Week 1:
Story 1: “Homecoming and Homesickness”
This story was particularly interesting to me because I feel it is a common feeling for a lot of college students or people in general, and especially me. The feeling of “appreciating things you can’t get back while you still have them.” In this article, Grace, the author, writes about her relationship with her hometown and the feelings she developed after her parents sold her hometown house. The house she grew up in and built all of her childhood memories at was no longer hers and a new family would be making new memories there, and she wasn’t okay with that. She eventually realized that she was going to feel the same way about Boston College after she graduates. She won’t ever be able to live the college experience again, life only feels like this once. I think this article is powerful to a lot of college students because realizing life keeps moving and you will only be in this time and place for a short period of your life is a hard concept to grasp. No matter how much you try to get it back, once you graduate, you won’t be able to relive it. Personally, I thought this was an interesting article because no matter where you go to college, that feeling is a universal experience for a lot of people, and a way we can connect on that level.
Story 2: “A Love Letter to Walsh Hall”
I really love digging into articles from different schools, and this one was especially interesting to me because I got to learn about one of the residence halls at Boston College. The author of this story expresses the reasons why she loves “Walsh Hall” at BC and her realization that it will always hold a special place in her heart. She brings up how she came into college during the pandemic in 2020, and how that affected her “traditional” college experience. “Walsh Hall” at BC changed this all for her in her sophomore year, where she got to live in what she called an “eight story frat house”, which brings her to her first reason she loves it, the community feel and the way living with so many people can brighten any bad day. She also talks about the quirkiness of Walsh Hall – talking about the “wear and tear” of the place and the less desirable characteristics that give it the character that she loves. Lastly, she mentions how she will be so sad to move out at the end of spring semester and never live in Walsh Hall again. I can relate to this too at UNE because it will definitely seem so weird to move out of my freshman dorm where I found my best friends.
Week 2:
Story 1: “Students Express Frustration Over Ticket Difficulties, Availability For 100 Days Dance”
This first article that caught my attention was about the annual “100 Days Dance” that is put on for the Boston College seniors, and occurs 100 days before graduation. This dance gives these seniors a chance to reminisce about their college years and celebrate the rest of the semester. The conflict here is that the ticket availability is limited (due to the venue) to 1,400 students, where the senior class has at least 2,200 students. Seniors have also experienced technical issues when trying to buy tickets, getting stuck on the queue page. Some students understand the venue issue because of budget and covid reasons, but are still frustrated. Another issue is that the tickets can get pricey, and with such a special event, all seniors should be able to experience it, regardless of finances. This story was very interesting to me, and I would really like to see how this conflict plays out, and what BC will do about all of the frustrated students.
Story 2: “BC Surpasses Previous COVID-19 Record, 1000 Cases For The Semester”
I like to see how other colleges and universities are handling Covid compared to UNE or other schools in the area, which is why I clicked on this article. Since coming back for the spring semester, the positivity rate has been 5.5%, and the cases are more than double what they were in the fall semester. Boston College announced an indoor mask mandate on January 5th, due to the rapid spread of the omicron variant – but that expired on February 1st and wasn’t renewed for any more time. With this, Boston College is now one of the only colleges in Boston that doesn’t have an indoor mask mandate. Some surrounding schools such as Northeastern and Harvard, have switched to an “endemic phase” of the pandemic. Endemic basically means that it won’t be going away, and as time goes on it will be much less severe, treatable, and overall more manageable.
Week 3:
Story 1: “LoveFEST Brings Publicity To Area Businesses For Valentines Day”
LoveFEST Brings Publicity to Area Businesses for Valentines Day
This article really caught my attention because it is about supporting small businesses around the BC community which I think is super cool. Lauren Berman created LoveFEST, which is a promotion for small businesses the week leading up to Valentine’s day. It gives small businesses a chance to promote any holiday deals and promote their services they have on the All Over Newton website, which Berman created. Any local businesses could pay 50$ to be included in the promotional event. A lot of small businesses are joining the event either because they are new to the area and need to expand, or to tighten their ties with the community. Her website as of February 13th has 3,700 clicks.
Story 2: “CJBC Asks Leahy, Boston College To “Break Up” With Fossil Fuels”
CJBC Asks Leahy, Boston College to “Break Up” with Fossil Fuels
This story is about protests for a sustainable campus and wanting Boston College to be more environmentally friendly and “break up” with fossil fuels. The protest was put on by the Climate Justice at Boston College group and was Valentine’s day themed hence the “break up with fossil fuels” saying. The students were urged to write “valentines” day cards to the University President William Leahy, and then the students walked the cards to his house that day. This has been a traditional protest for years, but last year it couldn’t happen because of covid-19. The protesters want justice and they want it now, they want to fix the issue of the human causes relating to climate change. The main goal is to have BC stop using fossil fuels.
Week 4
Story 1: ‘Tik Tok Meets Hinge’: BC Alum Creates Humor-Based Dating App
I thought this story was interesting, focusing on the current success of a Boston College alumni. Mellisa Mullen, wanted to create a play on a dating app, but focused on matching people based on humor. She used her own personal experience with dating and dating apps to the reasoning behind creating the app. She realized that all the guys she went on dates with from dating apps never got a second date. The guys she liked were the ones with a good sense of humor. She teamed up with Jeffery Hall, a communications professor at the University of Kansas, to create the app called Smile. Hall loves the idea of applying academic knowledge to the real world which is why he wanted to support it. I just thought it was a cool idea to do a highlight story on a BC Alumni and how she’s applied her knowledge to the real world and highlighting her success.
Story 1: Off-Campus Student Houses Targeted In Weekend Break-In Spree
This is more of a hard news article, based on recent reports of break ins at BC students off campus houses. At least four BC students at four different houses reported that their houses were broken into late Friday night or early Saturday morning (according to Boston Police Dept. reports).Walker Davey noticed that his roommate’s laptop was missing after he noticed unusual placement of certain items. Two laptops were taken that night, and multiple others at various houses. Oddly enough no other valuables were taken, such as jewelry on top of the laptop, or Davey’s open PC. The police have stated that this has been a recurring thing for the past four years, where only apple laptops are stolen. Charlie O’Reilly and Bryce Pill left their house at around 10:30 pm Friday night, made sure they locked the doors, and returned not much later. They found all four roommates’ laptops gone, figuring the thieves had been watching the houses and knew their habits. After the weekend of burglaries, Boston College made sure to inform students on how to protect themselves and keep their valuables safe. This has happened for years in the past and the students now plan on upgrading their security. I thought this article was important and will help warn others nearby to keep watching out and secure their houses.
Week 5:
Story 1: Describing BC In Five Letters: Student Creates BC-Themed Wordle
Describing BC in Five Letters: Student Creates BC-Themed Wordle
This article caught my attention because this is something that has been going on at other campuses such as UMass Amherst. A brief explanation of the game is it is a 5 letter guessing game with one word a day. This word relates to something Boston College related, so it’s fun for students to try and guess. Luke Stanise, BC student graduating in ‘24, created the BC version of wordle. I think it’s a great way to bring the r campus together and a common thing everyone shares is guessing the word of the day. Now, it’s no longer just BC students playing the game. Some abroad students, parents, BU and UPenn students are playing as well. Although I’d suspect it’s the most fun for Boston College students because a majority of the words have been related to locations on campus. I think this is a great conversation starter around campus and people could get really into it. Something interesting to think about!
Story 2: One Billion Oysters, One Million People, One Mission: Pete Malinowski Talks Billion Oyster Project
One Billion Oysters, One Million People, One Mission: Pete Malinowski Talks Billion Oyster Project
This article was a summary about a guest speaker, Pete Malinowski, who is the executive director of the Billion Oyster Project. He spoke at Boston College’s Rewilding Planet Earth lecture series. His plan is to create connections with nature because he believes that will be the best way to save our planet and things such as the NY Harbor Oyster reefs. He gave a rundown about his background and why he cares so much about the Oysters, and the plan is to introduce 1 million new Oysters to the area by 2035. The significance to BC comes from an important aspect of the project. This is, educating students about ways to help the environment. Teaching responsibility to new generations is going to be the key. I always think it’s great to have guest speakers like this at colleges and universities so this was very interesting to me.
Week 6:
Story 1: “BC To Increase Cost Of Attendance To $80,296 For 2022-23 Academic Year“
This article struck my attention because the cost increase was shocking to me. The Board of Trustees at BC has voted to increase the cost of undergraduate tuition 3.68% from the 2022-23 school year before – a $2,420 increase to $62,950. The total cost of tuition with room, board, and fees will be $80,296. Tuitions for specific programs such as the MBA and Law school programs have increased thousands of dollars as well. What is even scarier is that some people predict and project that by 2026-27 academic year the BC tuition will be over $100,000. With this being said they have also increased the undergraduate need-based financial aid 4.43 percent which will allow for millions more dollars to be spent on financial aid packages. They hope to bring in students from more diverse socioeconomic backgrounds with this. I thought it was interesting to learn that 67 percent of students receive financial aid. This was my dream school when I was younger so it’s astounding to learn how expensive it would be to attend.
Story 2: “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Week Of March 21“
The Heights, BC school Newspaper, does one of these “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down” articles each week and I wanted to report on it one week. In this weeks edition, they picked two thumbs up and two thumbs down on BC in the past week. For example, their “thumbs up” was laying out in the quad. With spring on the way, a lot of students were doing homework or playing games on the law. Everyone seemed to be coming out of their winter slump as they put on their sunglasses. The other was regarding the clock change and how students no longer walk back from late classes in the dark anymore. Summer is coming! One of the “thumbs down” of the week was the stress of housing selections coming up. Each group is hoping they will get their first choices while some are struggling to find their group. I understand this stress, as do many college students considering all want their first choice. Second thumbs down of the week is the fact that BC wont turn down the heaters, even now that the weather is warming up. Students have complained about sweltering temperatures in the dorms. I think this “rundown” of the week is a super interesting idea and I enjoy reading them each week.
Week 7:
Story 1: “Boston College Should Limit Assignments Due After Breaks”
This opinion article is about creating a policy to limit assignments due directly after breaks. This would help prioritize students’ mental health and give students the much needed “rest and reflect” time during break. Just like students here, they take on so many responsibilities from being regular students, to athletes, to student gov. leaders, and much more. Overall this policy would boost their academic success. The implementation would require professors to not assign any assignments worth more than 10% of the class grade in the first three days after a larger break. I really think this would help students a lot with their stress levels. To add a little more research to the topic, a study was conducted and results showed that 56% of students experience “above average” levels of stress. I really think this implementation would be beneficial considering how long the semesters are and how much academic stress can pile up.
Story 2: “Woods College to Offer New Applied Analytics Degree”
This article is more informative and short, but provides important information for anyone studying or planning to study at Boston College. The Woods College is one of the 8 schools at Boston College, and they are planning to add a masters degree in applied analytics to their programs. Coming in the fall of 2022, the new program is an extension and a “deeper dive” of the current program offered in applied economics. This is perfect for students who want to explore the analytic side over the economic side. This idea came from many requests and from hearing that there would be so much interest in the program. I enjoy when colleges and universities listen to the student body and what they are asking for. This reminds me of UNE adding a criminal justice major to the field of studies!
Week 8:
Story 1: “If It’s Not Broken, Dont Fix It: An Open Letter to ResLife”
I like this article because it emphasizes and stresses the importance of communications within a college/university to its students, considering we have this issue at our school as well. This is the second time that I have come across an article related to complaints about the housing selection process at BC. The students are asking for better communication from the housing administration ResLife. They specifically quote “including timely use of social media platforms, consistent instructions for registration and selection, and increased clarity surrounding any changes being made to the process” There has been multiple changes made to the housing selection process from last year to this year, and those changes haven’t been communicated well which makes it more stressful for the students. They mentioned how important communication is to the students that are studying abroad. This made me wonder how the communication is with this at UNE. Many organizational problems with ResLife at BC brought a rise to unfair accommodations. For example sophomores being able to secure senior housing. Students are frustrated and unaware of where they are going to live. They hope they will do better in the future and want them to take responsibility for their bad communication and mistakes.
Story 2: “BC Seniors Launch Foodie App – Spordrop”
This article caught my attention because a BC student creating this app was super interesting, especially after reading what it was about. The creator, Arthur Brenninkmeijer, has lived in Europe and Sao Paulo, Brazil. When he came to the US he struggled to find places to eat that fit his unique taste, so he created an app to release this frustration. The app is a way to follow friends with similar interests, so people can share recommendations about food, nightlife, cafes ect. Brenninkmeijer felt that Yelp and other online recommendations aren’t reliable enough. Brenninkmeijer, who studies business at BC, marketed the app on the app store to “Gen Z Foodies” and college students looking for unique food experiences. They are marketing “hyperlocal” starting with BC students then moving outwards to Northeastern, Boston University, and Harvard.
Week 9:
Story 1: “Thirteen Students Elected as Student Assembly Representatives“
This article is about the 13 new students that were accepted into the Student Assembly of UGBC – 5 representatives from the class of 2025, 5 from the class of 2024, and 3 from 2023. These students are excited to represent and make much needed changes to the campus. They expressed their gratitude for all of the votes and support. The common theme among the elected students was about listening to the concerns, hopes, goals ect of the BC students and working together to make these happen. Others mentioned better course and housing selection systems to be put into place. I always find student government interesting and think is is hugely important in every school.
Story 2: “Young Talent Shines in BC’s Annual Spring Game”
This article caught my attention because BC Football was always my favorite thing growing up. This article highlights some of the best moments of the annual spring game that BC hosts each year. The game features a split roster of BC football players, one team Eagles and the other Boston. There are rules to this game such as no tackling, no QB sacks, and no pressure on the punts. It’s about running and working on offensive plays, showcasing and giving the younger talent a chance to stand out, and having fun. One specific standout of the younger talent was redshirt freshman Luke McLaughlin who recorded 38 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Another interesting aspect to this story is that during this game, BC was under a new offensive coordinator as well as a new offensive line coach. Any new coaching can be a huge change for a team, because this means a whole new style of play. My favorite part of the article was at the end where we get to see input from the head coach Jeff Hafley. He mentions how his players need time to relax before the fall season, so they only go through a 2 week training period after Easter, and then are done for the rest of the year to focus on finals and de-stress. I think this is extremely important and something that is done and emphasized here at UNE as well.
Week 10:
Story 1: “It Is Time For Me To Start A New Chapter”: Legendary Coach Jerry York Announces Retirement
This article caught my attention because I have loved and grew up watching Boston College hockey for so long. BC Men’s Ice Hockey Coach, Jerry York, announced his retirement from the program on Wednesday, April 13. York had been with the BC Eagles for 28 seasons, and in that time led BC to 11 Hockey East regular season titles, 9 Hockey East Tournament titles, 9 Beanpot titles, 18 NCAA Tournament appearances, 12 Frozen Four appearances, and 4 national titles. York has been very successful in the hockey world, a U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and the winningest coach in NCAA history. He stated that it seemed to be the right time to do so [retire] and how blessed he was to coach such wonderful student athletes. One of the most interesting facts I read in this article was how in all of Division I history, he is the only coach that has won over 1,000 games. The quote from the athletic director at BC was very strong, speaking on Yorks character. I felt it was necessary to include: “It is difficult to put into words all that Jerry York means to Boston College,” BC Athletics Director Pat Kraft said. “His record as the winningest coach in NCAA men’s ice hockey and BC hockey speak for themselves, but it is his humility, decency, unwavering commitment to his players, fellow coaches, and all of us in the BC family, and the quiet ways in which he contributes to this community that make him so beloved. He is a legend and one of the classiest individuals to ever coach in college sports.” The background provided at the end lets us know that York graduated from BC high and then went on to pursue his undergraduate and graduate degrees at BC as well. He also played hockey at BC.
Story 2: “BC Admits 16 Percent of Applicants To Class Of 2026”
This second article caught my attention because we have reached the time in the year where students are being accepted into colleges and universities around the world. Being my dream school when I was growing up, I always was in awe of the low acceptance rates BC has. From this article I learned that this year was a record high 40,477 applicants that applied to BC. Only 16 percent of those applicants were accepted. The next paragraph holds a very interesting fact, four years ago BC’s acceptance rate was a “record low” of 27%. Now that has dropped so much just in four years. BC is trying to get the students who are best fit for BC and everything that they strive for. I found it interesting to include perspectives from students who applied to BC for the incoming Fall 2026, on why they would choose BC and what the reasons were. Some answers included the culture of the school, the great balance of academics and athletics, and how gorgeous the campus is.
