Tag: mugar library

Eliza: A Love Letter to Mugar

You guys: it is my last semester of senior year and I am JUST NOW discovering that I LOVE AND APPRECIATE Mugar.

I do not, at all, love the building, or the associations I have with it due to too many late nights on the sixth floor by myself writing some paper or another. And for many Boston University students I’m sure this admission will seem crazy and maybe even just induced by a few too many coffees.

But you guys: I love the BOOKS.

In truth I know I must be one of the literal last people who still uses actual books in research papers, but as I’ve worked over the past year on my Kilachand Honors Keystone I’ve come to have a new appreciation for the sheer volume of sources we have access to at Boston University.

I suppose this may be a good time to mention that these sort of resources haven’t really been a part of my COM experiences.  As a journalism major, my sources were live on the street, not in the stacks. But through my general education classes, my English dual degree, and the pursuit of my Kilachand keystone.

The incredible thing about attending Boston University is that we have all these resources right there to use.  Blessedly, my topic of choice for research is an extremely specific niche, and so I’ve been able take books home for weeks at a time, coming back to them as I need.

Books about everything from the history of the cafe in Paris to a personal recollection of the culture of Bohemia to The Joy of Cooking have informed this last major collegiate research project.  In case after case, I’ve actually come across useful sources while looking for others in the same section.

But really this newfound nostalgia for the library is a smaller subset of a broader retrospective appreciation for the opportunities of four years at college.  From the best classes to the most tedious projects to the latest nights up writing, it’s important to remember that the opportunity to do so can’t be underrated.

As I look out at my future as a young professional (gulp) and realize that I won’t have to spend hours pouring over books about the language of Shakespeare and the history of the papacy and the philosophy of the enlightenment, I also look forward to a chance to do it without the pressures of school work.

Julianna: My Top Five Favorite Study Spots on Campus

Julianna Image5.  PAL Study Lounge in Mugar Library

I’m the type of person who needs background noise during my study seshs, so the complete silence of Mugar just drives me insane. PAL is the only area in the library where you can talk as loud as you want or unwrap that candy bar without getting glares of doom. During finals week last semester my friends and I crammed around a table in PAL over Arnold Palmers and string cheese and studied our little hearts out.

4.  Espresso Royale Caffe

Whenever I have a burning desire to look intellectual as I measure out my life in coffee spoons (a.k.a. read T.S. Eliot), I go to the resident hipster caffe of East Campus. Note, ERC is not owned by BU, but while you are there you are bound to bump into someone for your philosophy class or one or two TAs. I basically lived at ERC last spring during finals week. My routine was to snag a small round table in the back, order a shot of espresso, and get into the zone with my studying while I listened to the indie music playing in the background. Side note, do yourself a favor ladies and use the bathroom at ERC. It’s not immaculately clean or anything, but the stall doors are covered with lyrics and lines from poems. Definitely an experience. Their spicy chai tea is also an experience.

3.  COM Lawn

This study spot is only available in September and May when it’s warm, so take advantage! I chill in the grass with my friends in between classes and type up assignments. Let’s be real, studying on the COM Lawn results in mostly people-watching and taking in the sunshine, so save this spot for lighter studying or catching up on emails. COM Lawn days definitely require a pair of Ray Bans or intense, oversized shades alla Mary Kate and Ashley.

2.  SMG Starbucks

This Starbucks is located on the second floor of  SMG and is basically the watering hole for SMG students, but I spot a decent number of COM kids whenever I’m there. I go to SMG Starbucks to do homework three times a week on average. Make sure to get there at awkward hours, such as 5-10 minutes before and after classes generally begin, so you can get a coveted table by an outlet. Hands down you’ll find me here on most Sunday afternoons with a venti soy iced coffee and in my Sunday finest: leggings and a flannel button-down.

1.  Hillel House

BU Hillel is located on Bay State Road, and probably the most beautiful building on campus. It may be the center for Jewish life at BU, but Hillel’s doors are open to all students. Late shameless plug alert: I work as a part-time receptionist Hillel, and it’s basically my second home here at BU. I am obsessed with this place. If I’m not in class or behind the reception desk, then you can find me doing work on the second floor in the student boardroom or in the library on the first floor. During finals week the building is open for extended hours and the fourth floor chapels turn into study spaces with round tables and a traveling “hydration station.”

Jon: Please Don’t Stop the Music

Jon ImageWhat’s up guys? We’re about three weeks into the new semester, and as classes start to pick up, it’s great to have something to de-stress and take your mind off of all the work that is quickly piling up. For me, my a cappella group fills this role in my life. The BosTones are one of BU’s premiere co-ed a cappella choirs, and I am so glad that I’ve been able to dive into the group as a freshman.

I sang all throughout high school, and I loved being able to hang out with a bunch of great people and make awesome music. Naturally I was a little distraught over the idea of finding another group like my high school choir, which had been a part of my life for the past four years. However, when I got to BU I was blown away by the size of the a cappella community, and since all the groups were so welcoming I decided to audition for as many as possible. Fast forward a few weeks, and I was a new member of The BosTones, a jazzy, poppy, belty, and crazy group of people.

The thrill of the stage is great, but the truly wonderful part of being in an a cappella group isn’t the glamour, or the performances, or the recording sessions – it’s the people. Being able to know that on Tuesday and Sunday nights I’m going to walk into the Mugar Library (yes, we have a practice room in the library, and no, we don’t get shushed by librarians, it’s sound proof) and hang out for a few hours with a great group of people who all love coming together to have fun, support each other, and make some sweet music. Everyone in the BosTones is brought together by a love of singing, and I’m glad they’re in my life. When college gets crazy and hectic, as it sometimes does, it’s great to know that I always have BosTones to come back to.

The BosTones are just one more reason I love BU: there’s a student group for everyone. For me, it’s a cappella music, and for others, it might be gaming, or student government, or even Kendo (a Japanese form of fencing). No matter what your interest, you’ll find it here, and you’ll find people who are just as passionate about it as you are. I can’t end without a little shameless self-promotion, so if you want to see some of what The BosTones do, check out our concert footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOZo55830tA&list=UUTX5kWZUchPOI2KVfWWRUuQ&index=8&feature=plcp. Also, congrats to our two new members Harry Meltzer and Jun Tsuboike! We’re looking forward to working with them.

That’s all for now! See you at auditions…