Jen: A Halloween How-To Guide

Halloween is quickly approaching and if you’re like me, you’ve been planning for October 31st since May. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, it was a dream of mine when I was younger to go and live in Halloweentown. It’s still my dream today. Halloween is special because not only can you dress like anything you want to be, but you can eat a crazy amount of sugar and not be judged for it. Before I came to B.U., my go-to Halloween activity would be to trick-or-treat the two and a half miles around my neighborhood, and do a traditional candy swap between my friends. However, when I came to school, I found myself stuck as to how to celebrate Halloween. It’s one year later and as a sophomore,instead of being confused about how to celebrate this amazing holiday, I’ve found TONS of ways to celebrate Halloween in Boston and beyond:

  • Drown yourself in chocolate at Max Brenner’s: Freshman year, my friends and I dressed up in our best spooky and quirky costumes and headed to a chocolate lover’s paradise: Max Brenner’s on Boylston. My roommate had told me about how she went to this restaurant in New York and how it was a place I had to go and what better time to go than on Halloween? We engrossed ourselves in rich hot chocolate, ice cream sundaes and my personal favorite, french fries sprinkled with cocoa powder and chili powder.

  • Salem! Salem! Salem!: I’ve been to Salem plenty of times in my life, but when I came to Boston, I thought it was going to be difficult to get there (because, as someone who hates to drive, I had nobody to drive me). Until recently, I found out there was both a ferry and a commuter rail stop in Salem. Salem is one of my favorite towns in Massachusetts, not only because of the rich history and fantastic museums, but because of the quirky and spooky shops. Where else can you find a store dedicated to the world of Harry Potter right next to one where you can buy spell books and cauldrons? Also, Salem has some of the best kettle corn and fried dough I’ve ever had in my life. So even if historically haunted houses and the Salem Witch Trials freak you out, do it for the dough.

  • Coolidge Corner’s Halloween Horror Marathon: As a film major, it’s no doubt that Coolidge Corner is one of my favorite theaters. The theater has midnight showings of movies every week and their theme for October is horror movies. At the end of October, they hold their annual horror movie marathon that starts at midnight on Halloween till noon on November 1st. They hold a double feature and if you’re really dedicated you can stick around for four more films. They do not announce the four other films’ titles till that night so you sit and hope and pray that you’re favorite scary movie is shown (personal favorites: Scream, Rosemary’s Baby and The Babadook

Halloween 2014, before we drowned ourselves in chocolate at Max Brenner’s

Hannah H: A Note on Intro Courses

My name is Hannah and for those of you who don’t know I’m a current senior double majoring in COM and like most seniors – I did exactly what every advisor, teacher and alum tells you not to do – I saved the vast majority of my intro courses for senior year. The only difference is I saved the vast majority of my intro courses for both Film/TV and Advertising.

Now after experiencing it first hand, I’m siding with those wise, wise people who told me not to, but probably not for the reason most people think. It’s not because I already know everything from the intro courses or because the courses don’t relate to my career path. It’s actually the opposite. I’ve learned so much in the courses that my brain has been on overload for the past month and a half trying to take it all in.

Intro courses are actually inundated with information – so it’s really nice to have time that you can dedicate to understanding and mastering the concepts. As you work your way up the class chain – there’s a lot more work outside of the classroom. It can be really difficult to take the time necessary to focus on intro courses when you feel pressured to get work done for your other upper level classes. If you don’t take the time to learn the concepts from intro courses then it really won’t benefit you though. Even if you think you know everything the course is going to teach you – I guarantee you you’re wrong. I find it’s best to go into these types of classes with an open mind and some open time.

Technical classes can seem daunting if you’re an advertising major like me who’s never even spent time in photoshop (who knew there was a whole suite of similar applications? Not me). Whereas I was comfortable in my film/TV technical world – I was more than happy to hop on Production I and get a camera in my hands – it was the opposite with digital and creative classes which was totally absurd on my part. If anything – I enjoy my design class now more than my production one.

Another common misconception is that studies courses are boring, lengthy classes with not a lot of applicable information. Not the case at all. In Mass Com Research I created one of the most thorough projects I’ve ever done in my time at BU, which I now use in my book. Let me tell you, future employers are all about those fancy graphs and Questrom level numbers. Also as it turns out, you learn some really interesting and transferable concepts in film studies classes so I really wish I took that intro class sophomore year rather than my last semester of senior now.

Long story short, I don’t think I’ll be changing my focus to design or film studies anytime soon, but I do wish I was aware of the potential sooner, because it most definitely plays more of a part in copywriting or filmmaking than I ever thought it would. Don’t write off the intros right off the bat.

Claire: The Boston Calendar

The Boston Calendar is one of my favorite resources to find fun and exciting things happening in Boston. The calendar's slogan "events that don't suck" fits the site and blog perfectly. As a new student in Boston it's difficult to know where to go and when ... This calendar promises you will be "in the know" and you will never miss the next street fair or outdoor concert.

The site allows you to pick the day you are looking for something to do, and it simply lists many of the events happening in your area. I advise you to look a couple weeks in advance if possible because some of the more interesting events require a reservation or purchasing tickets. However, if you wake up one Saturday with nothing to do - this calendar will have your back.

You are also able to filter the events to narrow your options. A fan favorite is "FREE".

You can also choose events by location, which is especially useful as you gain your bearings in Boston. The events link directly to google maps so you can see which are happening closest to you. You can get your directions right through the website!

Some of the options may seem a little out there but I go explore your city and try something new!!! Some of my favorite memories from Freshman year are from when my roommate and I chose random events we found on the Boston Calendar and just explored.

 

Claudia: Fall in love with Boston

Fall in Boston means cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and hot apple cider. It is also the perfect time for friends and family to visit Beantown!

Over Columbus Day weekend, my cousin (and best friend since birth), Lizzy, flew up from Dallas, Texas to experience her first real fall. Being her first trip to Boston, and to the Northeast, I came up with a list my go-to Boston spots!

Sweet Cupcakes 

A five-minute walk from East Campus, Sweet Cupcakes has a location right on Mass Ave. Sweet has a lot of fun flavors, vegan and mini cupcakes, and FROSTING shots!

 

Modern Pastry 

In the cannoli debate, I will always go Modern over Mike’s. Modern is on Hanover Street in the North End, which is just a quick two-minute walk from the Haymarket T stop!

Boston Public Gardens

The Boston Public Gardens are the perfect spot to watch the leaves change and for a nice walk with friends (and for some beautiful Instagram pictures).

Thinking Cup

Thinking Cup has multiple locations around Boston, with two sandwiching the Boston Commons and Public Gardens. The two are located on Tremont (right across from the Park Street T stop) and on Newbury (right next to Georgetown Cupcakes). Stop by Thinking Cup for a hot apple cider for your walk through the gardens!

Trident Booksellers and Cafe 

Surprise, surprise. Trident has made it onto another one of my blog posts. As you guys already know, Trident Booksellers and Cafe is my FAVORITE place in all of Boston. It’s not only a delicious spot for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner (they serve breakfast ALL DAY), but it is also an amazing local bookstore with great literary, kitsch, and Boston finds! Did I mention they serve breakfast ALL DAY?!?!

Lizzy left on Tuesday afternoon (with cannolis in tow), already planning her next visit back to Boston.

We have a few weeks left of this beautiful fall, so whether or not you have guests, make the best of this perfect weather before winter creeps in!

Aidan: So You Did First Semester….Now What?

Hey team, Aidan here. So, as some of you know, I worked this summer with Orientation and helped a lot of the incoming COM Freshmen to figure out their first semester schedule. One thing that I have noticed is that, after first semester, COM freshmen are on their own completely to figure out their schedule. So, what I would like to do today is give my tips, from a COM Student perspective, for what your schedule should look like going into your second semester!

  1. Keep it Balanced!

You know how you are supposed to eat a balanced breakfast? Well the same can be said about your schedule (but you shouldn’t eat it because a schedule is an intangible concept….). Don’t overload on one type of class, like taking four writing classes and still not doing your stats requirement.

  1. Find Fun Ways to do your Pre-Reqs!

Remember your Freshmen/Sophomore Requirements? Yeah, you have to take two History Classes. Sorry, but it happens to all of us. So, I suggest you make the best of it! I don’t like history courses (can you tell?), but I got mine out of the way doing a Roman History course, which I ended up liking a lot. I purely did this because I liked Roman Mythology growing up, and so I took this course. What I am saying is, don’t be afraid of unorthodox classes to do your pre-reqs. Be adventurous!

  1. Take Your Time

Dudes, though they call it “Freshmen/Sophomore Requirements,” you have all four years here at BU to do them. Don’t forget to take classes you want to take! Want to take an Acting course? Take it! You do have to do general elective credits at some point, spread them out as time for fun!

All in all, it is very hard to mess up your schedule completely. Just make sure you are taking COM201 and that you don’t overload yourself!

L.E.: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

There are roughly 16 weekends in a semester, and although Boston holds endless opportunities for weekend adventures, being in the North East provides a plethora of options to get out of town for a mini vacation.

I'm originally from Florida, the land where you need to own a car to get around, so I never really took the initiative to travel by myself. However, thanks to Boston's proximity to other major cities in the United States, it's easy to hop on a bus for a weekend getaway to New York City.

Here are a few easy ways to book your transportation to visit family, friends or even a whole new city:

1a. Commuter rails

Boston has several commuter rails that you can take to travel to a new part of Massachusetts or even other states. Personally, I have only taken the commuter rail to go to Providence, Rhode Island (an amazing city btw), but I have several friends that take it to visit Salem or just to go apple picking. So whether you have a friend that goes to Brown or you want a more suburban adventure, the commuter rail is fast and the fare ranges from $2.10-$11.50.

1b. Other commuter rails

These cheaper trains are found in more than just Boston. For example, this past weekend I took the Marc train from Washington, DC to Baltimore to get dinner with my brother while I was visiting a friend in DC. These trains can make your weekend trip kill two birds with one stone (or train) so check the local train schedules and see if there are any commuter trains that can take you from State A to State B.

2. Bus

There are several bus companies that pick up at South Station and can take you all across the east coast. Personally, I always stick with Megabus because they're reliable and have outlets and wifi on board. This is the most frugal way to get to nearby cities like New York and prices general start at $5. I suggest traveling with a friend the first time you go by bus, but once you get the hang of the bus system it's easy to take weekend getaways by yourself. The 4 hour drive is worth it to save yourself from a $100 plane ticket.

3. Plane

Now planes are generally more expensive, but it's sometimes worth it to spring an extra $50 and save yourself a 10 hour bus ride. If you're out-of-state like I am, you probably fly to and from Boston quite frequently throughout the school year. I found that flight companies like Southwest and Jetblue have great point systems that reward you the more you fly. So if you've saved up your points, a flight to Washington can cost you nothing (unless you're traveling on a holiday, which in that case take the bus- unless you have 30,000 points saved up).

Don't be afraid to venture outside the borders of Massachusetts! Besides, your best friend at NYU misses you and you deserve to treat yourself to a Broadway show every now and then. Look how happy my best friend was when I visited her for Georgetown's Homecoming weekend: 

Hannah C: A Very Biased List of the Best On-Campus Jobs

When you’ve Ubered all over the city of Boston, you’ve bought all the clothes, you’ve seen every show, have eaten out every meal, and your wallet is crammed full of receipts, that’s when you know.  It’s time to get a job. Finding an on-campus job is within reach, and so are the physical jobs themselves! Actually. It is so nice to go to work and then class with a minimal commute.

This list provides some options for those on the job hunt.  It’s a compilation of some on-campus jobs my friends and I have held, and I hope you enjoy!

  1. COM Ambassador

This job rocks.  The job of a COM ambassador is to be the face of the college. CAs are the first people you meet as a prospective student on a tour, the answers to your questions at Open House, and the best point of contact during your first few weeks as a freshman.

If it wasn’t already obvious, I’m a COM ambassador—it’s why I’m writing this blog —and my personal favorite part of the job is Open House. On two Saturdays every April, we welcome accepted students to give them a taste of what COM is all about. Each time we host an Open House, we’re reminded of why we chose COM and BU, and it’s our chance to tell why. We’re also great company to chat with and keep you entertained throughout the day.

“I love meeting prospective students and helping them with such an important decision – choosing a college.  When freshmen who took your tour tell you that you’re the reason they chose COM, it’s the greatest feeling.”

Stacy Schoonover, COM’17

  1. Orientation Student Advisor

Remember Orientation? Remember the crazy kids who carried oversized signs and got down on the dance floor for Rhett’s Night Our? (If you’re not yet a BU student, you’ll meet them during the summer before your freshman year, don’t worry.)

I was one of those kids, the Student Advisors. I lived and worked with a group of people who in a few short months became some of my best friends, all while meeting a quarter of the COM Class of 2019 and registering them for classes.  I don’t think I will ever laugh, dance or take ridiculous pictures on the job so much as I did as an SA. I had a stake in the success of the university for the first time as a student advisor: we worked hard as a group to pull off each session for BU and its students.  We saw it what meant for BU to count on us, and I’m a different student because of it. If you came to Orientation last summer (S/O to anyone in group 42), I hope you enjoyed your session as much as I did.  Apologies to anyone who witnessed me attempt the whip and nae nae.

“Being an SA allowed me to connect to incoming students, current students, and administrators in a way that made me feel more connected to BU. It made me realize that a ton of people at this university care a lot.”

Tim Green, COM’17

  1. Office assistant

Many offices on campus—the number is myriad—are in need of student employees to handle administrative tasks, such as replying to emails and answering phone calls.  It’s a gig that often allows for time for homework or reading, so you can read enough to expand your vocabulary to use fancy words like myriad. 😉

This job also provides an opportunity to learn about something outside your interests or become an expert about an academic department, such as your major.  In this type of job, the people you work with most often is the student population, while scheduling appointments and answering questions.

“I was an office assistant at Marsh Chapel my freshman year; it was a work-study job.  It was interesting because I never realized how popular Marsh Chapel was because of the legacy Martin Luther King, Jr., and Howard Thurman left until one of my responsibilities was to track where everyone came from at servcie.  And every Sunday, there were people from all over the country.  I think the farthest I recorded was Wyoming, and people from Maine and New Hampshire would use it as their regular service.”

Monica Nunez, SHA’16

“I love working at the CCD because I get to help younger students utilize all of the services that BU has to offer that will aid them in getting the most value out of their time here.”

Nika Witczak, Questrom’16

  1. Student Activities (SAO) Event consultant

If your dream is to plan events, this is the closest you’ll get at BU.  Every on-campus event needs an event consultant to help organizations take care of the details.  Student employees in the SAO know everything that needs to get done in order for events to go off without a hitch.

“Being an event consultant can be stressful, but I absolutely love meeting new people (and I love my coworkers)!  Plus we get to know in advance about all the cool events happening on campus – it’s pretty awesome to see how student groups are so motivated and I’m glad to help troubleshoot the problems they may come across.  In general, the job is great because it’s a really fast-paced environment and I feel like I’m being helpful and productive while I’m there.”

Adrienne, CAS’17

  1. Howard Thurman Center (HTC) ambassador

A lesser-known corner of campus, the HTC is a great place to meet new people and engage in conversations that challenge your perspective.  Join the HTC for discussions about difficult topics and finding common ground with students of all backgrounds.

The HTC is a place for students to learn more about themselves and their place in the world, break down previous notions about social issues, and develop a strong sense of self.

“College presents a rare space where you are surrounded by vastly different perspectives and ideas.  The HTC recognizes the importance of bringing those people together and having them engage in meaningful conversations.  I’m really excited to be a part of the center and promote their mission.”

Naamit Tubul, CAS’17

Hanna: Why You Should Watch the Season 2 Premiere of Jane the Virgin this Monday, 9/8c.

Do you watch Jane the Virgin on The CW? You probably don’t. It’s on a network still aiming to shed it’s immature vibe and has an admittedly silly (yet wonderful) title. However, you should be watching, and as a Film and TV student here at BU, I feel it my duty to encourage you to do so.

Why You Should Watch It:

1. A BU COM alumna is on the writing team. I saw her speak at BU last year and we bonded over the fact that we are both #TeamMichael. Her name is Corinne Brinkerhoff and she is  my idol.

2. It’s based off a telenovela and plays with the genre in a super fun way.

3. Gina Rodriquez, who plays Jane, won a Golden Globe for her performance. It was well-earned; she is funny, charismatic and charming on the show and she never misses a beat. In addition, she is beautiful, but she doesn’t look the way you may expect a female lead to look. She is Latino and she is not a tall, blonde rail. She is healthy (and she always looks great in her cute dresses ugh I love her) and if you follow her on Instagram, you can see that she’s super powerful from her love of kickboxing!! Really though, they make Jane above average in her personality, work ethic, and commitment to her beliefs, not because she looks more like a Barbie doll than everyone else watching at home. Gina portrays this character beautifully, and her performance is one that no one should miss.

4. Hot guys. But not typical hot guys! Let me explain.

4A. Brett Dier, who plays Jane’s friend and ex-fiance Michael, is goofy hot. It is impossible NOT to fall in love with his charm and quirkiness and he can give hope to guys everywhere who may not look like Ryan Gosling.

4B. Justin Baldoni. Ok, he looks as good as Ryan Gosling. He’s the typical male model type, but the fact that he looks perfect makes up for it. His appearance also works perfectly with his character — his behavior stems a lot from how he may have been treated because of his looks, and others also expect him to be a playboy because of it. He defies a lot of those silly stereotypes by becoming a genuine guy, and as the sperm-donor of Jane’s baby (sorry, are my random hints about the plot confusing? Don’t let it intimidate you!) he definitely has a lot of touching moments in the show. He rocks.

4C. Jaime Camil is a Mexican silver FOX and I want to hang out with him very badly. In my opinion he is the funniest part of the show. He plays Jane’s telenovela-star father who was out of her life until recently, and throughout the season he and Jane’s mother were potentially falling back in love. Gasp! Such a telenovela. Anyway, he’s sexy and he knows it, and he contributes beautifully to the  generational aspect of the show.

5. Enough about hot guys, because even though they’re there, this show centers around the bond of three women. A grandmother, her daughter, and her daughter, to be precise, and they all live together to make the happiest of families. Jane’s mother Xiomara (how pretty is that name?) had Jane very young, but that didn’t stop the women from raising her to be a bright and balanced woman. Now they share a bond of friendship, support and understanding, and the way they handle battles together is inspiring. If you like empowered women, you’ll love them. If you like sentimental mother-daughter relationships, you’ll love them. If you love families, you’ll love them. If you love happiness, you’ll love them.

6. THE PLOT. All I’ll say is that it has an absurd premise of a girl artificially inseminated by a heartbroken lesbian. If I try to continue, you’ll think I’m insane. Somehow the writers created a twisted and constantly turning story, reflecting those of telenovelas, and made it a) understandable, b) riveting, c) tasteful, and d) incredibly high quality story telling. There isn’t a weak moment on Jane the Virgin, even when you think, “WHAT? HOW?” The strength of the characters drives each absurd addition and allows the audience to enjoy every moment, without scaring us away with its complexity. GENIUS I say!

7. THE PROGRESSIVE ASPECTS OF THE PLOT. The plot includes issues of gay marriage, highlighting that a lesbian character on the show is only able to marry in some states. After the Senate decision about national same-sex marriage, the writers tweeted the screenshot from that episode and remarked that they were VERY happy that that statement was now inaccurate. How cool.

They also deal with the issue of immigration, for Jane’s grandmother is not technically legal in the country. They touch on Christianity in the most subtle, interesting way, and they of course brought abortion into the mix while somehow avoiding an uproar. Although the show is not about a Latino family, it is about a family who is Latino, and the cultural insight that comes with the show is refreshing and necessary. Needless to say, the show does not shy away from social issues near and dear to our hearts, and it does so in a manner that seems to avoid major  conflict!

After a near perfect first season of killer acting and a stunningly crafted plot, not to mention a gorgeous AND human-looking cast, we can confidently expect a brilliant ride with the second. I want this show to succeed and I want you to help me make it happen. Tune in Monday 9/8 central or find it on Hulu, and if you like it or dislike it, reach out to me and let me know! The only thing I love as much as watching Jane the Virgin is talking about it.

Chris: Greetings from London!

As the lone CA abroad, I guess it's my duty to say, if you can...GO ABROAD!!

Now, I'm not just saying that as a plug for BU Abroad or COM, after a month and a half of living in London I truly back that statement. This semester I'm taking part in BU's London Internship Program which is COM's largest abroad program.

Essentially, you take two intensive classes for six weeks, usually in your field of study, then for nine weeks you get to intern with a company in London while taking one other course.

Enough about the school stuff and more about London. It's definitely a nice change from Boston and BU's campus, the city is a step up in terms of pace (think New York City) and unlike Boston where you can walk everywhere, I've found myself taking the tube plenty of times.

Thus far, my favorite part of London was going to an NFL game at Wembley Stadium, which just happened this weekend! I'm a huge New York Jets fan, and on Sunday I was able to watch them play against the Miami Dolphins.  The last few weeks, I was forced to watch the games at a casino at 6:00 pm to account for the five hour time difference between here and the east coast.  But luckily this week I only had to wait until 2:30 pm.  Before the game I was able to hang out with fellow Jets fans I've met at the casino and take in the NFLUK experience.  Plus the icing on the cake was the fact that the Jets won and improved to 3-1!

Next week, we have fall break and I can't wait as I'll begin to travel around Europe a bit more than I already have. Thus far, many of my trips have been within England; I made my way to Dublin, Ireland last week, but next week I'll be going to Lisbon, Portugal and Madrid/Barcelona, Spain.  And during the rest of October I'll be visiting Paris, France as well as Milan, Italy.

And if you aren't convinced that you should try and go abroad, here are my top 5 reasons for going abroad:

1) Get to make new friends!

I only came abroad knowing one other person in my program and have made a ton of friends, from people that live on my floor to people I have class with.

2) Culture Shock

Similar to the way you feel going to away to college for the first time, there is a bit of a shock when you go abroad. Sometimes you do get homesick, but in the end, you get to adapt to living in a completely different place, you adapt to a new culture, and even get to pick up new cool words (like saying queue instead of a line).

3) TRAVEL

This past summer I worked for an airline, so I obviously love all things travel. And when it comes to being abroad in the UK or Europe at large, you have easy (and relatively) cheap access to so many other countries, which is amazing!

4) Helps Your Resume

This one goes in line with culture shock, but living in another country and studying/working there is a huge benefit for your resume. Rather than going into an interview and saying you're an adaptable person, you can prove it by saying you went abroad, studied AND worked for a company where the office culture is different than office culture in the states.

5) Rule Social Media

If you want an easy way to make your friends jealous, just go out on the town and Instagram or post to Facebook whatever you're doing. Going to Stonehenge (only an hour away from London)?  Instagram one of the seven wonders of the world and make your friends jealous while they suffer through midterms (and rain from a hurricane).

chris

Kevin: If It’s Free, It’s For Me: Movie Pre-screenings Around Boston

The film student’s dilemma: I want to go to the theater, but dropping $10 every time I want to see a movie doesn’t exactly mesh with my “broke college student” budget.

The solution? The magical world of pre-screenings. You’ve probably gotten emails from the Film/TV department about a couple, but if you keep an eye out, a good amount of movies will have free promotional screenings a few weeks before they come out in theaters. Most of the time they do them to build hype, so the most you’ll have to do is fill out a slip with what you thought of the movie.

Check a few of these sites:

  • Gofobo.com – probably the best website to check, you can put in your zip code and it will tell you all the screenings and how to get into them. (The majority are open to the public, but some are based on contests)
  • Advancescreenings.com – Similar to Gofobo, but it seems like gofobo usually has a longer list.
  • Facebook – A lot of studios have on-campus reps, and they’ll have Facebook pages like Universal at BU or Warner Bros. at BU. They’ll post about screenings that are exclusive to BU students, so just bring your ID along and you’re good to go.

An added bonus of some of these screenings is that actors/directors will come along and do Q&A’s sometimes, so you can do a quick write-up and count it as a cinematheque. (Plus bragging rights to your friends when you get a selfie with actors.) You’d be surprised by the amount of big-name movies that have screenings—so far this semester I’ve gotten to see Black Mass and The Martian, and Steve Jobs is having one at the theater by the common this Thursday (10/8).