Student Profile
Chris
- Class: Senior
- Major: English
- Gender: M
- High School: Bow High School
- Transfer Student:
Big Picture
One thing I will never forget about BU happened last year during finals time. During finals, the Mugar Library is open 24/7, and many students take advantage of this time to get some actual studying done. For me, I can't study at home, especially now that I live off campus and I'm 21--far too many distractions. I was here until the early hours of the morning several times, and I started to notice a certain girl who was always in the same spot on the second floor. She always looked disheveled and nervous, flipping through notes frantically, making flashcards, highlighting textbooks, etc. It was on about my third night in the library during finals period that I noticed the smell. There was a cloud of odor around this poor girl that was like gym socks and wet hamster. As I left at around 2 that morning, I saw some purple fabric poking out from underneath the table where the smelly girl had formerly been sitting--she brought a sleeping bag, and spent literally 24 hours a day during study periods in the library! It wasn't like she had chosen a particularly inconspicuous spot, either; she was right in the middle of the main hallway! I understand trying to get some studying done, but is it really necessary to camp out in the library? BU is really not THAT academically challenging. At least she could've bathed...
Academic Life
I am a double-major in English and psychology, and I have to say that I prefer the way the English department operates. They have small classes and faculty that, aside from being simply passionate about and good at what they do, have a genuine interest in teaching. You can tell when they are in class that they want to be there, and English professors are I've found the most consistently available for office hours, to discuss and revise assignments, etc. Granted, this might have something to do with the small size of the school and the nature of the topics, but the system definitely works for me. I also like the flexibility of an English major at BU. There is a system of required courses, and some specific classes that you need to take (none of them insufferable) but for the most part a range of topics and course numbers is available, and you are able to pick those classes that most interest you. In one semester I took one class on the Contemporary American Novel (the main requirement for a book to make the reading list was that its author be still alive) and individual author courses on Emerson and Milton. I loved them, and the professors definitely brought the class to life with their passion about their subjects. Without personal experience it's hard for me to contrast this experience to other schools, but I've had friends from the College of Engineering for example tell me that they weren't even able to consider studying abroad because of the number of required classes and the frequency at which they were offered. One missed class put her off schedule, and she had to take summer classes just to get back up to par.
Student Body
I have had some experience the past few years working with two BU theater groups, Stage Troupe and BU On Broadway. The former does primarily straight stage shows and the latter musicals, and I've worked for both mainly in a technical capacity. I've worked construction before, and enjoy building things. There is nothing quite like being there from the moment a set is designed all the way through the construction, erection, painting and decoration process, and then watching how the actors use the space you've built to put on a show. Both of these groups have tremendously talented membership, and Stage Troupe has the resources and facilities to put up some very technically challenging shows. I have loved working with both organizations, and have met some of my best friends through these activities. I think it's something about working side by side with people until 3 AM trying to level a set of doors or something--by the end you're either going to love them or you'll hate them. With Troupe and OB, chances are you'll have made a friend.
The Best Things
Location, locaiton, location
The Worst Things
Feeling like you're just a number to your professors
