Back Bay Ball

Every year the Boston University Programming Council hosts the Back Bay Ball, BU’s only school-wide formal. Come February, thousands of BU students put on their formal wear and get ready to dance the night away at the Westin Copley Hotel in Back Bay. This year was no different. On Friday a group of my friends and I attended our fourth and final (tear) BBB. An awesome deejay, cash bar (although a bit pricy), and hours of dancing were a great way to celebrate our final year at BU in style.

BBB 2008 with Girls of Sleeper 13

Although individual schools and colleges host their own formal events, Back Bay Ball is a unique opportunity in which the whole student body is invited to show off their sophisticated style together. And for someone like me who was looking at prom dresses as a freshman in high school, BBB is a chance to get dressed up and relive high school memories with college friends. (I even wore my prom dress to Back Bay Ball freshmen and sophomore year.)

BBB 2010 

The only complaint I’ve had about Back Bay Ball is the price. A $25 ticket and $10 drinks do a number on a college bank account. However, if you get a group of at least eight friends to purchase tickets together, the price is reduced to $20. And shuttles are available to ship students back to campus at the end of the night so students don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for cab fare.

Regardless of the price,  I’ve found myself at the Student Information desk purchasing a ticket every year because I’ve had such great memories at this BU event. BBB 2008 was a floor event for the ladies of Sleeper 13. I was able to recruit my best friend from home, who doesn’t go to BU, to come to BBBs 2009 and 2010 because I raved about how much fun it was. And BBB 2011 was a perfect excuse to have a photo shoot with my roommate in my New Year’s Eve dress and mingle with BU Dean of Students, Dean Elmore. Each Back Bay Ball I attended was fun in its own special way.

BBB 2011 with Dean Elmore

So ladies, there’s no need to let out a sigh when you hang up your dress in the back of your closet after prom. You’ll get four more opportunities to dress up and act classy with all your new BU friends at Back Bay Ball!  

Ride and Recover

One of the greatest things you will quickly learn about college is access to discounted and free stuff. The free gum, energy drinks, and burrito gift certificates being passed out on Comm. Ave aren’t too good to be true – they are completely free! Local businesses in and around Boston are always trying to market products, services, and events to college students by appealing to our very small bank accounts. One of the easiest ways to experience social activities in Boston is taking advantage of these deals.

Last night I had the opportunity to go night skiing at Gunstock Mountain in Gilford, NH thanks to one of these awesome college deals. An e-mail was sent to BU Ski Club members informing us about an event Muscle Milk and Steez Magazine were hosting. The Ride and Recover trip included a lift ticket, transportation from BU, and an $8 food voucher for Gunstock Mountain. All I had to do was become a fan of the Muscle Milk and Steez Magazine Facebook groups and be one of the first 55 students to respond to the e-mail. Since I haven’t had the opportunity to ski all season due to pricy lift tickets, I quickly jumped on the opportunity. A week later I received an exciting, screeching phone call from my friend Ashley informing me we had won spots on the trip!

An abundance of Muscle Milk, 11 runs, two beers, and a free tee shirt later qualify as a successful ski trip. As much as I love Boston, it was nice to escape from the city lights for a night to gaze at the stars on a chair lift. And 11 runs was a nice substitute from a FitRec workout. I also got to spend time with one of my close friends from home who goes to college near the mountain who met us there.

The BU Ski Club offers several other trips throughout the academic year giving students a chance to hit the slopes. Each year the club sponsors weekend trips to Killington, Vermont; Quebec City, Quebec; and Sugarloaf, Maine. There are also several day trips sponsored by the club as well. Although these trips aren’t free, they are a great chance to experience a change of scenery, spend the weekend in a hotel with your friends, and of course ski or board! My freshman year I went on the Quebec trip with two girls who lived on my floor. We had a great weekend skiing, getting to know some of our other BU classmates, and experiencing the Quebec nightlife.

So if you love to ski or snowboard make sure you sign up for the BU Ski and Snowbaord Club mailing list so you can get all the info on all these great trips as well as some free deals!  And check out the BU Ski and Snowboard Club website here. 

The Tradition Behind the Tournament

Yesterday marked the end of the 59^th annual Beanpot Tournament. For those young Terriers not from the Boston area and unaware of this historical tradition, the Beanpot Tournament is a hockey tournament between the four major “Boston” hockey schools – Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University and Northeastern University. (Neither BC or Harvard are actually in Boston – which we remind BC fans of quite often.) The tournament takes place the first two Mondays in February at the TD Bank Garden. The winner of the tournament gets bragging rights over the three other schools, a banner which hangs in the Garden until the following year’s tournament and of course, the Beanpot trophy.

Every year, BU students gather in sections 305, 306, 307 and 308 at the Garden to cheer on the Terriers, who have won 29 out of 59 Beanpots - more than any other school. Unfortunately, countless renditions of “Go BU”, “Let’s Go Terriers” and “The Song” in the BU student section weren’t enough to send the boys to the championship game this year. BU lost to BC in the first round and then to Harvard in the consolation game. For the third time in four years the Evil Empire, the BC Eagles, walked away with another Beanpot championship.

Although this year I made a mad dash to the North Station T stop before I could see another wretched maroon and gold banner rise up, the Beanpot has been one of my most memorable experiences at BU. I’ve realized the importance of Beanpot isn’t about who wins (the win doesn’t even count towards the team’s overall record) it’s about the tradition behind the tournament. The Beanpot is another opportunity to unify with the rest of the student body and to show true Terrier spirit. I take pride in attending a university that often draws the largest crowds in college hockey other than the Frozen Four. I’m reminded of just how special this local tradition is every year when my friends who don’t attend Beanpot schools express their envy that I once again, get to witness Boston’s “social event of the winter season”.

If you’re looking for school spirit, tradition, rivalry, and competition at BU, make sure to keep Monday evenings during spring semester open and get ready to lose your voice cheering for the Terriers at the Beanpot Tournament.

A Few Things To Know About Beanpot

1. Guaranteed Beanpot tickets are included in the Upgraded Sports Pass exclusively for BU students. Those BU students who have a regular Sports Pass can still get tickets at an additional charge but they are not guaranteed.
2. BU unofficially honors a “First Come, First Serve” system – so if you want good seats in the student section get to the Garden early! And if you get to the Garden after face-off, don’t kick someone out of your seats!
3. The Northeastern student section is located right next to the BU student section and even when we’re not playing them, Husky fans get rowdy. So keep the cheering loud but clean.
4. After the game get ready to wait a while to get back to campus because a bajillion students will all be trying to get on whatever T they can, regardless of the destination. 
5. Cheer loud!

New Terriers on Campus

Hey New Terriers!

Welcome to BU, and my blog! My name is Meg Andrews and I am a senior in the College of Communication studying Public Relations. I am a die-hard Terrier fan who bleeds scarlet (like the rest of the human race) and white. I’ve taken advantage of the amazing opportunities presented to me here at BU by getting involved in countless clubs, activities and events on campus. Now I want to pass on my knowledge, passion, and wisdom to you – the newest Terriers on campus!

I want to help you make the most out of your four years in Boston by giving you a little insight on the social happenings on Comm. Ave. Hopefully you’ll feel a little less queezy moving into your Warren Towers dorm room in August, and more excited to throw on your BU tee-shirt and head over to the George Sherman Union to see what’s going on.

I’ll be blogging about my past and present social experiences, but check out these awesome links for more insight:

For more information on student clubs and activities available on campus, as well as information on upcoming events, check out the Student Activities Office Website. 

The “You At BU” link on the Boston University Admissions website contains insight from real students on personal discovery, amazing activities and everyday life. Check out what other students have to say here. 

So welcome to Boston University and get ready to let loose and have fun! Go Terriers!

A Year in the Life at BU