to maintain connections with previous co-workers and supervisors, keep a list of your involvement and activities, and keep a living resume online. Let's get started with some tips and tricks!

Photo: You definitely need to have a photo, but make sure its appropriate and professional, not a photo from you out a party where you think you "look good." Have a friend with a good camera take some head shots of you against a plain background while wearing business clothes- that'll do the trick until you have the chance to get professional pictures taken. Make student groups in COM offer free LinkedIn head shots at events or meeting so be sure to keep an eye out for those.

URL: Make sure you change your public profile URL to something specific. LinkedIn gives you a generic link that may include your name and a bunch of numbers. Keep it short and sweet (easy to put on resumes and remember). I recommend just using your first name initial and last name.

Connections: Don't just accept anyone and everyone. Who you connect with reflects on you as a professional person. My rule of thumb is to only connect with people who I have already worked with and who would reflect positively on me by association.

Groups/Companies: Join groups and follow companies! Don't join a million but pick companies in your industry that you would like to work for or are interested in learning more about. Groups are great for networking with other students, BU alumni and professionals.

Resume: Upload your resume to LinkedIn. You can keep the document on your page, but you can also mimic the resume with the experience and education sections. I like to keep everything on my LinkedIn (in great detail) and then take that information to tailor resumes to jobs I'm applying for. Some people chose to keep less on their LinkedIn, and thats ok too!

Summary: Update your summary every few months to reflect where you are at in your career or education. If you're looking for a summer internship, be sure to include that. If you're looking for a full time job post-grad, that should definitely be in your summary. Use that to show some personality and a deeper perspective into who you are as a young professional.

Angeli: Undecided and it feels so good

"Why don't we go around the room..."
Oh no.
"And we each say our name..."
Oh okay, I can do that.
"Where we're from..."
Just remember to say "Miami, Florida, not Ohio." Someone always chuckles.
"And of course our major!"
And there it is. Just like that. Just when I thought I could get through a single introduction without the dreaded m-word or even a day without thinking about it, it's crept back into my life. As a second semester freshman, if there's one thing I've already learned at college, it's that you can't meet new people (whether they're peers, professors, fellow party attendees) without discussing degrees. You can't run. You can't hide. Major talk (dun dun dun) is truly everywhere.
And my question is: why?
Maybe I'm naive or I've watched way too many teen movies in my lifetime (...that's definitely true actually), but I've always thought the purpose of college was to discover who you are and what you're good at/passionate about. Apparently, though, we're all supposed to have these things predetermined. Even worse, we're supposed to be able to sum up our talents, interests, and aspirations with a single world, such as "advertising" or "engineering" or "philosophy."
I can't even choose one word to describe the Georgetown cupcake I ate on my nineteenth birthday last week.
I think that's the problem, though. No matter how grown up and mature I like to claim I am, I'm still just a teenager, and society loves to ignore that. At least that's how I like to justify the evidently judgmental expressions I receive whenever I dare say I'm undecided. There just seems to be a social stigma that anyone who's in college without a set plan has a one-way ticket to Loserville. People can't help thinking this way. Our world values structured education too much for them not to.
The funny thing is I also used to pity students in my current position, and I've realized I'm undeclared now because I myself value education so much. When I applied for college last year, I didn't hesitate to check public relations as my intended major. I can't say I was certain PR was the career for me, but I definitely didn't want to be the applicant who didn't know what she wanted to do. Upon starting college, though, I quickly came to realize that the only thing I truly knew I wanted to do was learn. I wanted to learn about communication, to be exact. All of the different possible career paths within this vast field. All of the skill sets needed to follow any one of them. All of the incredible things past COM students have done that I could one day do, too. I also immediately liked the idea of dabbling in other subjects. Jewish Masculinity as the topic of my WR100 course? Sure, don't mind if I do. Why don't I take a political philosophy course and Introduction to Nutrition while I'm at? One of the many beauties of COM is that it's a communication program with an emphasis on liberal arts, so not only can I take various kinds of classes, I'mrequired to. In retrospect, how can an insanely curious, curly-headed girl like myself not be undecided?
I like to compare my relationship with the m-word to that of Harry Potter with the V-word; the more afraid I am about discussing majors the more pressure I feel to choose one and the more said major defines who I am. Despite how scary and nerve-wracking it can be at times, I'm ultimately really excited about the fact that I'm undecided. I have exactly one year until I'm supposed to formally declare, and I know no better way to prepare than to be completely open to all possibilities, as opposed to limiting myself with a single world.
So here it goes.
Major. Major. Major.
Voldemort. Voldemort. Voldemort.

Donald: This Valentine’s Day, Remember to Love Yourself

It's about that time of the semester again. The rush and excitement of a new semester has gone by, the winter has finally started to feel brutal, and midterms, first papers, and group projects are all starting to pile up. In the middle of the stress and chaos of this time of year, it can be hard to remember to practice self-care.
Self-care is the act of taking time out of your day to make sure your physical, mental, and emotional needs are all being taken care of. Although this sounds simple, when we're stressed about classes or extracurriculars or internships, it can be a lot harder to remember to eat a healthy meal or take a study break. In the winter, it can be even harder to remember to self-care because you cannot simply go for a walk to calm down.
Here are a couple of tips that I've found helpful for practicing self-care in the winter:
  • Plan time in your schedule for self-care. I often book myself for hours non-stop during a day and forget to schedule time to decompress, grab a snack, and just mentally prepare for my next task.
  • Pre-plan breaks while studying. I've often get goals for myself such as taking 10 minute breaks after studying for 50 minutes straight. Whatever your time constraints allow, pre-planning when you'll take breaks can be an easy way to remind yourself to relax.
  • Keep in touch with friends and family from home. I know I never call my parents enough, but when you take a break for a phone call to check-in, you can ground yourself and distract yourself from stress for some time, while also making your family happy.
  • Find indoor activities that calm you down. Whether it's finally buying that adult coloring book you've always wanted or solving a People magazine crossword puzzle, find things that can calm you down while you stay cozy and warm inside of your bedroom.
  • Take deep breaths. It can often be really overwhelming to get stressed out with everything going on, and when stress builds up it can definitely cloud your ability to think straight. Taking a pause to inhale deeply 3 or 4 times can really ground you and help calm you down after a stressful time.

Caroline: Being Sick Away From Home

Its that time of year again when everyone and their mother is sick. Except your mother is actually no where to be found and you’re in your room at college, alone, wishing she could bring you some soup. One of the biggest differences with being sick at school versus at home is that everyone around you just stays away because they don’t want to get sick either. Your mom doesn’t care about getting sick, she just wants you to get better! And of course your friends want you to get better too, they’ll just help you from a distance. Like throwing you a tissue from across the room or translating for you when your voice is too sparse.
Probably the worst thing about having a cod at college, especially BU, is that you have to walk 20min to and from class. Walking the the cold with a sore throat and runny nose is probably the equivalent to swallowing a cup of nails and screw. Vivid image, I know, but just imagine how I felt. The other thing that’s hard is having all of your classes on Tuesday/Thursday. No class on Fridays? Sounds great until you have a 12 hour day and only one pack of tissues to get you through.
Some tips for surviving:
1. Take a day off from class. Its okay to miss if you’re really feeling under the weather. You have all the syllabi and know the work, just contact your professors to let them know ahead of time. Your health is more important than your school work (no matter how much you might think otherwise). This is one thing I didn’t do, but definitely wished I did because I honestly think I wouldn’t have been sick for as long.
2. Go to bed early. First of all, it takes way longer to fall asleep when you’re sick. Not to mention you need to give your body a rest and time to heal itself. I went to bed at 10pm every night.
3. Puffs tissues. Yeah they’re a little more expensive, but your nose will thank you. I promise you that when I was away from home using travel packs of two-ply tissues and folded toilet paper I felt like one of those poor red-nosed children in the puffs commercials.
4. Zicam tablets. I text my mom and told her I was sick (a few days into my torturous illness) and the first thing she said to me was “take zinc”. You have to let Zicam dissolve on your tongue and its unpleasant but it really does help shorten colds.
5. NyQuil? I’m not quite sure if my off-brand version of DayQuil/NyQuil actually helped me sleep. It seemed like it took forever to fall asleep and once I did, I woke up every two hours. But some people swear by it. Maybe next time I’ll splurge on the real stuff.
6. Tea. Hot Tea. My cold started off as a sore throat, so tea (and hot water when un-caffinated tea was unavailable) was key (like that rhyme?). I had my
7. Take some tips from Florida. One of my favorite (often under the weather) Floridians, L.E. Charles, recommended to me two of her state’s great contributions to the world: Gatorade and Oranges (well, vitamin C, but its the same thing). Boost your immune system and get your body super charged to get rid of this cold!
I finally made it through a week or more of pure torture to realize that no matter how hard you try or how healthy you normally are, no one is immune to the common cold. (This is actually a scientific fact, because the virus is constantly mutating.) Just have loving, understanding people around to support you through this difficult time and use my tips for surviving. Also, a call home to mom can’t hurt, plus she’ll tell you everything you should do to get healthy, fast! But patience is key and you just have to let the virus run its course. Next time I have a cold, I think I might experiment with taking no medicine to see whether its even worth it… Hopefully you won’t read that blog post for a while because I do not plan on being sick again for a long time.

Christy: Top 5 favorite “homework shows”

I am not one to sitting in silence. When I do homework, I need to have some source of noise or I can’t get any work done. Although I love Spotify, my go-to for homework noise and entertainment is Netflix. Netflix typically occupies the upper left corner of my screen while I use the rest of academic purposes. I have become a professional at homework-Netflix multi-tasking - it’s easier than you think. Here are my top 5 favorite shows to watch on Netflix while doing homework:

1. Glee
Is there anything better than singing to choreographed dance numbers and high school? Glee is a great homework watch because it doesn’t demand all your attention contains catchy songs so you can get your fix of music in while you do homework.

2. How I Met Your Mother
Of course How I Met Your Mother would is “totally going in my blog!” It is one of my all time favorite shows. It always provides me with a laugh and is easy to turn on in the background and tune in and out of.

3. Parks and Recreation
Similar to How I Met Your Mother, Parks and Rec is another easy watch. The 20 minute comedy doesn’t demand all your undivided attention to pick up the gist of the episode.

4. Friends
I believe I have seen most every episode of Friends more than once, so sometimes I just start a random season and let it play through while I do some class reading

5. Baby Daddy
Thank you ABC Family for this gem. The perfectly cheesy feel-good sitcom complete with a cute baby.

Nick: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Hey guys! My name’s Nick, and I’m super stoked to be joining the COM Ambassador team. I’m a sophomore studying journalism, and have spent much of my time at BU on WTBU’s airwaves, working in Studio West to produce Offsides, a weekly sports talk show through BUTV10, and covering various teams as a beat writer for the Daily Free Press. But for my first post, I’d like to tackle a topic that’s near and dear to my heart: the stage.

College is absolutely a place to try new things and step out of your comfort zone, but it is also a space where you can return to old passions, even after some time, and be welcomed with open arms. I recently found this out firsthand after auditioning for BU On Broadway’s production of American Idiot.

I did theater in high school, but for one reason or another – maybe it was a fear that I wouldn’t fit in or worry that I couldn’t balance a show and schoolwork – I hadn’t tried out for a show at BU until this semester. We’re just over a week into the rehearsal process, and do I ever wish I jumped onto this team a long time ago.

BU On Broadway is one of the student-run theater groups on campus, and much like all the experiences I’ve had here, everyone is incredibly friendly. I have some friends in Stage Troupe as well, and they put on some amazing performances. Whether you’re a first time actor, simply a fan of theater, or a performer who is looking to make his or her return to the stage like myself, I would encourage you to check out one of these groups. If you’re not into the whole acting business, there is plenty to do behind the scenes as well, with stage-managing and tech opportunities (or just come out and support – these shows have both had me cackling to a point of exhaustion and on the brink of tears).

Much like the On Broadway group, there is something for everybody on BU’s campus. I encourage you to check out all there is to offer at BU – see what you like (box combo from Cane’s anyone??), see what you don’t (8 AMs…). One lesson I’ve learned through my first year and a half as a college student is not to hold back. If you want to try something out, go for it. You’re only in college once, and we’re in a pretty great spot. You name it, BU probably has it.

Don’t be afraid to sit next to that random person in the GSU and make a new friend. Or join that table-tennis club because you’ve always admired their intensity. Or try out for the new musical. BU’s campus is your oyster, now go out there and do.

Geena: My Four Tips To Surviving Boston’s Winters

Hi everyone! My name is Geena. Trust me, deciding to come to BU was one of the most exciting times of my life. But as an island girl through and through, the thought of leaving the Jamaican heat to brave Boston’s stormy weather was terrifying and exciting all at once. Here are my four best tips to help you fellow warm weather lovers to not only survive but LOVE your first winter!

1. Stock up on winter gear as soon as possible!

Boston’s weather can be quite unpredictable. Just two days ago it was 50 degrees, but one day later we had to brave an all day snow storm. It can be really exciting to go out in the snow to go to classes, to watch a movie, or to go get dinner. But if you're not prepared for the weather you might be tempted to stay snuggled in bed all day. So my tip is always be prepared for whatever weather The Bean throws at you so that you can still get up, go out and enjoy the city.

2. Ensure your Charlie Card is stocked up!

For those of you who don’t know, one of Boston’s major transport systems is called the “T”. It’s my personal subway savior for those days when even walking to class feels like too much of an undertaking. BU’s city campus facilitates its warm-weather students well because the T runs all through campus. On those days when the snow mounds appear to be impassable and you don’t have the will to walk to class, hopping on the T is the perfect alternative. So I suggest making sure those Charlie Cards, your subway card, is always stocked up so you can hop on the T and make your life a lot easier!

3. Make a note of all the entertainment options nearby!

One of my favorite weekend adventures is going out to do simple things like eating out, going to the movies and shopping. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you should stay in your dorm all day! Find out where all the nearby entertainment options are so you still get to go out and have fun with your friends, but don't have to walk too far to get to. My personal favorites are going to Newbury Street for shopping and eating which you can get to on the T, Regal Fenway movie theatre which is just a 10 minute walk from Kenmore Square and taking advantage of all the restaurants on the Fenway and Kenmore compounds.

4. And finally, find a way to have fun with your friends in your dorms.

With all that was said in point 3, sometimes it’s nice to just chill and have fun with your friends (especially if you’re not up to snow-walking late at night). So have game nights, hot chocolate, movie nights and even dance parties with your friends in your dorm rooms. It’s great to spend time with your friends and having chill nights is one of the best ways to form real and true bonds.

There is absolutely no need to fear coming to school in Boston if you’re coming from a warmer city. Just follow these tips and you’re sure to love your experience here at BU!