In the midst of finals...

Day 2 of finals week. I already had my PR final and I had my advertising final yesterday, and I have no idea how I did. The questions were very tricky... Tomorrow is my science final and my Public Relations presentation on an event my group created from start to finish. We chose to organize a breast cancer charity ball...

Thursday my internship starts! I can't believe its already here.

I probably should have been studying all weekend, but instead I enjoyed the last weekend of everyone being in the city before they head home for the holidays. I will being staying in the city to work all break and hopefully a few friends with apartments will be here to go out with me on the weekends. Thursday night was winterball! It was a great night with some gorgeous views that I will post. Friday night one of my friends that went to Australia with me hosted a mini dinner reunion and Saturday night Rach and I had an ugly holiday sweater party at our apartment, which was so much fun. Most people got really into it and dressed up! I'll post about my internship later next week!

"I'm your biggest fan I'll follow you until you love me..."

In case you did not know, or have been living under a rock the past month, my title is from a Lady Gaga song. This weekend has made both my room mate and I obsessed with Lady Gaga. Between the songs "Paparazzi", "Bad Romance", and "Speechless" I think we have listened her over 300 times collectively this weekend. So excited to get her new CD, even if she is mildly insane.
Thursday I went out with my Wheelock friends (the ones I met in Australia) to the Fenway area. We had a girls night, hung out, and ate at this Mexican restaurant right behind the park. They are all graduating this year so they are all kind of freaking about that. So glad I'm, not there yet. Although just wait 'till next year...I am sure I will be freaking out too.
Friday night my sister and I took her room mate out for her birthday at Boston Beer Works. I can honestly say they have some of the best nachos and sweet potato fries I have ever had. Can't wait to go back!
On Saturday a bunch of my friends and I went out to Faneuil Hall, which has tons of fun shops in the day, restaurants, and clubs at night. (It is also approximately 10 minutes from my front door) We went dancing at one of the clubs for the night. This is why I love Boston. Every weekend night there is something different to do. The city never gets old.
On Sunday I went to the movie theater right next to the Commons. I saw the movie "Brothers" which was one of the most intense movies I have ever seen. I am pretty sure everyone was crying by the end of the movie. It was a great movie, just really hard to sit through and stomach...
This morning I woke up and ran with my sister. It is so hard to believe it was really 65 degrees out 3 days ago. It is freezing today! She is also training for a marathon and it really helps to have a training buddy. We got up early this morning to run and it was the coldest weather I have ever run in! We needed lots of layers, which were peeled off throughout our run. We did just about 13-14 miles. That is a half marathon! Definitely more than I have ever run...by about 4 or 5 miles. It was much needed. I feel like I have been slacking on my runs recently, and I also took a couple days off. Time to get back into training mode... now if only my legs were not so sore :(
Today my group presented our Advertising project. We had to create 2 different ads for the same project, geared towards 2 different target audiences. We made ads for the new Ipod shuffle, which talks to you and tells you what song you are currently listening to, who the artist is, and what playlist it is from, with just the push of a button. Our target audiences were runners and the "curious consumer" who often questions technology. We made 2 different commercials, and presented them with story boards, which are basically just screen shots of a commercial. Our professor seemed to really like our ideas, so I'll get back to you when we get our grades back.
I am getting really pumped for this weekend. Thursday is winter ball, Friday is the undergrad staff dinner, Saturday night my room mate (and fellow ambassador Rachel) and I are having an ugly sweater party at our apartment, and Sunday Rach and I are going to see Rooney perform in Cambridge. So many plans!
On Monday I have my advertising final. I think its going to be tough. I'll have to fit in studying for that something over this coming week/ weekend, especially with all of these plans...
I think I have basically covered this whole weekend. Until next week,
Hay

The Calm Before the Storm...

So here we are. 3 weeks of the semester left, back from Thanksgiving break. I had a relaxing last couple of weeks; going out at night, meeting up with other ambassadors, and visiting old friends at URI, but I should have known it was not going to last. I'll pretty much be living in a cave for the next few weeks, studying for finals, preparing my final projects, and finishing up my hours in the admissions office. As much work and studying as I have left to do, I still have to admit I am glad I am not in your shoes anymore; waiting to hear back from schools and finishing up applications...

Pretty soon you all will start to get your decision letters back from us and pretty soon you all will start to make some big choices. If you get acceptance letter from Suffolk, that question will be "Is Suffolk right for me?" Which is a pretty loaded question, to be honest. Like I have been saying all along, it takes a certain type of person to come to Suffolk. Now that's not saying that we have a "typical" student at Suffolk, but I would definitely say students here have a certain mindset. I have said this on all my tours and I continue to believe that our school is different than your typical university, especially comparing us to other Boston schools. The rumors are true, we do not have a college "campus" with grassy football stadiums and parking lots to tailgate in, but if you were anything like I was, you are not looking to go to school in Boston for the football stadiums. However, we do have some parking lots (okay more like parking meters...) but still, I wouldn't suggest bringing a car. Now with that being said, if you really need that grassy feeling, the students hanging out on the quad, playing frisbee, and just relaxing outside, we do have the Boston Commons/ Gardens for you. It is kind of like a quad, except it is shared with the rest of the downtown Boston Area.
So no campus. How do students feel at " home"? How do students get involved without a "campus"? Do students still feel like they belong to the university? This is where it takes a certain mindset to come to Suffolk. You have to come in here knowing your going to try harder than the typical college freshman. You have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and meet people. You have to get involved. We have so many clubs,teams,sports, and events that it is impossible to ignore them. Getting involved is the best way to meet new people and to really immerse yourself in the school. Our campus may not be the standard campus feel like other schools, but we do have our own type of campus. We have buildings close to each other, where you will pass hundreds of our other 5,000 or so undergraduate students, but you will also pass hundreds of other professionals while passing through the State House court yard, like doctors, lawyers, and representatives. Hey,you might just get an internship from one of those people within your four years here. So all I am saying is to really think about where you are going to choose to go to school. Don't just choose a school for the name. Do the research, visit the school (take a tour!), and really try to picture yourself there. It is after all, going to be your home for the next 4 years...
As busy as I am, as stressed as school can make me, I still am glad with the decision I made to come to this school almost three years ago. I jumped right into getting involved, meeting new people, living in the dorm, and planning events for Suffolk. So far, with my first Public Relations internship coming up, I feel Suffolk has prepared me for the real world with the real life experiences I have come in contact with every day, which I might not have been able to say if I were living in an enclosed college campus.
It is just about time for my tour and I promise the next blog will be a lot lighter, especially to get my mind off finals!
Haley