Donna C: Where to go in Boston?

Hello terriers!

As winter ends and we are approaching nicer weather here in Boston, here are my top recommendations of places to check out!

  1. Boston Public Gardens– the gardens is a beautiful place to go to with the ducks swimming in the pond and the flowers blooming. My favorite thing to do there is to go on the swan boat rides because you are able to see the whole garden and it’s a classic tourist attraction! It costs $4.50 for a twelve to fifteen minute ride and it reopens April 15. But, the garden is also good to go to just with friends to relax or have a picnic at and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
  2. Newbury Street– this has a variety of places to shop and eat! My favorite place to go here is Trident Book Store, where you can have a meal and also look around and buy one of the books there. For shopping, it has a variety of stores, from Urban Outfitters, to TJ Maxx, to Zara. It is also home to the first Newbury Comics, where you can buy records and shirts of your favorite artist and band! You can take the T to Hynes Convention Center or to Copley.
  3. North End– if you’re looking for a place to have Italian food, take a trip to Government Center and walk around the North End. Most restaurants don’t take reservations in advance, but it’s easy to find a place that has open seats available. Also in the North End is the iconic Bova’s Bakery. The long line may be daunting, but it moves fast and the pastries that it offers are worth the wait.

Take advantage of the warm weather that is coming and explore Boston as much as possible before the end of the semester!

Mia C: My PRoBono Experience

In the Fall of 2022, I had the opportunity to partake in PRoBono, a hack-a-thon style communication charity event hosted by Boston University’s PRLab, a student-staffed public relations agency. Students volunteer to stay overnight at the College of Communication to work on creating, developing, and designing deliverables for non-profit organizations. The annual event was held on November 4, 2022 from 6pm-10am and featured five different Boston local charities. 

Students are assigned to teams of approximately eleven students and then given a client to work with. The groups are also overseen by two to three students, from PRLab and the PRoBono leadership team, who serve as account executives. My team was given the Dress For Success Boston Nonprofit as a client. Dress for Success is a worldwide organization whose purpose is to help give women the tools they need to become financially independent and break the cycle of poverty. They primarily provide professional attire and interview preparation to those in need. 

At the beginning of the night after the opening ceremony, we were able to meet with our client to discuss what they were looking to get out of this experience. Dress for Success wanted to primarily focus on their social media strategy and media relations coverage to increase their nonprofit awareness to reach women who may need their services. The client was also interested in developing a newsletter for their investors in order to thank and maintain a positive relationship with their donors. Each organization and PRoBono experience is unique depending on your client and their needs. The other non-profit organizations featured at the event were Boston Cares, Food for Free Boston, Minds Matter Boston, and the Science Club for Girls.

While we worked, the 16-hour day was packed to the brim with guest speakers, prizes, and activities at every hour to keep us alert and awake. The event also provided participants with plenty of delicious food such as banh mi sandwiches, pizza, and ice cream for dinner and then catering Canes fries and chicken tenders as a midnight snack.

In between the events at the start of every hour, our team was further divided into subcommittees to work on the different deliverables we were going to present to the client. Then the next morning at 8:00 AM we met with “coaches” or working professionals in the communications industry who gave us constructive feedback on our presentations before we presented to the client at 9:00 AM.

Overall, PRoBono was an incredibly rewarding but exhausting experience. Seeing the reaction of our outwardly grateful and appreciative reaction of our client during the presentation made the entire experience worthwhile. Knowing in such a short amount of time that my team truly helped make a difference in this organization that does so much for others, is what PRoBono truly is about. I am incredibly thankful for my PRoBono experience and I cannot wait to do it again in the fall.

Jonathan M: My Three(Unconventional) Boston Must Haves

Hey there Terriers!

As a Boston native, I know firsthand the essentials you need to survive as a student in this city. From the unpredictable weather to the surprising(but necessary!) abundance of Dunkin' Donuts locations, a few items are crucial for any Boston-based student. Here are some of my favorites that you might nice always think of:

1. Sports Gear and some Sports Pride- Boston is a sports town, and as a college student here, you'll want to represent these teams. Not only is it an easy way to make friends, but having good sports teams in the city helps us forget about the harsh winter weather. When the Red Sox won the World Series in 2018, the entire city felt wrapped up in a warm blanket…until it snowed the following week. So, make sure you have some sports gear to show off your Boston pride, and who knows, your team will win a championship while you're here. (Go BU, by the way!!)

2. A Nice Pen - I love pens; while it may seem old-fashioned, having a nice pen can make all the difference when taking notes or signing important documents(or drawing stick figures during class).  Plus, you'll never have to ask to borrow a pen in class again. Just make sure to keep it in a secure place, or else you'll end up like me, searching for your favorite pen in your backpack's bottomless pit.

3. A Sense of Humor - Boston is known for its sarcastic and dry humor, and as a college student here, you'll need to have a good sense of humor to survive. From the T delays to the crowded streets, there will be plenty of moments where you'll need to laugh it off. So, don't forget to pack your sense of humor in your backpack along with your textbooks.

If you're a college student in Boston, have some sports gear to show off your Boston pride, a nice pen, and a good sense of humor to survive the city. And always remember, as a Bostonian, it's always "wicked awesome" to be prepared.

Toby P: The Hidden Magic of Overloading

So, you’re signing up for classes. You’ve got all four mapped out, some for your major, maybe a language, a hub class, maybe you even have one for your minor. You’re all set and ready to go, but then you remember that, as a sophomore and above, you’re allowed to take up to 20 credits per semester. A lot of people wouldn’t give it any second thought and would go ahead with the standard four classes, but I’m here to tell you that there’s hidden magic in overloading.

Of course, you can graduate early if you overload, but I’m not here to talk about that. Instead, I’m here to talk about how taking a class outside of the HUB and the required coursework for your degree can actually help you understand the classes you already have to take even better. Let me explain.

This semester, I’m taking a slew of classes, one of which being the beloved FT 310, or Storytelling for Film. It’s a great class, and I’m learning a ton about how to tell an effective story and how to translate that into an effective script. At the same time, I’m taking a class in Wheelock, known as DE 351, or Deaf Literature and Visual Arts. As someone who is hard of hearing, I knew I would be interested in a Deaf Studies class, but I didn’t expect Deaf Literature and Storytelling for Film to mix so beautifully. If you’ve ever seen Ratatouille, you know the scene where Remy eats a strawberry and a piece of cheese at the same time, savoring how they blend into perfect harmony and complement each other in all the right ways. That’s what’s going on in my brain in FT 310 and DE 351.

On Mondays, I’ll walk into the Data Science building (lucky me!) and learn about the beholder’s share, or how an audience has lots of control over what the world of a book is like, but little control over what the world of an ASL poem is. The next evening, I’ll sit down in CAS and learn about how screenwriters can force a film’s audience to suspend their disbelief by providing a reason why some insane solution is the only one that could possibly work. Together, these individual lessons have combined in my mind, showing me how much power I have as a screenwriter to tell the audience what to believe, but also how I can back off and let the audience fill in the gaps.

Maybe you aren’t interested in Deaf Studies, and that’s completely fine! My goal in this short blog post is to encourage you to take another look at the course search before you register for classes. You never know, you might find that taking psychology classes could help you develop better advertising strategies, or that learning about anthropology will help you write better profiles for your journalism classes. It just requires believing in the magic of overloading.

Chloe P: Major Clubs at COM

Blog

No matter what, coming to college leads to adjustment, anxiety and excitement! One of the things I was most excited for when coming to BU was all the different extracurricular opportunities that BU has to offer, but specifically, all that COM has. Here, I’ll try to share all the varying activities you can join in COM. While there is some overlap, each department has numerous options to practice what you’re learning while connecting with others interested in the same things. Personally, I’ve made some of my best friends through my extracurriculars!

Mass Communication (Advertising, Public Relations, Media Science)

The most prominent Mass Communcation clubs are AdLab and PRLab. While these are technically classes that you can take as you advance through your degree, they are each great opportunities to work in an agency setting while in undergrad. Before AdLab, AdClub is a great option for young professionals to learn so much about what it’s like to be part of an agency. Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) helps PR students gain important knowledge and experience for a successful career in PR.

Journalism

One of the most prominent clubs for journalists is The Daily Free Press, BU’s independent student-run newspaper. There is something for everyone on the FreeP, whether it’s news, feature or lifestyle writing, writing an opinion column, covering a sports team, photography, or working on social media.

Another major publication at BU is the Boston University News Service (BUNS). This publication promotes student work and is run through submissions, meaning content you produce for class has the chance to be published through BUNS.

WTBU is Boston University’s student radio station. A fully operational radio station that broadcasts live music, news, and sports for 20 hours a day, WTBU is a great organization to dip your toes into radio with.

There are numerous other publications that focus on a more niche audience. These include Strike Magazine, which cultivates creative communities across numerous college campuses; BU Buzz, an editorial lifestyle magazine; The Bunion, a multimedia satirical publication; and Off the Cuff, another fashion, arts, and culture magazine.

Film and Television

The most prominent club for FTV students is butv10, a student produced and managed content distribution network. The network has everything ranging from news to sports to dramas to comedy to even game shows! Another film club is The Redlist, which specializes in short films. The Film Society, which is, self-proclaimed, “as much a social club as it is a movie club.”

Miscellaneous

There are two groups that COM also has that don’t necessarily fit into a specific department. One of them is the College of Communication Student Government, which serves as a liaison for students, faculty, administration, and alumni.

The final group is COM Ambassadors, which provides tours to prospective students and mentor first-year and transfer students during their first year!

Leah H: One of the Most Impactful Courses I’ve Taken at BU – CM211 Professional Presentation

If you’re interested in developing your presentation skills in class, keep reading below!

This is (sadly) my last semester at BU. Looking back on all of the amazing courses I’ve taken over the years, one stands out as a true favorite: CM211 Professional Presentations with Professor Dodge.​ The class is designed to help students with presentation skills, preparation, audience analysis, and more. Throughout the semester, we did presentations and public speaking assignments ranging from TED Talks to elevator pitches, interview questions, and podcasts. I enjoyed the range of projects and the work that went into presenting them. Every week we recorded ourselves giving the speech, and every few weeks, a handful of students presented live in class. At first, recording myself was embarrassing and awkward, and analyzing and reflecting on it was unbearable. But each week, I gained confidence and comfort watching myself on camera. My public speaking skills have drastically improved!

Another reason why I enjoyed CM211 so much is because of the awesome professor. Professor Dodge is a very down-to-earth, genuine person who really cares about his students. He always shared life stories as examples for whatever assignment we had coming up next. On top of that, he explained each element of the presentation from delivery tactics to the end goal. Professor Dodge also gave the most in-depth and personal feedback of any professor I’ve ever had. Not only did he take the time to provide feedback about good things I did and the places where I could improve, but he also wrote down the exact times in my video for the feedback so I could go back and watch from his point of view.

In my final semester, I can say that I’m more confident in both my speaking and writing skills. I learned that pauses are normal and necessary, it’s okay to slow down, and I have to be the expert at whatever I’m talking about. It’s especially important to have good speaking skills going into the workforce and I’m glad I learned them before I graduated. I took CM211 as an elective course for major credit and I’m really happy I did. I recommend it to anyone who needs another class for a future semester, and you should definitely take it with Professor Dodge!

Miya F: Dealing with Sunday Scaries

As an anxious person and planner, I dread Sundays. It is the end of the weekend and the start of a new week so I often feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I am far from the only one who deals with the Sunday Scaries. I have found ways to cope with this feeling of existential dread and hope they can help one (or many) of you!

1. Spend time with friends!

As an extrovert (96% extroverted according to the Meyers Briggs personality test), spending time with friends gives me energy and instantly improves my mood. I always try to plan something with friends every Sunday so I walk into the day with something to look forward to. I also try to switch it up so sometimes we get dinner, shop on Newbury, or even do homework together. Keeping busy and having people who love you around makes the Sunday Scaries a whole lot more manageable!

2. Eat your favorite food

Sometimes all I need to comfort me is my favorite foods. I normally go for a big bowl of ramen or pho (can you tell I am half Japanese and half Vietnamese)! I have made an entire blog post about my

favorite places to eat at in Boston. If you are looking for something within walking distance of campus check out Nud Pob, Pho Viet, or Cafe Landwer! If you want an excuse to leave the BU bubble and venture further into the city check out Joe’s on Newbury, Buttermilk and Bourbon, or Hokkaido Ramen Santouka Back Bay.

3. Watch your comfort show

I am a tv show lover and admittedly an iPad kid. For some reason, I can never sit through a whole movie but I can binge 5 hours of a tv show straight. Some of my favorite comfort shows are New Girl, Friends, Arrested Development, and Emily in Paris. I also always need a snack to eat while watching. My snack of choice is always chips!

4. Be productive!

Like I said earlier, staying busy always makes the day feel better and go by quicker. I normally catch up on homework all day so I have something to do and feel productive. I like to go to the GSU or Mugar with friends and do work for a large chunk of the day. We take breaks to get coffee or snacks so there is an incentive to do work.

5. Get a good night’s sleep

This is the perfect end to Sundays. I try to sleep before midnight so I can feel well rested and ready to start the week!

James M: My Weekends at BU

Hey guys! I wanted to take the time to write about one of my favorite weekend experiences this semester! It started last Thursday night with some really awesome live music from BU alumni artists.  I saw a flyer for this night of free live music in the GSU basement, and I decided to go on a whim! It was so awesome!! The artists are all on Spotify (and BU alumni) and I recommend listening to them (Main Era, Zaya Marz, and Cameron lane)! The event reminded me of how BU does such a good job of giving students the ability to display their art, and that still stands true after you graduate. The George Sherman Basement is commonplace for student shows, so I would recommend keeping an eye on posters put around campus for events there. 

On Friday, a group of my friends and I checked out a restaurant called Beijing Cafe on BU Campus, which we all really enjoyed. I walk by it every day getting to classes, and the photos of the dishes they make always looked really good. It is not associated with the university, but it’s a super convenient spot that has not too expensive really good-tasting food. One of the best things about our campus is the selection of BU dining halls, restaurants that take dining points, and independent places to eat.

Finally, on Saturday, I had to go out and explore Charlestown through photography for a COM class project. It is such an awesome town and a gem within the Boston area that has really beautiful neighborhoods and a long history. For a lot of parts of Boston, it feels like a city within a city, and Charlestown is a great example of that. I think the need to stop and take photos was such a pleasant task because it really let me take the time to look at my surroundings and the history of Boston’s oldest neighborhood. 

Of course, not every weekend is like this, and I will often stay in playing Madden or watching La La Land for the thousandth time but I want this to be a reminder to incoming students you will rarely regret exploring Boston!

Analise B: If You Have to Read One Book Before You Die, Let It Be The Book Thief

I normally find myself getting tripped up and lost in a sea of potential choices when someone asks me what my favorite film or song is, and how can you blame me? There are so many good contenders out there. However, the one consistent and solid answer I can give for an icebreaker or a curious inquirer is my favorite book.

In 8th grade, I was assigned what I now consider to be the best piece of literature I have ever laid my eyes upon: Mark Zusak’s “The Book Thief.” The book takes place during the onset of World War II where the protagonist, Liesel Meminger, is taken in by a foster family who finds themselves at the center of Germany’s political turmoil as air raids and the loss of Jewish friends plague their lives.

Whether or not you know a lot about wars, the book finds its true value in the way that it can emphasize the true brute strength of words. Conflicts in history, especially on levels as devastating as the Holocaust, are presumably fought with fancy weapons and guns. While that may be true to an extent, the story proposes the idea that words could be a force equally as destructive. Zusak makes mention of the fact that Hitler was never one to raise a gun in this war, he merely planted the seeds of his hateful, intolerant words until they grew into a nation of farmed thought.

The first time I read it, I felt more sadness than anything, but what drew me back in was the opposing consideration. While it is true that words have the power to destroy, and that's exactly what Hitler used them to do, they can also be used to create change. Liesel Meminger is a book thief, she saves a great deal of people with the words off pages of a story she stole from an old woman. Later, she begins to write her own words and thoughts amid the ugliness of the world around her to preserve her own life.

I don’t like to claim that this book is what pushed me to become a journalism major because there certainly was an array of confounding factors that inspired me to enter the world of COM. However, what this book did give me was my love for words. At 14, I learned a rather harsh way, the weight that words carry. These little semantics can both tear something down, and build it right back up. Words can disband, they can unify, they can strengthen, they can kill. What changes the outcome of how words impact us is how they are used.

Zusak closes the book with this eloquent quote: “I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I made them right.” Words are difficult to articulate, verbalize, and compose, but when they do arrive, we get to witness in real-time the influence they possess.

Morgan M: The Benefits of Office Hours

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but if you want to build a strong, professional relationship with your professors, there is no better way than to go to office hours! As a freshman I would hear this word of advice all the time and be intimidated by the prospect of spending one-on-one time with someone I thought I was supposed to fear. However, once I started to go, I realized how much this time was helping me as a student and a professional (and how friendly the professors really are).

Help on assignments

One way you can utilize office hours to your advantage is asking your professor for guidance or assistance on a certain assignment. Sure, you may have a good idea of the subject matter and feel like you’d be able to complete it on your own, but I have found that it is incredibly valuable to approach a professor and ask them what they expect and hope to see out of the assignment. This eliminates any confusion and allows you to cater your work to the specific preferences of the professor

Shows dedication as a student

Most professors love to see students at office hours because it proves that those students are thinking about that class outside of the allotted time. It may seem mundane to pop into a professor’s office to ask a question, but it really shows that you care about your success in that class and as a student.

Professional guidance

By going to office hours, you are allowing your professor to get to know you on a personal level. They will be able to better understand your strengths and weaknesses as a student, your work ethic, and your personality overall. In my case, showing my professors who I was as a student and a person led me to create really strong academic and personal relationships with them. When I started applying for internships and other opportunities, I had faculty I could turn to to ask to use as references or letters of recommendation.