Tag: hannah

Hannah: Hey! Having A Roommate Isn’t All That Bad!

I grew up an only child. Because of this, I like to have my space. I got used to a quiet household and being alone in my room for hours. When I came to BU, I was super nervous about having a roommate. However, I am now pro-roommate! I currently share a double with CA Maddy and let me tell ya, we have the roommate situation DOWN. Here are a few reasons why I love having a roommate: 

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1. You have a shoulder to lean on (and you can be the shoulder too!)  

As the R.E.M. song states, “Everybody Hurts.” It is normal to get sad or overwhelmed with missing home, schoolwork, social pressures and so much more. I have burst into tears in my room and been lucky to have Maddy there to give me a hug. Even if you aren’t BFFs with your roommate, that person will be there for you! Even a small, “Hey, wanna talk?” can make all the difference. 

2. You develop open communication skills.

Everyone has a unique way of living. You are bound to disagree on something with your roommate and that is a-okay. If your roommate is doing something that isn’t your cup of tea, you learn to tell them how you feel and have a conversation to foster healthy compromises.

3. You learn how to take criticism.

Here’s a little secret. I was forgetting to turn off the lights in our dorm (ahh!) and Maddy texted me asking if I could start doing it. I’m happy she told me that! I was being a careless goose and now, because of her, I have minimized my global footprint.

4. You become more selfless.

When you are living with someone, you get a view into their world and this sparks empathy. When I am home, it’s not just me and my thoughts, I get to have conversations and observe how I am not the only person going through life’s normal struggles

5. You grow deeper friendships.

Not all roommates have to best friends for life, but I’m thankful to have a great friend in Maddy. However, because I live with her, we cannot physically talk all day every day. This grows our friendship because we are comfortable sitting in silence and enjoying each other’s company without social pressure.

6. You get design inspiration 

You get to see how someone else decorates and organizes their life. It’s like a real-world Pinterest and that’s pretty darn cool.

So the next time you say, “I have a roommate,” say it with pride! Roommates are dope and they don’t get enough credit. This one goes out to you, CA Maddy!Photo 2

 

Hannah: Improv? More like IMPROVE! (How Improv Teaches Business & Life Skills)

Six hours a week I spend my time playing pretend. I am a member of BU’s premier Improv comedy troupe, Liquid Fun, and I often think what we do is the silliest thing in the world. It’s a bunch of adults taking imaginary props and weird voices seriously. 

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1. You’ll kick booty at listening
While performing an improv scene, you want to make sure the dialogue is consistent so it makes sense to the audience. Because of that, performers have to listen to every single word their partner says. I used to find myself planning what I was going to say next in a conversation. This caused me to tune out the other person. Improv has taught me to drop that bad habit and have more meaningful conversations. 

2. You’ll be a bravery champion
Improv involves zero preparation. Because of this, you dare to trust yourself and not overthink your actions. After performing on stage without any preparation, you feel invincible!

3. You’ll be a teamwork pro
Improv is all about working together. If your fellow teammates feel supported, they will do the same for you. The best improv ideas are usually collaborative. In the business world, you will most likely work with a team. Rather than trying to think of a better idea or silently competing, improv has taught me to trust that the synergy of a bunch of brains together can create something amazing.

4. You’ll roll with your failures
Sometimes in improv I say unbelievably stupid things! When this happens, I have to justify what I said and go with it. There’s no re-do or apologies. I can bring this into real life. When I make a mistake, rather than beat myself up about it, instead I can build off of it. 

5. You’ll become a great decision maker
Improv forces you to think fast. There’s no time to second guess yourself. You learn to make quick decisions and follow them. In the real world, I often find myself dwelling over decisions for a long time. Improv has taught me is that there is rarely a wrong decision. It’s important to go with your gut rather than torturing yourself with doubts. 

6. You’ll be fierce at being flexible
Sometimes an improviser will start a scene with a certain idea and another improviser will take it in a whole new direction. When this happens, the original improviser can’t be like “um hey, no actually I wanted to do something different.” Instead, they adapt to the new scene and find positive things to add to it. Improv has taught me to work with the unexpected like a boss. 

 

 

7. You’ll always say YES AND
The improv golden rule is to always say, “YES!” This is also a great rule for life. Whenever a challenge comes your way, it’s important to agree to it and then find a way to play with it and create something beautiful, creative and hilarious. Improv will make you a positivity professional. 

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Interested in trying improv? Liquid Fun, BU’s premier improv comedy troupe, has open practices every Sunday from 7-9 PM in CAS B36. No experience necessary!

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