Love That Dirty Water

The end of my undergraduate career is winding down...classes ended last Thursday and Senior Week celebrations kicked-off at Senior Breakfast on Friday.


Senior Breakfast is the first senior event where every member of the graduating class comes together for the first time since Matriculation. It takes place the morning after the last day of classes in the Metcalf Ballroom in the GSU. Every senior receives a gift (we got BU portfolio pads oOoOo). And traditionally the Boston University Graduation Commencement speaker is announced - this way the entire class can find out together and before anyone else. Going along with tradition, President Brown officially announced the 2011 Graduation Commencement speaker in unique fashion...

The entire Class of 2011 is looking forward to May 22nd to hear Katie Couric answer our personal questions. 


Katie Couric's bark wasn't the only exciting thing to happen on Friday morning. Dean Elmore announced that because the Class of 2011 had successfully reached the Senior Gift Campaign goal of having at least 2,011 seniors donate to the Gift Campaign he would be jumping in the Charles River as promised earlier in the semester. Definitely one of the highlights of my senior year.

Finding out as an entire graduating class who our Commencement speaker is and breaking the record for most participation in the Senior Gift Campaign reminded me how devoted the BU administration is to making the BU community feel unified and part of something bigger than ourselves. The faculty, administration, and staff are always making sure we feel special and appreciated even if it means jumping into freezing cold water. 


Class of 2015, take time to notice the administration's efforts to make your class feel unified. You've got a lot of memories to make before finding out your own graduation commencement speaker and plenty of time to try and beat our Senior Gift Campaign record. Do you have what it takes? Good luck! 

Words of Wisdom: Part Three

7. Build relationships with your professors.

BU professors are world-renowned in their areas of study. They want to see students succeed. So take advantage of this! Don’t be afraid to participate in class or stay after to ask a question. Every BU professor holds office hours outside of class so students can meet with them to go over paper topics or ask a question about an exam. Take the time to do this and get to know your professor. Your final grade could reflect on this.

8. Be independent.

My favorite thing about going to school in Boston is there is always something going on or somewhere new to explore. I spent many a Friday afternoon during my freshman year in and out of stores at Copley or trying different food at Quincy Market. I realized that I didn’t need to constantly be with a group of people to enjoy my surroundings. Sometimes it’s nice to go out on your own. So don’t be afraid to head to Newbury St. and enjoy a book over a cup of coffee at a café. Take some time for yourself.

9. Make your dorm a home away from home.

You’re going to be living in your dorm for about 9 months so you might as well make it a nice place to spend your time. The first thing people notice in my room is all my pictures – my walls are literally covered in pictures of friends from home, friends from school, and family members. Decorate your room with things that represent your personality. You'll look forward to coming home everyday. 

So that’s it for my words of advice. Hope it gives you a little insight on making the most out of your freshmen year at BU!

Words of Wisdom: Part Two

4. Manage your time.

You’ve probably heard this one a lot too. Sixteen hours of class a week, getting involved in student organizations, studying, eating, showering, sleeping, and having some type of a social life may seem a bit overwhelming. But you really will have time to accomplish all these things and get involved as long as you manage your time. Get yourself a planner and make deadlines for yourself. What’s awesome about a college class schedule is you might only have a couple of classes a day. Instead of going back to your room to watch TV in between class, head to the study lounge and get some reading done. If you’re going to be too tempted to socialize with your floormates in your dorm, head to the library on weeknights so you can go out with them on the weekends.

5. Manage your money.

 I unfortunately learned this lesson the hard way. There are so many wonderful things going on in Boston from trying out the latest appetizer at Charley’s Saloon on Newbury (my favorite restaurant ever), seeing a movie at the Fenway Theatre (Water for Elephants anyone?), or purchasing the latest design from Coach at the Pru. Unfortunately, none of these things agree with a college student’s bank account. I’m not saying you can’t splurge once in a while. But give yourself a weekly budget and stick with it. It’s how I’ve survived the last two years at school. (Yes, it took me two years to figure this out.) If you end up with extra money at the end of the week, tag it on to next week’s allowance. That way you can still enjoy the wonders of Boston without going bankrupt.

6. Explore the city.

Boston is made up of so many diverse areas from Kenmore Square, to Back Bay, to the South End, to Faneuil Hall, and the North End – each have their own personalities and secret gems. Take time to visit each one and explore everything from the restaurants to the shops to the nightlife and figure out your favorite. 

Words of Wisdom Part 1

After speaking with several nervous and curious prospective students for the past month I've decided to express some words of wisdom to incoming students. I've got nine of 'em but here are the first three. Stay tuned for more to come...

1. Get involved.

You’ve probably heard this a million times, and you’ll probably hear it a million more. There are so many resources and opportunities at your fingertips so make sure you take advantage of them! At BU there are countless academic resources, career experiences, and social organizations waiting for you to get involved in. Don’t sit back. Get out there and get involved. A perfect opportunity to do so is during the first week at school at SPLASH - an event that takes place on Nickerson Field for new students to check out all the clubs and activities BU offers, sign up, and get free stuff!

2. Step out of your comfort zone.

 Transitioning from high school to college can be challenging. Every incoming student is in a new place and is trying to get used to new surroundings – everyone’s feeling a little awkward. But the more outgoing you are, the less awkward you’ll feel. So instead of silently sitting beside the kid that lives on your floor in class, introduce yourself! Before you know it you’ll be bonding over how much you both love Warren.

3. Be open-minded.

Your life in college is going to be significantly different than your life at home and it can take a while to get used to the changes and differences. Rather than complain about your small dorm room look at it as an opportunity to get really close with your roommate since you’re going to be sharing such a close space. Intimidated by that 5-page syllabus? Just think of how great you’ll feel once you complete those papers, tests, and presentations by the end of the semester! College is a journey that is going to be much more enjoyable the more positive you are. 

Bruins, Celtics, and Sox. Oh, my!

At the end of April Bostonians can be seen celebrating the end of harsh New England winters by sporting flip-flops with a Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee in hand. The warm weather is not the only thing to look forward to. The end of April is a sports lover’s dream. Play-off season is underway for the NHL and the NBA and it marks the beginning of the MLB season. And this year the Bruins, Celtics, and Sox are all representing Beantown.

 BU students can find themselves in the middle of the action with Fenway Park practically on campus and the TD Garden, where the Bruins and Celtics call home, just a T ride away. Whether trying to get last minute tickets or just watching the game at a local bar or restaurant, cheering for local teams is a perfect way to get integrated with the Boston community and get a sense what being a Boston sports fan is really about.  

Cheering for the Bruins and the Sox has kept me busy the past few weeks. Although every Red Sox home game since May of 2003 has been sold out, sniping tickets is actually doable.  Last week I had the opportunity to attend a Sox game with my roommates at the last minute. We literally ran down Comm. Ave. to get the tickets from a couple that didn’t want to brave the cold weather on a chilly Friday evening. And sites such as StubHub, TicketZoom, and BargainSeatsOnline offer discounted tickets. Tickets tend to be cheaper in April and the beginning of May when it is still in the beginning of the season. In the past BU has even released standing-room-only tickets to students at the end of the semester. Attending a Sox game is the perfect way to get a sense of the pride and passion Bostonians have for their city.

Even if you aren’t able to snag tickets, local bars and restaurants are a great place to watch games and get into the action. This past weekend Barstool Sports Boston hosted a pub-crawl event before the Bruins beat the Canadians in double overtime. During game time bars and restaurants are crowded with fans that are grabbing a bite while they cheer for Boston and run out any opposing team fans that seem to think they can get away with loitering on home turf.

The end of April is exciting for any sports fan whether you’re into hockey, basketball, or baseball. Becoming part of this hometown loyalty will definitely make you feel connected to the Boston community. After all, there are no fans like Boston fans.