Tag Archives: advice

My Life: A Narrative

BU Comgrad,

The long awaited and dreaded deadline is approaching. You’re excited, you’re nervous, you’re scared. You’re just a general hodgepodge of emotions. You might even say you’re in a glass cage of emotion.

You’re nearly done. You’ve taken the GREs; you had your transcripts mailed (all official like); you begged, cajoled, threatened your teachers/boss for a recommendation; you’ve even filled out the application and paid the admission fee. Now what? What am I forgetting? Oh right the writing requirements.

Most are fairly straight forward. What experience have you had in the communication field? What are some newspapers you like to read? Why is this program important? Check, check, and check. However, what the hell is this Life Narrative business? I remember asking myself that same question almost two years ago. After weeks spent cultivating my Statement of Purpose BU doesn’t even want it?!

“What is a Life Narrative? Are we talking a detailed account of the direction of my life?” I desperately typed to graduate services a week before the deadline. “It’s for the purpose of getting to know you. Use it as a chance to convey who you are and what your passions are,” they dutifully responded.

Sigh. I had really been looking for specifics; a road map of sorts, straight to the committee’s hearts. Alas, they were not going to lead me by the hand. So what did I do? I got real. I relaxed. I, wait for it, had fun with it. After the nail biting and constant rephrasing of my Statement of Purpose this was almost a relief.

For those of you looking for the road map I had so desperately wanted, I must dash your burgeoning hopes right now. Giving you a set of guidelines would actually be doing you a disservice. Why? Well as graduate services told me so long ago, this really is a way for the committee to get to know you and the experiences, passions, interests you can bring to the program. Think of it as being in lieu of an interview. This is your chance to truly stand out because, let’s face it, grades and writing samples never truly convey all a person has to offer. However, I will not leave you completely empty handed (after all there needs to be a point to this blog post). Here are a couple things to help you craft your winning narrative:

  • Be genuine. Don’t force anything. Just be you, not who the committee is expecting because, really, they aren’t expecting anyone. This program is composed of students from all walks of life- it keeps things interesting and you’d be amazed how much you learn from your peers alone. So Be yoU, because there is only one.
  • Don’t be afraid to brag. This was the hardest part for me, having been raised to be modest and accept that no matter how awesome I am, there is usually someone who is “awesomer.” However, you’re applying to a well-respected and highly competitive program that attracts highly intelligent and talented people. You need to show the committee that you are driven, confident and self-aware. Don’t be an ass, but don’t be afraid to say “hey, I helped build a self-sustaining village in Ghana and that’s pretty freaking awesome.” NOTE: I did not do this, but that would be freaking awesome if I did. I did get peed on by a koala once, but did I put it in my essay?
  • Be brave. If you have a unique approach to how you want to write this then do it or at least try it out. Get your creative on. The committee reads hundreds of Life Narratives so, if it works, it will only help you grab their attention. However, you also need to restrain yourself from going overboard. Remember, someone has to read this who probably has just spent the entire day reading other, over the top essays. You can be straight forward while still being creative.
  • Pick and choose the moments and characteristics you want to write about. We’ve all lived 20 years or more and have, therefore, amassed a decent amount of experiences. Just look at Bieber who managed to “write” an entire book on just 16 years. So, obviously, you have a lot to say, but you don’t have a lot of space to say it. So, pick and choose the moments and characteristics that stand out the most to you. Ask yourself what do you want the committee to know about you? What can you offer?

I hope this helps you as you begin writing your essays. Remember: have fun, be confident, and be creative. I mean, what do you have to lose?… oh right ;-).

 

All I Really Needed to Know I Learned as your Teaching Assistant

BU Comgrad, ,

Once a week, I lead a lecture section called Storytelling.  I consider it Screenwriting Zero, almost an introduction to the art of screenwriting. Now, the content isn’t anything new to me.  I’m not bragging, but I pulled out a B.A. in Creative Writing in Linguistics from a sub-state school, so I’m more than comfortable blowing hot air at students for two hours every Wednesday.  It’s not all fun and games.  Every once in a while, I spring a test on them, just to let them know who’s boss. But really, leading four workshops a week is actually a heck of a lot more fun than it sounds.  Really.

Rucker.  Rucker is the boss.  In case you missed that earlier.

I get really frustrated whenever somebody stops me and says, “You know, you’ll learn more from teaching than you ever will sitting in a classroom.”  Please.  The only reason I took this job is so that I could make sure to teach them all the wrong things to weed out competition in my coming days as a professional screenwriter.  However, it seems to be a trend that I’m picking up on lessons that I thought I’d learned myself.  I’m reminding them to do the things I forget to do.

Figure out what your story is.  Put your main character on the ropes.  What are you trying to say?  Take no prisoners.  By the way, who is your main character?

One of the things I really love about Boston University is this chance that I get to teach.  I bragged to my mentor before I left that I’d totally be leading a class by my second year.  I didn’t really expect to get the chance, but here I am.  There’s something really special about standing in front of those kids every week, knowing that I have the chance to share something that I really enjoy.  I even wrote “Don’t write crap.” on the board at the beginning of the semester.  I enjoy teaching about positive and negative charges and plants and payoffs, but what I really love is writing pseudo-swears on the board.

But really, that’s what teaching and writing is for me.  On the first day, I had them write a simple list of ten things that moved them.  Every response I gave was catered, but essentially the same: “Now that you’ve know what moves you, you’ll be able to move your audience.”  Sure, it was a lot harder than pounding into their heads, “Write what you love.  Write what you love.  Write what you love.”  (I still did that, but I also did this, so the bad teaching and good teaching evens out.  That’s how it works, right?)

But ever since I taught that lesson on the first day, my writing’s gotten better.  I’m thinking more about the messages I’m trying to convey, and they’re coming out clearer.  I’m remembering to put my main character on the ropes.  I’m acid testing my work, figuring out what’s essential in the story, just like I’m trying to remind Max and Navzad and Shari to do.

So, yeah.  There it is.  Learning through teaching.  I’m pretty sure that’s what that Robert Fulghum book was talking about, but I heard it was actually about his time in prison.  You didn’t hear it from me.

Meet Andy Bunker

BU Comgrad,

Hello prospective Boston University students.

My name is Andy Bunker, and I am a current broadcast journalism graduate student at BU. This blog is designed to give you an inside look at the school through the eyes and words of someone who is going through the program. We are constantly working on interesting projects, covering big news stories, and holding fun events, and this blog will help keep your finger to the pulse of the BU College of Communication. Right now the biggest item on your radar is most likely applying to the school. I realize that you may be getting a little stressed while in the midst of the application process, so I wanted to offer a bit of advice since I was in your shoes at this time last year.

Here is a short list of helpful hints to make applying easier.

1. Getting started. If you haven't already done so, start the online application by clicking here. If you haven't started, don't fret it's not too late, but you do want to get going soon as many of the requirements take time to complete.

2. Check things off. Once you get going with the online application, you will not only have the application information packet to help guide the process, but you will also start to receive progress updates from our graduate services office. Every time you complete another step in the application process, you will get an email confirming your progress.

3. Ask questions. If you have questions, about anything, email the school. There is a very helpful team of students and faculty, including myself, that is happy to help answer any questions you may have. Ask anything, we've heard it all before so don't hesitate even if you think it's a weird question. The email address is comgrad@bu.edu.

4. Keep up the pace. Take care of all the steps that you can control as quickly as you can. That means contacting your recommenders, scheduling your tests, finding your best writing samples, editing your essays and sending your transcripts. You can't control how quickly your recommenders write and send the recommendations, all you can do is contact them as early as possible so they don't feel pressured by a deadline.

5. Manage your time. Set aside time to work on the application. If you are anything like me, the thought of the unfinished application requirements will hang over your head like a rain cloud if you don't know when you will work on them next. Do yourself a favor and reduce the stress by scheduling a few hours a week to just fine comb your application.

6. Remember the date. Circle December 15th as a goal. If you really want to help reduce your stress, try to meet the priority admission notification deadline. This deadline simply requires that you have your online application finished, and that you pay the $70 application fee. But again, if you are anything like me, completing this step helps in a number of ways. First, you will get your admissions decision before applicants who don't meet the early deadline. Second, it gives you a month and half to complete the remaining admission requirements. And most important, getting things done early feels good!! Instant stress reduction!!

I hope these hints help in the process. The most important of these is #3. If you have any questions don't hesitate to email the graduate services office. Comgrad@bu.edu is a great way to get quick answers that will help you in applying. BU is a great place, you have made a smart decision in applying here. In the next blog I will talk more about the things you will get to do once you get here. That's when the fun really starts!