Kilachand Ambassadors Blog – Page 6 – Reflections, insights, and advice on student life from Kilachand Honors College Ambassadors.

6 Tips for a Double Major or Dual Degree within KHC

By Aiden Cliff (CAS/Questrom’23)

Hello everyone! First and foremost, I want to congratulate all of you on your admission to BU and KHC. My name is Aiden Cliff and I am a Peer Mentor, Kilachand Ambassador, and KLAB representative in the class of 2023. I am a dual degree student in the BA/MA program for economics within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and a Business Analytics concentration within the Questrom School of Business (QST). Kilachand attracts the best, brightest, and most ambitious students from around the world. Naturally, some of you want to take your education to the next level and pursue either a dual degree or a double major. While these programs are not for everyone, I wanted to share my experience as a dual degree student within KHC and give you a few tips on approaching these rigorous programs.

One important thing to keep in mind when reading this blog post, and while at BU, is the language that the University likes to use. The double major program is for students working towards two Bachelor’s degrees within the same school or college. An example of this would be a student studying both Chemistry and Biology within CAS. The dual degree program is for students pursuing two Bachelor’s degrees from different schools or colleges. This is what I am personally doing since I am studying Economics in CAS and working towards a separate Business Administration degree within QST. Usually, a double major will have fewer requirements than a dual degree since many programs within the same college have overlapping requirements.

1. Be sure this is something you want to pursue

Taking on a second major or even a minor can add a lot of coursework on top of an already rigorous academic program. Getting one college degree, especially from KHC and BU, is already such an accomplishment. You shouldn’t feel pressured to try and double major if you really don’t want to. Adding on this coursework could make sense if you want to go into a certain field where you would be at an advantage having two degrees or if you are really interested in the classes. I would not recommend taking on these extra academic commitments if you’re just looking for something else to fill your time or you really can’t see yourself enjoying your classes. You can always add a minor to explore that interest without as much commitment!

The choice is completely up to you and definitely is not something you need to make right away. There is a wide variety of majors you can select at BU and a lot of students don’t even know which one to pick, and that’s completely okay! Feel free to use your first few semesters to take a wide variety of classes you’re interested in and you can get a better feel for if you’ll want to double major from there. You don’t need to declare a dual degree until the end of your sophomore year, so you will have plenty of time to see what the right fit for you is.

2. Come in with credit if you can

Taking on two degrees at once obviously comes with a lot of other academic responsibilities. By being able to skip a few classes, either through AP, IB, or other college courses, you could be at a big advantage when it comes to scheduling. If you reported your test scores to BU, all this information should be on your StudentLink under the Academics tab and External Credits and Test Scores. You can then see which classes BU has already given you credit for, and therefore won’t need to take during college.

Coming in with a lot of external credits can make adding an extra degree a lot more feasible since you will have more space in your schedule. If you don’t have a ton of credit already, that doesn’t mean you can’t do a dual degree; it just may mean you need to take a few courses over the summer or have less space for electives.

3. Utilize the increased credit cap

Another perk of Kilachand is that you are able to take up to 20 academic credits per semester plus an additional 2 non-academic credits. The normal BU student is capped at only 18 credits total for the semester. This means you can take up to 20 credits without any paperwork or anything like that. This is considered “overloading” and is what I have chosen to do. It is a really easy process and you just add all the classes as you would normally.

By overloading, it will be a lot easier to complete your dual degree on time. While this is no easy task, you are often able to plan your schedule so that the semesters you need to take an increased credit load, your classes will be a little bit easier. For example, overloading with a STEM heavy schedule and a lot of lab components would be significantly more time-consuming and difficult than adding an intro-level humanities elective to your plan of study.

If you wish to do more than twenty academic credits, it would be extremely difficult. That’s where the paperwork comes in, along with a litigation process to actually get approved. If you do get approved, BU will charge you a little extra per credit and the workload would be tremendous. I don’t know anyone who has tried to do this and I really wouldn’t recommend it. By taking 20 credits, you will already be ahead of the average BU student and will definitely finish your major requirements at a swift pace. I would just like to remind you that Kilachand students are not able to graduate early, so if this is your intention to overload I would once again not personally recommend it.

4. Make a written course plan

This is essential for any college student, but is especially important for dual-degree students. Being able to lay out all your classes and keep your requirements in line can be a really tricky task, and impossible to do in your head. I recommend making a spreadsheet mapping out a rough idea of what you want each semester to look like at BU. A lot of the requirements for each major are available online and this can be really helpful when it comes time for registration or advising appointments.

The key parts are your requirements for your major(s), KHC, and the HUB (BU’s version of general education requirements). Making a course plan can be a really helpful tool to see if a dual degree is even right for you in the first place. A lot of students want to spread their reach and go for the dual degree, but just don’t physically have space in their schedule and this can show that clearly. You don’t need to make one of these right away and whatever you put on here can definitely change throughout your time at BU. Consider it as kind of a rough guide as soon as your plans and major choices get more solidified. I did not make mine until the first semester of sophomore year, when I had a more concrete idea of what degrees I actually wanted to pursue. I will be happy to share the planner I personally use with anyone who reaches out to me if you want a better idea of what an example actually looks like!

5. Meet with your advisors often

Making this course plan is only the first step! You also need to meet with your advisors every semester. Academic advisors in college are like the equivalent to guidance counselors in high school (but better!). These are the people you should go to if you have any questions about academics or anything at all about college. The biggest difference is instead of having only one counselor for everything, you will have a separate advisor for each academic commitment you take on at BU. For example, I have one advisor for KHC, one advisor for my Economics degree, and a third advisor for my business degree. The reason for this is because each advisor is meant to be a specialist in their department and they are all amazing.

I can speak specifically for the Kilachand advising team in saying that they are truly amazing people. They are all really down-to-earth, very knowledgeable, and easy to have a conversation with. While you will be “assigned” to one advisor within KHC, you are definitely not limited to that one person. I encourage you to introduce yourself to the entire Kilachand advising team, there’s always someone in the office on the bottom floor of KHC to share a coffee or have a snack with.

Having a good relationship with your advisors is one of the most important parts of college. Not only can you get a lot of good advice and academic information, but your advisors will be approving your dual degree enrollment and other academic forms throughout your college career. I have had a lot of great conversations with all of the Kilachand advisors and they have helped me more times than I can count.

6. Take time for yourself!

It can be so easy for any student, especially a dual degree student within KHC, to be caught up in academic work all day. While college may bring a lot of new responsibilities and coursework, I can not emphasize enough how important it is to take time for yourself. Your mental health is extremely important and it’s vital to find outlets to destress and enjoy your college experience!

This looks different for every student, but for me, I am able to destress by finding a non-academic club to take my mind off of my studies. There is a wide variety of clubs you can join at BU, but I was able to find my escape on the Club Roller Hockey team. Being able to have a few hours of my week blocked off for athletics and socializing with teammates makes me a lot happier in general. I was also able to find that I am better able to focus on my work when it comes down to academics since I have more motivation overall.

If athletics aren’t your thing that’s completely okay! I also spend a lot of time on the Esplanade which is an awesome city park complex attached to BU where a lot of students go to socialize and find time for themselves. The Esplanade is a great place to take a walk, have a picnic, or throw a frisbee with some friends on a sunny day. I always enjoy going up to Longfellow Bridge and appreciate one of the best views of the city when I have a lot of work to do. This helps me mentally reset and ready to start doing some work. Also, feel free to check out Charlie McMahon’s blog post about exploring Boston for some other great ideas to destress around the city.

Hopefully, this helps! I just wanted to share my experience as a double major across colleges within CAS and QST. While all majors, and especially dual degree programs, are extremely different, a lot of this information will be relevant no matter the degree(s) you are pursuing. Just be sure to take time for yourself and enjoy life along the way!

I would be happy to continue this conversation, or others, with anyone. I can also speak a lot about the academics in Economics or business, picking your classes, club sports, exploring Boston, finding a roommate, or anything else you could think of. Feel free to reach out to me (acliff@bu.edu) if you have any questions at all and I will be happy to answer them via email or schedule a zoom call.

I Promise You’ll Like Office Hours

By Morgan Donohue (CAS'22)

What is an “office hour,” anyway? In my senior year of high school, the most common piece of college advice I heard was “go to office hours.” It is one of those things that everybody says, but which you don’t really believe until you do it for yourself. Office hours are scheduled times that professors and instructors make available for meeting with students outside of class, and all of those people are right. You should absolutely go to office hours, talk to your professors, and build those connections. After three years, I have finally learned that lesson, and I would recommend all students go to at least one office hour session with each professor at the very least to introduce yourself. Not many people utilize office hours, so you have a good chance that you’ll be able to have a nice conversation and ask questions about your class. Your professors are probably excited to talk to you and share their knowledge. But that is not why I am writing this! You should also talk to your Teaching Fellows (TFs)!

A TF is a graduate student at BU who helps a professor by leading discussion sections, running labs, and grading assignments. They also have office hours! Your TF is a wonderful resource. They know what goes into the weekly planning for lectures and discussions, so they can help you identify and understand the most important topics from lectures. In big classes, your discussion section TF is probably grading your assignment, and if you speak to them before an assignment is due, you might get some good tips. I’ve even had a TF offer to read and comment on a draft of a research paper if we got it to her a few days before it was due. This automatically gives you the opportunity to revise, edit, and improve your paper. Going to their office hours is a chance to speak with someone who is a little closer to your age but who has valuable insight into what you are studying in class and how to succeed in a course.

Office hours are only the start. TFs hold review sessions before exams, can provide feedback on labs and research topics, and tell you about graduate school if that is something you are interested in. Your TF is probably a pretty cool person, too. They are doing research themselves, and they will definitely share what they study with you if you ask. You could learn something new from someone who is passionate about the subject.

All of this is to say that you shouldn’t forget that your TFs are there to support you, and taking advantage of their office hours and expertise is definitely beneficial. Your professor’s office hours could be at an inconvenient time or are unusually busy. Maybe it can be a little intimidating to talk to someone who used to work at the Department of Defense before becoming a professor. Perhaps you just want to talk about something one more time. And sometimes you just want to talk to someone closer to your age. Whatever your reason, you should definitely check out your TF’s office hours!

Being Vegan/Vegetarian On Campus

By Core Funke (CAS’23)

As a vegetarian and sometimes vegan, I have experienced eating both ways while living on campus. While it can be challenging at times, I’ve discovered some tips and recommendations that should make it easier for you!

1. Dining halls

Most of the time, the dining halls on campus at BU offer a solid array of veggie foods. Kilachand Hall is located right across the street from Marciano Commons, so this is probably where you will eat most of your meals. Luckily most people consider it to be the best dining hall at BU!

For breakfast, the choices are similar each day. There is always oatmeal, bagels, toast, yogurt with granola, fruit, cereal, and non-dairy milk options. Usually there is a customizable omelette station which also has tofu scrambles, and I love getting vegan pancakes and hash browns. Pastries rotate daily, and some of my favorites are croissants, blueberry muffins, and vegan pumpkin bread.

For lunch and dinner, there is always a meal at the permanently vegan station. Luckily, if that choice isn’t your favorite, a great option is to ask for just the grain, starch, or vegetable options from any of the other stations. The dining hall workers are always really willing to customize your plate (or carry out container in the age of COVID). Oftentimes you can also substitute the protein option with tofu. There are always salads, vegetables with hummus, vegan pizza, French fries, and fruit. Last year, my favorite meal was called “create your own vegan station,” which was made to order curries with really yummy veggies and sauces! Some of my favorite vegan desserts are chocolate mousse and apple crisp.

Another dining hall is Granby Commons at BU Hillel, which is right near the College of Arts and Sciences building. It is completely Kosher, so they don’t cook with dairy products. This means that half of the options are vegan! There are always really yummy meals here, and my favorite is the stir-fried noodles. On some days the grill makes veggie burgers and fries, which is another great option. Before COVID, there was a huge salad bar with tons of toppings, but for now there are packaged salads. They also always have vegan desserts here, and I would highly recommend the chocolate chip cookies!

2. On-campus restaurants

Most on-campus restaurants are super customizable, which makes it really easy to exclude meat, dairy, and eggs. At the George Sherman Union, I love going to Greens & Grains where you can make your own salads. Open Kitchen alternates between serving Middle Eastern cuisine and Latin American cuisine, and it can also be made vegan or vegetarian. The Charles River Bread Company offers sandwiches on a rotating basis, and while most of them have meat sometimes you can catch one without it. They also have several soups, and I am obsessed with their vegetarian creamy tomato soup. A hack is to get a grilled cheese sandwich from Starbucks next door to make it a cozy meal.

Speaking of Starbucks, I like getting their vegetarian breakfast wraps for either breakfast or lunch, and of course most of their drinks can be made vegan. Located in the basement of the CAS building, Einstein Bros. Bagels has really good bagels and egg sandwiches, and while I was doing a one-month vegan challenge earlier this year, I would get a bagel and top it with vegan butter from the dining hall or peanut butter when I got back to my room. Basho has really good sushi rolls, poke bowls, and sushi burritos! I love getting the bowls, which come with lots of rice, and I get tofu instead of fish. There are many toppings and sauces to choose from, and it’s really easy to make vegan.

3. Off-campus restaurants

Being right in the middle of Boston makes it so easy to find vegan and vegetarian options at restaurants! Some staples located really close to BU are Nud Pob which serves Thai food, and Pavement Coffeehouse which has so many vegan swaps. Other favorites of mine are Clover Food Lab, India Quality Restaurant, Pho Pasteur, Life Alive, By Chloe, Dig, Rhythm ‘N Wraps, and so many more!

10 Free (or Under $5) Things You Must Do When You Go to School in Boston

By Jamie Greene (CAS’23)

1. Boston Common Founded in 1634, Boston Common is the oldest public park in the United States. Today, its 50 acres provides a meeting ground for gatherings such as picnics, softball, tennis, protests, and celebrations. A cornerstone of the Boston Common is the Frog Pond, which holds a carousel and splash pond in the summer and ice skating rink in the winter.

2. Public Garden Located just off of the Boston Common lies the Boston Public Garden. In addition to the manicured gardens and unique botany, the Public Garden is the home of several works of art, including the “Make Way for Ducklings” statues and Equestrian Statue of George Washington.

3. Boston Public Library Straight out of Hogwarts, the Boston Public Library is a must-visit workspace. With free wifi, computer access, and even a cafe, the BPL is a haven for inspiration, serving as the location for several of my own final essays and research papers. Once work has been completed, I would highly recommend simply walking around the Library which houses a collection of over 23.7 million works, including 1.7 million rare books and manuscripts from medieval authors, to William Shakespeare and John Adams.

4. Bunker Hill I know it’s technically in Charlestown, but you simply cannot go to school in Boston without visiting Bunker Hill. The site of the famous command, “don’t fire ‘til you see the whites of their eyes,” the Bunker Hill monument atop Breeds Hill marks a turning point in the Revolutionary War where the Yankees demonstrated their strength and tenacity to the British troops. Feeling a quick workout with a view? You can even climb the 294 steps to the top for unobstructed views of the city. If you have extra time during your visit there is a museum across the street as well as several restaurants and shops to explore.

5. Freedom Trail For a comprehensive history lesson as well as a chance to get out and explore the city of Boston, it's hard to beat the Freedom Trail. Spanning 2.5 miles, the Freedom Trail takes you to key landmarks across downtown Boston. Historic sites include the Massachusetts State House, Granary Burying Ground (the final resting place of John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Samuel Adams), Boston Massacre Site, Paul Revere House, the Old North Church, and USS Constitution.

6. Faneuil Hall If you have extra time, spend it at Faneuil Hall, a stop along the Freedom Trail. Created in 1742 and deemed by the Founding Fathers as “the Cradle of Liberty,” Faneuil Hall Marketplace along with Quincy Market currently houses over 70 retailers serving up indulgent world cuisine. In addition to delicious food and snacks, several retailers and vendors sell Boston apparel and goods. If you want more, step outside to be immediately entertained by street performers!

7. Aquarium Penguins! Sharks! Fish! Fun!

8. Gardner/MFA/ICA If you’re craving an afternoon of arts and culture, I cannot recommend any more highly any of the preceding museums, all of which are free with your BU ID. Inspired by her global travels, Isabella Stewart Gardner transformed her home into an intimate museum boasting an impressive collection of paintings, sculptures, and tapestries from around the world. Art from Rembrandt, Monet, and Degas are scattered along the walls, the backdrop of a stunning courtyard and beacon of light particularly in the winter months. The history of the Gardner museum is just as interesting as the art, the site of the largest (and still unsolved) private property theft amounting to an estimated $500 million. The Museum of Fine Arts and Institute of Contemporary Art are incredible art museums which host an overwhelming collection of priceless art and artifacts. A must see at the MFA is its extensive Monet collection, one of the largest outside of Paris. For newer appreciators of the arts, the MFA also is home to Egyptian masterpiece statues and busts.

9. Landwer Cafe Like coffee? Need to study? Look no further than Cafe Landwer on Beacon Street in South Campus. Rumor has it that if you show your BU student ID and plan to study, the cafe will reward you with free coffee. Or, if you want to upgrade this experience, they apparently have a nutella latte worth its weight in gold (but only priced at $5).

10. Apartment Hours. Look no further than the halls of KHC for this one. My freshman year, I lived across from the Kilachand Faculty in Residence and Professor in the Pardee School of International Relations, Professor Woodward. Every Tuesday night, Professor Woodward hosted apartment hours which quickly became a staple in my roommates’ and my weekly routine. These apartment hours were a place for meaningful dialogue with our peers, Professor Woodward, and even scholars and professionals. Among these academics, we had the opportunity to converse with fellow professors, chief of BUPD, a public health expert working for the City of Boston, and more! Professor Woodward’s apartment hours quickly became a staple for my freshman year not only for these critical discussions, but also for the snacks. As a gal who was not one to frequent the dining hall, I could always count on Professor Woodward to offer nachos, curry, or some other delicacy. A great opportunity to bond with your peers as well as renowned professors, apartment hours are a must!

The 3 Questions I Get Asked at Every Admissions Event

By Catherine Devlin (CAS’22)

As a Kilachand Ambassador, I’m always impressed by the unique perspectives that each class of newly admitted students brings. Yet, despite the individuality of each new student and class, there are certain questions that remain consistent across years and admission events. So, to close these matters once and for all, here are the answers to the 3 things that get asked at every BU admissions event:

Q1: How does BU not having a campus affect student life?

A1: This question always manifests in a vaguely passive aggressive form. We never seem to be asked to “discuss BU’s campus” in a general sense, but are instead called to account for what is framed as an obvious deficit. I completely understand the question. When I was looking at colleges, even once I realized that BU was the best choice for me, I still needed a moment to mourn the leafy oaks and grassy quads that had graced so many admissions pamphlets (and my subsequent dreams). Upon attending BU, however, I realized that the assumption that our school does not have a campus is not an accurate one. Practically every building on Comm Ave between Yawkey and West is a BU building, and when you walk down the street the air is alive with the energy of students hurrying to class, laughing with their friends, and earnestly discussing research plans with their professors. For a more picturesque walk, take Bay State Road instead, and enjoy the tranquility of trees in bloom and historic brownstones. The BU community is vividly apparent and accessible on BU’s campus, so much so that some of my fellow ambassadors have written their blogs on how to break out of the BU bubble! If you are worried about getting lost in Boston and not having a community to anchor you as a freshman, let go of that worry. BU might not have the traditional campus layout, but it definitely has a campus community. And that community is as strong and beautiful as any oak tree.

Q2: What is the Hub?

A2: As the first class to have gone through the Hub, I remember the vast number of information sessions and panels dedicated to explaining the system during Admitted Students’ Day and orientation. I also remember that, after all that, I still had no idea how to navigate the program. Now that I am planning courses for my senior year, I feel that I finally have a grasp on the Hub. Mostly. In the simplest terms, the Hub is BU’s gen-ed requirements. In order to allow students more room to explore different skills and topics, Hub requirements extend beyond specific course categorizations. For instance instead of having a history class requirement, you need to take a class that helps develop your “historical consciousness.” Some of the Hub requirements are more catered towards soft skills, such as “creativity and innovation” or “oral and signed communication.” But don’t let the fancy wording scare you! Kilachand will take care of most of your requirements, and the Kilachand advisors are great at helping you figure out how to fulfill those that are left over. Hub units can be earned through classes in your major and minor as well as electives and some AP classes, so there are a lot of ways to get it done and to explore a lot of different subjects while doing so!

Q3: Did you choose to be assigned a random roommate or did you request someone?

A3: This seems like a very specific and somewhat random question, but let me tell you I ALWAYS get asked this. I’ve found that when accepted students aren’t standing next to their parents, the questions tend to be more on the personal/social side than the strictly academic side. I think this is great! When a student asks questions about life at BU, I know that they are really trying to visualize themselves coming here, which is so important when choosing a school. To answer the question: I went random and it worked out really well for me, but I know people who chose and had great experiences as well (and of course less fortunate experiences for both random and choosing). It all comes down to your own preferences and what you feel most comfortable with. But the bigger reason I chose to share this question is because I want to encourage you to ask seemingly small questions like this! You are already into BU, so you don’t need to use admissions events to prove how smart you are (we already know that!). Take this time to ask things that are genuinely weighing on your mind, no matter how mundane they may appear. It will make your freshman year that much easier and more fun!

So there you have it! Those are the three most commonly asked questions, but there are lots more that come up frequently. To make sure you hear the answers to all of the most relevant admissions questions, and to have the chance to ask your own, connect with a KHC Ambassador, or attend one of our open house events! I can’t wait to see you on Bay State.

How Friendships Bloom

By Gabriela Morgan Longo (CAS’22)

College has taught me that friendships bloom in unexpected circumstances and despite our most embarrassing shortcomings or insecurities.

For example, my now close and supportive relationship with my freshman year roommates defies the reservations I had about living with “strangers” and the clumsiness with which our interactions started. Even if the general adage is that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression, my personal experience is solid evidence that you can overcome many initial social blunders with hundreds of subsequent interactions that better reveal your true nature and lead to genuine bonds of friendship.

As soon as I accepted my admission to BU, I became rattled by nerves. I had chosen a school far from home, where I would be forced to meet and live with new people. I’d have to share a room with strangers! This initial apprehension did not allow me to do any Facebook introductions or anything like that before I came to the deadline on filling out my dorm room application. Therefore, I was filling the form in the dark and putting my name in the random draw.

When I got 4 names back my restlessness increased. I was assigned to a suite where I would have to share my room with not one, but TWO strangers! I received 4 names and a room number, but other than that I had no idea how to reach out to them. I checked my email all the time and searched every social media platform I knew but couldn’t find any matches for the names I was given. Finally, sometime in July, I got an email from BU Housing in my personal account inbox telling me I could find information about my housing assignment in my school associated email account. My school associated email!?! I did not know I had one of those! Low and behold, as soon as I signed in to the me @bu.edu account tons of emails answering every question I had about college sat waiting for me, including, of course, an email from my suitemate Jillian with a phone number and an invitation to join a suitemates groupchat. My first message to that groupchat was something along the lines of “Hi guys! Sorry I missed all the introductions but I don’t know anything about college :/”. So that was my first impression!

Bumbling and nervous and probably a little goofy… I worried about this first impression for days. The first impression I made on my roommates was a text message I sent in a suite groupchat which I joined weeks after my other four suitemates had been using it to share their hopes and expectations for a wonderful new year. So, I started our relationship by having to explain to my “future best friends” (hopefully) that I had not been ignoring them during those weeks but that I simply had been clueless about the separate email for all things BU and had, therefore, been completely unaware of ALL the updates and information related to college and dorm and roommate assignments for over a month. For days after sending that text I worried that my suitemates would perceive this opening faux pas as evidence of the fact that I was too goofy to befriend. Somehow, however, the incident that I worried had painted me as clueless and bumbling had been perceived by my kind suitemates as sincere, nice, and maybe the sweet expressions of shyness.

Luckily, that dopey first impression ended up being less impactful than the subsequent hundreds of interactions we shared after move-in. The first night we all slept in the room, my roommate Mira and I went out for a walk, shared our concerns and expectations for our college years and ended up clicking immediately; talking and sharing our thoughts as if we had been friends for years. When I was late to class on my first day, my roommates Mira and Caro helped me collect myself as I rushed to get across campus and earned my devotion due to the tender kindness with which they tolerated my flustered nervousness. As the days and weeks went by, we shared our apprehensions by bringing each other sweets when we got back from class and we walked together into our neighbors’ rooms to introduce ourselves and develop new bonds and friendships. Day by day, one small kindness after another made us an inseparable unit and created shared memories and joys that bonded us together. The transition from strangers to friends was so seamless that I can’t remember or pinpoint when or how it happened. I am certain today, however, that these unexpected interactions with the “strangers” assigned by BU Housing to live with me have made college not only bearable, but fun.

Photo credit: Gabi Morgan Longo

What to do the Summer After Your Senior Year

By Bridgette Lang (CAS’23)

The summer before you enter your freshman year of college can be a confusing time. You made a decision for your future, but now what? For the first time ever, you won’t have assigned summer work, meaning that you have a lot more free-time. Though it may seem like you have all of the time in the world, it’s still important to ration out some time for activities to prepare yourself for your first year of college! Here are some of my suggestions about what you should do the summer after your senior year:

1. Get a part time job

Getting a part time job doesn’t sound like the most exciting way to spend your last summer of freedom, but working during the summer can set you up well for the school year. It’s no secret that Boston is an expensive city, and having some spending money can’t hurt to offset some of those costs.

2. Learn skills to become more independent

Use your parents as a resource while you can! Do you have questions about how to open up your first credit card? Or maybe you’re just unsure how often you need to wash your sheets. College is your first step into adulthood, so ask questions before you get there. I’m sure your parents will love getting a phone call from you during the semester, but maybe they won’t be as happy if you are asking them how to clean the toilet two months into the semester.

3. Set up professional social media accounts

You might already have a Linked In or Handshake account, but if you don’t, go set one up now. Creating your account and entering in some basic information before you get to school will help you get a head start. Instead of creating an entire account when you’re looking for a summer internship in the fall, you can simply update your profile.

4. Make your Boston bucket list

If you’re not from Massachusetts, Boston has a lot of new sights for you to explore. If you make a bucket list over the summer, you can try to stop by everything that you want to see. You can maybe even make a one year and a four year bucket list. You’ll never get bored!

5. Find clubs to join and activities outside of class

In high school, I’m sure you participated in clubs that helped enhance your academic experience, but college offers a wider variety of clubs, organizations, and activities. It could be useful to evaluate what activities you enjoyed and what other ones you didn’t have an attachment to. Is there anything new that you want to try that wasn’t available at your high school? Check out BU’s full list of clubs here:

https://www.bu.edu/admissions/why-bu/student-life/student-activities/

6. Give your brain a rest

Every single summer, I am sure that you’ve been given summer work by your teachers. Reading five chapters of your AP textbook, writing three papers for your summer reading books, and solving math problems is what my summers normally looked like. With that being said, it's important to give your brain a break from learning and do what you enjoy. Congratulate yourself for what you’ve accomplished, and give yourself the space and time to reflect on your journey so far.

A Day in My Life as a Biomedical Engineering Major and Pre-med in Kilachand!

By Emma Hartman (ENG’23)

5:40 AM: I wake up. OK, OK: don’t panic reading this -- as hard as it is to believe, this is something I do to myself willingly and for reasons completely unrelated to academics. My favorite hot yoga class is at 6 am on Wednesdays at a yoga studio less than 5 minutes from my dorm. There are other yoga classes at normal times, but I really like this one.

6 AM: Hot Yoga! I started practicing yoga about a month ago to shake up my routine and quickly got addicted. I use it to manage my stress, stay in shape, and as something fun and COVID safe that I can do with friends.

7 AM: I take my time on the walk back to my dorm. I live in a safe area that’s incredibly pretty in the morning and I’m trying to enjoy it more. When I get back to my brownstone, I make some breakfast (I’m currently training in the art of microwave-based cooking) and shower before class.

*Beacon Street in the morning, right by South Campus.*

9 AM: I arrive at the George Sherman Union (GSU), our student center, before my first class and meet up with my friend Sarah. Our Differential Equations lecture is remote learning only this semester, but we meet up to get Starbucks, catch up, and to take the class together in the library attached to the GSU. We claim that we keep each other accountable and focused, but we almost always wind up talking during the slow parts of class.

10 AM: Sarah and I leave the GSU and walk to our next classes together. I have my Cell Biology and Biotechnology lecture, where I run into Natalia, one of my friends from Kilachand. We met during our first semester of freshman year in a Kilachand seminar on Latin American music. I met a lot of engineers in that class since we all took it to fulfill the same HUB units. I still see a lot of them in my engineering classes or around campus!

Socially Distanced Biology Lecture in Agganis. — *Socially distanced Biology lecture in Agganis.*

12 PM: My lecture is over, and I want some lunch. Some days I’ll stay by Agganis Arena, where my lecture was, and eat with my friend Karolyn who lives in West Campus. Other days, I’ll head back eastward and eat with my friends Chloe and Sarah, who are studying at the GSU. No matter where I am, I always try and use meals as a time to see my friends.

1 PM: I head into the BU biomedical engineering research lab that I work in. We study mice to learn more about the neural circuits in the brain responsible for movement. Right now, I’m working with a PhD student on her latest project. Together we’ve been training our 3 mice—Matcha, Mocha, and Macchiato—to perform different behavioral tasks. Once they’re trained, we use electrophysiology probes and optogenetic techniques to record neural activity in different parts of their brains (basically: we stick a sensor into a genetically engineered mouse’s brain and choose what areas of the brain we want to record data from by using a laser to selectively silence groups of brain cells). I ask my grad student a truly annoying number of questions about the research, and she answers every last one because she’s genuinely happy to help me learn.

*My lab mouse Matcha is in her tube and ready for training!*

4 PM: It’s time to log onto Zoom for my HUB co-curricular, a course that I take in tandem with KHC HC 302. We teach Boston high schoolers about public health through a local program called Boston Area Health Education Center. It’s a great way to give back to the local community, learn more about public health and the Boston Public School system, and secure a coveted HUB unit.

6 PM: I log off of Zoom and knock on my roommate Iris’s door. We’re off to go find dinner so we can bring it back home, eat on the couch, and talk about our days. Sometimes we put on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy or the Bachelor while we eat

7 PM: I do some homework and answer some emails for my Girls Who Code club.

8 PM: I log onto Zoom office hours for my engineering mechanics class. I work on my homework and private message my friend Jenny, who’s also here because she’s struggling with problem #7 too.

9 PM: My roommate wanders back out to our couch and wants to figure out our weekend plans. We bring our laptops to the couch and work while we talk. Eventually, we either finish or abandon our work and just relax.

10:15 PM: I start getting ready for bed, write in my journal about the day, and look at my color-coded Google Calendar as I write in my planner about tomorrow. Tomorrow’s schedule is incredibly different, but no less exciting!

How to Remain Organized

By Carolina Becerril (SAR’22)

I graduated high school with both excitement and fear as I knew I was embarking on a completely unknown experience. While I was preoccupied with meeting new people and becoming as involved as I possibly could, I paid little to no attention to my study habits, organization and time-management skills. In my head, I had mastered them in the little time that 4 years really is, so really what was there to worry about? Turns out I just needed a little humbling. Over the last few years, I’ve taken the hardest lessons and turned them into tips I would give to first year students, just like you!

1. Find a system that works for YOU (aka what works for others might not work for you and that’s ok)

If you’re anything like me and love learning how others organize their work, you know that it’s easy to want to do the same for yourself, but that doesn’t always work. Some people can simply write down what they need to do on a sticky note, others can set reminders on their phones or even rely on their own memory. For me, unfortunately, that’s not the case. I personally heavily rely on my good old paper agenda for school work aka any assignments, projects, exams, etc. as well as any tasks I might have for my job as a resident assistant. In addition to my paper agenda, I use google calendar as my “master calendar”. I have essentially everything I do in this calendar: school, work, meetings, advising, clubs, etc. As overwhelming as it might sound, it has helped me remain organized and on top of what I need to do. However, this is what works for ME and I encourage you to try out different systems and truly understand what works best for you. Do your own research, watch youtube videos (highly recommend checking out my friend’s YT channel: Mira Dhakal) and try different combinations of different resources. It’s ok if things don’t work out the first, second, third, fourth time. I’ll talk about why you shouldn’t worry about this soon. Hold on tight for me.

2. Attend workshops offered around campus on time-management and organization

Boston University has a Center for Career Development that offers a variety of really useful and informative workshops on a myriad of topics. They often host workshops on time-management skills, studying strategies, organization, etc. I would highly recommend attending these as they are a great resource on campus! Additionally, you can always feel free to ask advisors for more information on this.

3. Have a designated work/study space

Something that I find is JUST as important as having a good organizational system is having a designated work/study space. I’ve found (especially during this pandemic) that it can get really tricky and overwhelming quite quickly to get work done when you mix your social or “me” space with your study space, like studying in your room. While that might work for some people, I think it is highly beneficial to separate your rest space from the space where you spend time working hard on assignments and studying for exams. It doesn’t matter what that looks like, it could be a library, a coffee shop, a study space on or off campus, just make sure you find a space that best fits your needs and goals!

4. Most importantly, be willing to fail

Something that I wish I would’ve understood my first year is how important it is to be willing to fail. I wish I would’ve understood that failure is your friend rather than your enemy. I think it’s important to know that finding what best works for you and what will yield you the best results (academically and personally) will take a while, and even when you DO find that works best for you, you might still have to change it! My willingness to try out different ways to stay organized has led me to where I am now, where I feel like I have a good system but I’m still happy and excited to see how this will change to make me a better student.

I hope this was in some way helpful. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for help and use the resource you have available to you. Good luck!