​For this last entry, I was asked to write about my future career plans and how Boston changed my perspective towards my career.  Honestly, Boston helped me decide what I really want to do for a living.  Before coming to Boston, I was pretty sure I wanted to be a political journalist or a political strategist.  However, being at Boston University and getting a lot of knowledge about public relations during my classes here made me realize that I am interested in public relations and affairs and would like to become a spokesperson.
 
Do I see myself working abroad or even in Boston itself?  Of course, I would love to work in Boston, because I feel like there is a great work vibe and in my field there are a lot of opportunities in the city.  I have always wanted to work abroad, it has always been my dream, and now that I have experienced this amazing city it will definitely be my top priority for the future.  I am planning on getting a master’s degree in public relations strategy. I will apply to many different schools in the US and in Canada, and we will see what happens after.  I think that being here and leaving home made me understand what I really want as a career and how I see myself in the next couple of years.
 
You shouldn’t be afraid of not knowing what you want to do with your life.  Trust me, limbo is quite normal, especially at our age.  We are the wanderlust generation, we tend to travel fiscally and even emotionally towards different places, so for this reason, it is normal to not know what we want, and to change our minds drastically and often.  One piece of advice that I do want to give you is to follow your dreams, no matter how crazy or impossible you think they are.  They are yours and they are there for a reason.  I find it sad when I hear that people are at their current jobs because their parents wanted them to do so, or when someone is studying a career because they thought that would give them a lot of money.  Please, do what makes you happy, and this will eventually give you so much more than you’ve ever expected.  Don’t be afraid to take risks; you might be scared to death at the beginning, but after taking it, you will either lose or win something and both experiences will give you knowledge and so much happiness.
 
Moreover, I do recommend you to travel as often as you can.  If you have the opportunity of studying abroad, TAKE IT! I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do before coming here.  I genuinely feel that the cultural contrast and seeing how people live and work in a different country makes you think about what type of change you want to make in the world.  So, as I mentioned, I want to be a spokesperson for a company.  You are probably wondering, what does a spokesperson actually do?  Well, in a nutshell, we keep companies out of trouble and we are the ones who will come up with good strategies for the press and audience to maintain a good reputation in the company.  It involves a lot of strategy and press management; luckily I like both of those things, and I like convincing people and dealing with people, so that is a good thing.  Ideally, I would like to work for a sustainably responsible company, because it certainly is easier to work for a company that you believe in and share the values of.
 
What I believe Boston gave me the most was confidence in myself and obviously in my second speaking language.  I used to be very self-conscious about speaking English with people whose first language was English, because I know I have an accent and, like everyone, I was very insecure.  However, I started gaining confidence the more and more I talked with people, and this is when I discovered my love for public relations.  I would recommend you to always have a journal and write what you want to do with your life.  The more experiences you have, the more you will discover that what you wanted at any point may shift later on, and it will be a positive change.  As I have mentioned before, we shouldn’t be afraid of change:  we should get out of our comfort zone and get to know what we really want and like.  So, whatever career you choose, please make sure it is what YOU want, and not what your neighbor wants.  Life is so beautiful and amazing if we live it our way.  Find different hobbies every day, enjoy the small things, and let them be part of you.  It certainly was a great journey writing in this blog, and I thank the MET staff and my advisors for granting me this amazing opportunity.  This is my last entry, but I won’t say goodbye; I am not a fan of those. I will say see you later, and I will end with a positive note, a quote from my favorite book, which could help you in your life, whatever situation you might be in:
 
"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
 
 
Happy Holidays!! 

​My ultimate favorite time of the year.  Eggnog, pecan pie, hot chocolate, and a few candy canes are some of the things I enjoy eating during this magnificent holiday. What is there not to like about Christmas? It is a time of sharing and loving one another. I love how everything suddenly turns green, red, and gold with wonderful lights. I have experienced Christmas in Quebec, Canada; however I had never experienced this time of the year in the United States.  I am quite happy because it seems to me that Boston is quite a lively city and extremely festive about the Christmas season. 

​While you are in Boston, make sure you take advantage of the wonderful things you can do and appreciate in the Christmas season. Where to start? You should definitely take a peek at the amazing Christmas tree at Quincy Market.  While you are there, enjoy a hot chocolate at Ghirardelli and maybe a pumpkin spice dark chocolate square. Quincy Market will give you all the holiday vibes you need. There are always performers there that will for sure make you feel as if you are in a holiday movie, or at least in the holiday vibe. 
 
Boston Commons is a must see during the holiday season as well. They also have a beautiful Christmas tree, but the most important and fun thing is the outdoor ice skating rink. Yes, just like the movies…it is a beautiful rink and you can actually skate and enjoy the richness of the season.  People are dressed up so nicely with mittens, hats, and beautiful sweaters.  It will definitely put you in the mood of Frosty the Snowman. 

If you are a low-key type of person and are not a big fan of crowds, then you could always go to Georgetown Cupcake and grab one of their amazing seasonal cupcakes. They have amazing creations such as Mrs. Claus’ Cocoa, Chocolate Peppermint, Gingerbread, and many more.  So even if you do not feel like going to a big place and being outdoors, there are plenty of indoor options for you in Boston.  You could always grab a holiday movie while drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows or eggnog…my favorite movie is Miracle on 34th St., but I’m sure you have plenty of options to choose from. 

​I was pretty overwhelmed before I came here. Am I going to like the teachers? Will the courses be extremely difficult? And many more questions that I am sure might have also crossed your mind.  So, to put you at ease, I will give you a small idea of what my daily life of school is at BU MET.
 
By now, you may have realized that many classes are night classes (6:00 pm- 9:00 pm).  I know what you’re thinking: three hours is a lot, especially when it is nighttime.  Most teachers, however, are quite flexible about the time - they will go two hours straight with no break and might let you out early because they know many dining halls close at 9:00 pm.  Classes are very dynamic, since they are long.  However, the amount of work depends on the type of class you are taking. Most of my classes are very hands-on, so we do a lot of group work.  Group work is always interesting because I work with people from all around the world and contrasting ideas are always a fun thing to have.  The courses that I am currently taking are Project Management, Advertising, Principles of Marketing, Innovation, and Business in a Changing Society.  I won’t go into detail about each class, but I will give you a small glance as to what to expect.
 
Teachers are very flexible, but they expect you to be right on time and want you to participate throughout the class.  Don’t worry, it’s an easy task because most of the classes are interactive.  All my classes are very different from each other.  I can’t really pick one and say this is my favorite, because I learn different things in each one and I feel like they have given me knowledge in different areas, which are all helpful.  Project Management has definitely helped me be more organized and really know how the process of creating a full project works.  It is a demanding class, but you won’t suffer or be stressed if you pick a good team and do everything on time.  Advertising is a very interesting class.  Our teacher is Ron Harding.  He used to work at P&G and many other corporations relative to the field, which always makes a class more exciting.  Principles of Marketing is a very interactive class; the teacher always creates new dynamics so we learn a specific topic in a fun way. She is also highly prepared and has a lot of experience in marketing.  My Innovation course is quite interesting.  If you have never taken an innovation class, then do take it, because you will learn a lot.  Last, but not least, Business in a Changing Society. This course is the equivalent to Business Ethics at my university, so if you are looking for something similar and can’t find it, you should pick this course. It is a very interesting class.  I have learned a lot about different companies that have been in crisis and the teacher does a great job making us all participate.
 
So, do not worry.  Stop stressing.  Classes will be fine and teachers will be more than fine.  Textbooks are expensive, but some teachers will tell you that you don’t need to buy them. If you do have to buy them you can always sell them at the end of the semester.  You are only allowed to miss class two times, so make sure you arrange your vacation calendar and fun adventures in a way that it doesn’t mess with your two days of absences.  The classrooms are very nice; some are vintage looking and many are quite modern, it depends on the building and the room.  I hope I helped you a little bit.  I know it is stressful to choose courses and to avoid being stressed, but the good thing is that I have already had the nerve-wracking experience of the unknown, and everything turned out great!!  Just be ready with a positive attitude, a pen and a notebook and you will be all set to get an A.