In September, when my Chemistry professor told me that freshman year would go by quickly, I thought that it was one of those cliché statements that professors made on the first day of classes. Fast forward a couple of months and I find myself realizing the absolute truth to what I was told. Between adjusting to college, making new friends, studying for exams, and surviving extreme weather (Hurricane Sandy and multiple snow storms), my freshman year zipped by. I can’t help but to be saddened by the realization that I will be leaving campus and the great city of Boston in a few weeks. As I’m sure other freshmen share the same sentiments, I’ve come up with a list of memorable ways to spend the last three weeks of freshman year.
- Get lunch with your Professor! Who says the only time you can talk to your professor is during office hours? If you’re feeling a little confused about your academic career or you just want to make a personal connection with your favorite professor, ask your professor out to lunch! You might be surprised to learn how valuable his/her advice and insight can be. Get to know your professor on a personal level by sharing stories and sharing a few laughs. This is an especially good idea for those of us who have a huge surplus of dining hall money. It’s hard to say “No” to a free meal!
- Meet up with your OL. Remember when we all went to Orientation over the summer? Although it seems like Orientation was a long time ago, you should definitely consider reaching out to your OL (if you haven’t already) and ask them out for coffee. OL’s are selectively chosen from hundreds of applicants and are picked based on their passion and enthusiasm to help freshman make the smoothest transition possible into college. Don’t be scared to reach out, even if you feel like it’s a little too late in the year. If you met your OL once in the beginning of the year and lost touch during the year, shoot them a text/email! Your conversation with them would be a great way to reflect on freshman year!
- Be a tourist. This is what I did during my Spring Break, instead of going back home. I can honestly say that it was one of the best things I’ve done during my time at BC. After doing some research online, I hit up all of the touristy areas in Boston (Quincy Market, Newbury Street, Fenway Park, Boston Public Garden, Freedom Trail, the North End, Boston Public Library, and the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum). Before coming to BC, I told my family and friends that I’d go into Boston every weekend to explore the city. As the year progressed, I realized that it wasn’t exactly a realistic goal. Although our campus is beautiful, getting out of the BC bubble was great and it was nice to experience the culture of Boston. Be sure to check out great student deals for BC students at Robsham! You can still get admission tickets to the Aquarium and Museum of Science for free (1 per BC ID). Also, you get free admission to the MFA with your BC ID.
- Eat something new at the dining hall. When was the last time you tried something new at the dining hall? As a student employee at Stuart Dining Hall, I know that students tend to get the same dinner everyday. Although it’s easy to get what you’re familiar with (a salad, a chicken club from the deli, or a slice of pizza), it’s fun to remix your meals. Take advantage of the fresh fruit available at the dining halls (Lower has a great selection). Last week, I sliced an avocado and spread it over a piece of pita bread. It tasted great!
- Go out to dinner with your future roommates. Now that you officially know where you’re living next year, have a celebratory dinner in Boston! Take the time to get to know your future roommate/s even better! You can do a recap of freshman year, talk about your favorite memories, and share plans for the summer. Are you and your roommate/s already super close? Then use this as an excuse to get fancy and wear that cute dress you bought and haven’t had the chance to wear yet.
- Just enjoy the presence of your friends! Although the summer will go by relatively quickly and we’ll be back on campus in no time, you should take advantage of the fact that your friends only live down the hall or live a few steps away from your dorm.
Whatever you decide to do, have fun! Study for finals, but make sure you don’t call O’Neill or Bapst your second homes for the last few weeks of school. Make the effort to take a break and spend time with the people you love.
Photo sources:
http://nursingkiln.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/ol-1.jpg
http://bcm.bc.edu/issues/winter_2004/images/ll_hillside.jpg
http://vineyardgardencenter.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/strawberries.jpg
http://www.massvacation.com/images/itineraries/headerImages/boston_half.jpg
Hannah Yoon