First-year – Kilachand Ambassadors Blog

A First-Year Seminar as a Way to Break the Pre-Med Monotony

Brianna Spiegel (SAR’24)

Hopefully, the title didn’t give you too wrong of an impression – I do love medicine. I’m excited to spend my life helping people live the healthiest lives they can. I love science and all of its nitty-grittiness: connecting cell-signaling pathways, figuring out reaction mechanisms, understanding how big systems in our body supply fuel to every cell.

But sometimes, pre-med classes can be exhausting.

Huge lecture halls. Always a sea of unfamiliar faces. Clicker questions. Long computer-based tests.

Day in and day out, most of my STEM classes have functioned in this way. And while I am grateful to my professors for making the best of this format and teaching me so much, I often find myself longing for the days of my freshman year at Kilachand.

For my first required seminar, I chose IR102, Spies and Terrorists of Boston, led by Professor Woodward. He is a faculty-in-residence at Kilachand Hall and a former CIA agent! This course proved to be unlike anything I ever experienced before. In contrast to my huge general chemistry lecture, for example, seminars at Kilachand are tiny: there were just about a dozen of us in the whole class. I got to know everyone so personally despite the Zoom format (it was fall 2020, arguably one of the hardest times to start college, but that is another story). And unlike individual-based assessments common to my other classes, IR102 was almost completely based on partner work. We read historical and current literature and were assigned sections to research further and present on in class as a pair. Collaboration and teamwork were the themes of the course, so being assigned a different partner each time put these principles into practice. One pair served as “maestros,” leaders in charge of organizing the pairs and coordinating rehearsals outside of class. Our presentations were actually known as “briefings”: under time pressure, we were expected to be clear, complete, and concise, always stating the BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front. And in true briefing fashion, we had to be ready to respond to tough questions on the fly. Even our exams were oral exams! As a reward for our efforts, Professor Woodward took our class on a (socially-distanced) tour of spy sites of Boston, showing us cool spots that even as a local I had never heard of before.

One stop on our tour was in front of this building near the gold-domed State House. This was actually the first site of BU’s College of Arts and Sciences. You can spot the BU seal if you look closely!

Image source: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/boston-university-history-class/

I am so grateful to IR102 both as a course, for the ways in which it pushed me to grow outside of my comfort zone, and as a community, providing me with connection in a challenging transitionary period. I highly recommend this seminar for incoming first-years!

Our Fave Five Things in Kilachand Hall

Caroline Perna (SAR'25) & Veronica McKinney (CAS'25)

#1: Chrissy

On the first floor of Kilachand Hall are the staff offices, which enable students to build relationships with staff and administration. When you first walk in, you’ll see Chrissy standing behind her desk with her welcoming smile. Chrissy is one of the newest additions to the Kilachand Staff, and she is always a light that brightens our days. Throughout our freshman year, we have had the joy to get to know Chrissy. She is an awesome resource if you ever need to talk, get advice, or if you need a hug. Over the last few months, Chrissy has become a “mom” for us since we are physically far away from our families, and we have a lunch date with her every few weeks. Make sure to pop in and say hi, and tell her that Caroline and Veronica sent you!

***Veronica & Chrissy twinning (accidentally)***

#2: Kitchen

We are lucky to have a fully functioning kitchen on the first floor of Kilachand Hall (one of the only kitchens easily accessible to freshmen at BU)! The kitchen is an awesome way to bring people together to cook, bake, and hangout! Our favorite cooking experiments have been: chocolate chip banana bread, brunch eggs and crepes, and a surprise birthday cake for our friend Tanvi! Although you have to provide the food and cooking dishes, the kitchen is recently renovated, right downstairs, and easy to use. You should definitely take advantage and show off your cooking skills! (Warning: don’t use anything you find in the fridge…)

**Tanvi’s partially eaten birthday cake**

#3: Coffee & Snacks

In the offices of Kilachand Hall there is a lovely coffee machine (with more than 60 different possible drinks) and a box of snacks. We make sure to stop in the office nearly every day to get our yummy drink, or chips, or chocolate, or granola bar, or cookie… the options are endless. This has been a really convenient (and free) option to get some fuel for the day! (And we were especially grateful for the steaming hot chocolates on the coldest Boston winter days.) Chrissy stays vigilant on keeping the snack box replenished, and she looks the other way if you want to stock up on some snacks for later… 😉 If you ever have the chance, you should definitely use this (did we mention free?) pick-me-up station. (Bonus: you get to see Chrissy while you’re there!)

**Chrissy & Rick with the popcorn machine**

#4: 9th Floor Study Spaces

On the top floor of Kilachand Hall is a common area and quiet study room! The main entrance area has a dance floor and stage because Kilachand Hall used to be a Sheridan hotel. There are tables all over for you to work or hangout with friends, and a TV is available if you want to host a movie night! If you need to actually get some work done, there is a VERY quiet study room (where you can literally hear a pin drop). Kilachand Hall renovations are starting this summer 2022 (more information is up on the website), so the 9th floor will be upgraded with brand new classrooms, study spaces, and windows to overlook our stunning view of the Charles River. (Around sunset, the whole floor is aglow in warm lighting that is perfect for selfies!)

**9th floor friends enjoying a late night snack!**

#5: 1st Floor Lounge

Our recently renovated first floor lobby and common room is one of the most active places in the building! During the day, students will work in between classes, and in the evenings, the room is even busier! While working, you may enjoy some nice ambient music from the public piano, or the aforementioned snacks and drinks from the front office. If you need a quick study break, board games are available for anyone to use, and the blue couches are surprisingly comfortable if you need to take a power nap! Our monthly Kilachand Teas are also hosted on the 1st floor, where you can get free drinks and food (our personal favorites are the chocolate covered strawberries and chips and hummus!). Co-curriculars and events like the open KHC Closet (pictured below) are often held on the first floor because everyone coming into the building will pass by!

In conclusion…

WE LOVE KILACHAND HALL

and all the fun people, places, and memories made here! <3

Photos © Caroline Perna & Veronica McKinney 2022

Four Core Memories in Kilachand: Freshman Edition

Iffany Zou (CAS'25)

I’ve just about completed my first year here at Boston University in the Kilachand Honors College and to say I’ve loved it is an understatement. Through Kilachand, I have created so many unforgettable memories. However, my memory is bad, so before I forget, I’d better write a few of my core ones down:

1. Hiking Monadnock

In chronological order: first up we have hiking Mount Monadnock. It was October 23rd, 2021 and I had just met the group of boys from down the hall. Because of Kilachand’s living and learning community, I encountered what became a tight knit group of friends. A zipcar, a collaborative playlist, and a few breakfast sandwiches later, we were off to the misty mountains. What I love about Boston is that you can get the best of both worlds: you live in the city, but you aren’t too far from the exact opposite. The two hour drive and the lack of sleep was completely worth it. Once we began the hike, we could barely stop. Each spot higher than the previous one unveiled a more and more beautiful view. If you love a good hike, I definitely recommend Mount Monadnock in October. At one of the peaks, we could see miles of orange and auburn leaves and this is a view I will never stop missing. We sat there a while, unable to fathom the breathtaking view. Just look at this photo…Boston might be the place for you!

Iffany1

2. Friendsgiving

On November 20th, 2021, my friends and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a home-cooked dinner at Jacob’s. All of us gathered around the kitchen counter was truly a sight to see: Dan reaching over me to grab the string beans, James playing with the fire on the stove, Shea mashing an absurd amount of potatoes, Jacob showing off his card tricks, and everyone singing, screaming, and laughing. It was only a few months into our first semester at college, but I was immensely grateful for the people I had met. As the night went on, my homesickness finally began to ease.

Friendsgiving

3. Fancy Marciano Dinner

One day of no particular occasion, my friends and I decided to have ourselves a fancy dinner at Marciano Commons (the best dining hall on campus). We dressed up, brought a bed sheet/tablecloth (same thing), and claimed one of the circle tables. We had a three course meal, starting with appetizers and ending with desserts. The night was so fun, we decided this was only going to be the first of many themed dinners. Next up: Adam Sandler Night (stay tuned)!

Iffany3

4. Ultimate in the Rain

In the middle of second semester, my friends and I really started taking advantage of the warmer weather. On Tanvi’s birthday, we gathered everyone together on a rainy Thursday night to play a big game of ultimate. We ended up staying out for hours playing ultimate, volleyball, soccer, and football. It was extremely slippery and multiple of us did fall, but I wouldn’t even hesitate to do it again (go team river rats!). On our walk back to Kilachand Hall, we jumped in puddles, sang Pitch Perfect, and continued to throw the frisbee around. By the time we got back, we were wet, sweaty, and a little bit muddy. We ended the night in the Kilachand 1st floor common room eating Veronica’s homemade cake and wishing Tanvi a Happy Birthday (Happy Late Birthday, Tanvi)!

Iffany4

It sounds cheesy, but these are the memories I know I’ll always hold close to my heart. Thanks to Kilachand, I’ve had an amazing year with a beautiful community. And thanks to this blog, I was able to share the best bits with you (and I’ll actually be able to remember it!).

Images © Iffany Zou 2022

College Dorm Room Recommendations

By Kadie Cathcart (CAS’23)

There is no understating the uniquely luxurious Kilachand Honors College exclusive experience that is having a personal bathroom within your dorm freshman year. Sharing this information with anyone in Towers, Warren, or West is the easiest way to spark jealousy amongst your peers.

However, aside from the aforementioned bathroom, the dorm rooms within KHC are not highly atypical of any of those found throughout the rest of BU’s campus. Any good dorm room has its personal touches and unique decor, but there are undoubtedly a number of important practical items every college dorm room should have.

As someone who lived in Kilachand freshman year and has lived in on-campus apartments for the last two years, I think I have accumulated a good list of the most important and often overlooked college dorm essentials.

1. Bed Sheet Fasteners - To avoid the issue of waking up in the middle of the night with your fitted sheet off the corner on your bed and on your foot, these fasteners ensure your fitted sheet will stay in place and offer a much more pleasant and less restrictive sleeping experience.

2. Boyfriend Bed Pillow Rest - Perfect for the times when you simply don’t want to sit at a desk to do work or want to relax and watch a show to decompress.

3. Dorm Slippers - Far more comfortable than a pair of outdoor shoes and extremely convenient for running down to get laundry or hang out with friends on your floor!

4. Brita Water Filter - Though Boston tap water has a reputation for being some of the best in the country, there’s nothing quite like having cold, crisp, filtered water at your fingertips.

5. Stick-On Phone Wallet - Though maybe not a “dorm room essential,” this may be the college essential. Especially when living in a dorm you have to swipe in and out of, like Kilachand, having your Terrier card readily accessible is truly an essential thing.

6. Command Hooks - Can be used for more practical purposes like hanging up bags or coats as well as for help hanging fun wall decorations or photos!

7. Extra Utensil Set - Perfect for the times where you want to have a dorm dinner or afternoon snack. Always handy to have when the late-night microwavable mac-and-cheese craving kicks in.

8. Bed Skirt - A bed skirt can mask all evil. Especially when you want to store things under your bed, a bed skirt can help to keep your room looking polished and cleaner than it may actually be.

9. Extra Seating - If you are someone who likes to have friends over in your room, consider getting an extra foldable chair for any visitors who may not fit on your bed or desk chair.

10. Mini Vacuum - It’s always surprising to see how much hair can accumulate in a college dorm room (especially one with carpet). Having a mini vacuum on hand to clean up crumbs or other messes will make your room feel that much cleaner and more put together. (KHC has standing vacuums you can rent, but its always nice to have one immediately accessible should you need it!).

Making your college dorm feel like home is one of the most important tasks any new college student has; this is where you spend time working, studying, snacking, building relationships, and most importantly sleeping. However, the practical side of dorm room living is an unavoidable thing and should be taken into consideration when preparing for your move to Boston. While these items just scratch the surface of the essentials that could be mentioned, I can guarantee having one or more of them will make your freshman year dorm experience a much more enjoyable and functional thing!

Please note that the links above are included to provide visual aids for the items listed and do not represent an endorsement of a particular product or seller. Check out BU Housing’s What to Bring list for more tips!

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!

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.

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!

Kilachand First-Year Seminars

By Jan Bhatt (CAS’23) and Michelle Roos (CAS’23)

Hey y’all!!

My name is Jan, and I am an English major on the Pre-Law track! I’m going to talk about my experience with freshman KHC courses as a humanities major, and my friend+roommate Michelle is going to touch upon her experiences as a STEM major. Please please please feel free to reach out to either of us if you have any questions or want to chat!

During my first semester, I signed up for a KHC seminar course called Global Shakespeares: Text, Culture, Appropriation. This was designed like an English course, which as an English major I thoroughly enjoyed. However, for the second semester, my advisor (go Eric!) suggested that I sign up for a course that is different from my major, and I signed up for a chemistry seminar called The Material World. This is the course that I’m going to elaborate on because it was very helpful, not only because it helped with HUB requirements, but also because I was able to learn and retain very important information revolving around climate change and resource depletion. I still remember the few cases that we studied in that class, and I love bringing them up when talking about accountability of large corporations. It was taught by Professor Linda Doerrer, who is a very fun, easy going and interesting professor. I enjoyed speaking with her and learning from her, especially due to her ability to simplify advanced concepts of chemistry. I am very grateful for the two Studio courses as well, because it enabled us to converse about the ongoing global humanitarian issues like immigration, racism, etc. It gave me a platform to participate in regulated, academic conversations about issues that are relevant to the current socio-political climate. I took both studios with Dr. Amanda Fish, who is absolutely wonderful, and is willing to be helpful to the best of her ability. The work-load seemed like a lot to me in the beginning, but that is mostly because I am a massive procrastinator and left the assignments to the last minute. I eventually got the hang of time management and not leaving most of my work to the last minute and it helped me a lot! So that would be a portion of my piece of advice: time management, and communication. Reach out to your professors if you are confused about the assignment, if you need an extension, or if you need extra help! Nine times out of ten, the professors are more than willing to accommodate and help you out! To summarize, my experience with first year KHC courses, minus some hiccups (mostly caused due to my personal shortcomings), was overall incredibly positive and rewarding!

Hi! I'm Michelle, a neuroscience major and chemistry minor in KHC. In the fall of my freshman year, I took the same Shakespeare seminar as Jan, where we were given the opportunity to read and analyze a wide range of adaptations of Shakespeare's classic works. Last spring, I selected another first-year seminar entitled “Whose Schools: Power, Equality, and Public Education”. In this class, I found it insightful to learn not only of the inequalities in Boston Public Schools, but also how the education system ties into larger, systemic, socio-economic issues. In addition to these seminars, I also completed two semesters of Studio during my first year at KHC. I liked how most of the writing assignments for this class were relatively open-ended, with the opportunity to construct a research paper on any topic given in the second semester. I chose to write about the treatment of individuals with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders under the U.S. healthcare and criminal justice systems; this paper is only one example of how a KHC class enabled me to consider the information relevant to courses in my major under a new light.

I am grateful to KHC and the academic advising I have received (shoutout to Amanda!) for encouraging me to take interesting classes that I would not have otherwise taken. These classes have allowed me to expand my interests and gain an interdisciplinary perspective of many of the world's most challenging dilemmas. As a STEM major, I often find it more comfortable to stick to hardcore science courses than to grapple with the tough questions that are presented in KHC classes. Nevertheless, there is something especially rewarding about completing a difficult paper or engaging in a class discussion that I do not experience in my STEM classes. By forcing me out of my comfort zone, I believe that the courses that I have taken and will take in the future in KHC will allow me to emerge from college as a more well-rounded individual who is (hopefully) more prepared for graduate school.

How to Pick Your Classes

By Jackson Wallace (CAS’22)

One thing that I wish I had known to think about a little more before I came to Boston University and Kilachand in particular is how to pick my classes, especially the first-year seminar. There are a lot of little things that one might not consider at first, so it can be important to sit down, think things over, and not just take the first cool looking class that comes to mind.

An aspect of particular importance is the Hub! Every class at BU comes with some Hub credits and you need to obtain a variety of these credits in order to graduate. So, before you pick a class, you should take a look at what credits you can get through the classes you’ll have to take in your major, as well as the required KHC classes. This way, you can start to get some trickier credits (looking at you, Individual in the Community) out of the way. Your seminar is an especially potent opportunity because a wide variety of classes with a range of credits are offered, many of which are much more interesting than Generic Class 100 you might take otherwise. That said, don’t be afraid to pick a seminar that you think will be cool even if it does not help your Hub (that’s what I and many others inadvertently do and we turned out fine), but it is good to keep in mind.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you should prepare some backup classes. Sometimes, the class that you want to take will be all filled up by the time you register. Sometimes, the really interesting sounding class is not being offered this year. Or, most frustrating, you realize that the class is happening at the same time as a class you need to take for your major. So, it is a good idea to be prepared and have a list of classes you’d be interested in. Otherwise, you may get to registration day and find yourself scrambling to fill in a spot.

A final note to keep in mind is that you should try to make sure you have a good idea of why you want to take a class. There’s nothing worse than signing up for a class only to realize halfway through the semester that you actually detest architecture and want nothing to do with the class. To try and prevent this from happening to you, make sure you know what you’re in for, or at least have a system in place that can get you through tough classes. For instance, maybe you know the subject material is different from what you usually like to learn about, but you’re looking to balance out the other classes you’re taking. Or perhaps you have some friends who can help carry you through the class. No matter what, make sure you know what you’re getting into before you register for classes! And don’t worry, because you will have plenty of resources, from friends to faculty to Kilachand’s own advisors to help get you to that point.