Boston real estate: Dorm, apartment, or commute?

Brooks Barnard Community , , , , ,

BOSTON — Students studying at Boston colleges are finding it increasingly difficult to find decent and affordable living situations. One of the main issues for the men and women at Suffolk University is that their school is located in the affluent Beacon Hill area, which provides very few inexpensive options.Nathan R. Miller Residence HallScholars may be asking themselves, well where do I live now? Suffolk has two dorms: 150 Tremont St. and Nathan R. Miller Hall. The newly added 10 West ‘student apartments’ were built to accommodate more students, however the three dorms can only accommodate a small portion of the school.

This leaves the rest of the campus population relying on finding an apartment or commuting from a neighboring city.

Although convenient, even the dorms are marked at high prices. A double/triple room costs $5,560 a semester and a single room costs $6,310 a semester. Suffolk’s dorms are rated as the second most expensive dorms in the country. Continue reading →

Ruthie Alcaide provides ‘Unity Week’ clarity

Brooks Barnard Entertainment , , , , ,

BOSTON — Most know Ruthie Alcaide from MTV’s Real World: Hawaii as the binge drinking, trouble-making Filipino, but most are unaware of the woman behind the televised persona.

Alcaide, 21, is currently on MTV’s College Road Trip, sharing her experiences behind the scenes on the Real World to teach young adults about the entertainment industry, prejudice, drug/alcohol awareness, diversity, sexuality, and racism. As part of this tour, Alcaide visited Suffolk University on Tuesday, March 25 and gave a presentation, “Discussing Diversity with Ruthie” to support the university’s ‘Unity Week.’ Nearly 30 students came to the Donahue Café to hear her speak. Continue reading →

Radical transformation

Brooks Barnard Features, Health & Science , , , , ,

BOSTON — Most college students live in fear of the dreaded ‘freshman 15’; however, during my sophomore year of college, I experienced the opposite with my ‘sophomore 110’.

RT1 The most popular unhealthy college activities include excessive drinking, late night junk food, pizzas, fast food, and ‘café runs.’ Despite the common misconceptions about gaining weight in college, there are ways to avoid temptations and maintain, and even create, a healthy lifestyle.

The majority of college students experience anxiety over exams, all-night drinking binges, and trepidation about classes, but I experienced euphoria in a form I had never known before. In my first month of sophomore year, I weighed in at 260.5 pounds. By second semester, I had transformed my life by dropping 110 pounds in a mere five months. Continue reading →

Marilyn Plotkins: Actor, director, aficionada

Felicia Homan Fashion, Art & Culture , , ,

BOSTON — “Do you want me to sing for you?” said young Marilyn Plotkins with a giddy smile and wide eyes.

This question was posed to every guest that walked through the front door of her large, middle-class family’s home. At a young age Plotkins knew that she loved to sing. Her challenge was to find the right outlet to express her joyful noise. After attending her first play, Gypsy with Ethel Merman, she knew theatre was her destiny.

Marilyn Plotkins is the Chair and Director for Suffolk University’s Theatre Department, founding Director of Boston Music Theatre Project, and author of The A.R.T. Reference Book: The Brustein Years about the American Repertory Theatre. Plotkins is involved with theatre on nearly every level as an actor, director, professor, and aficionada. Continue reading →

Randall Preston: Karmic Juggernaut prodigy

Brooks Barnard Entertainment , ,

BOSTON — Randall ‘Randy’ Preston is known for being a quirky and laid-back guitarist, but his relaxed persona does not match his wild lifestyle.

Preston’s friends describe him as an original and down-to-earth guy with a huge heart. “Randy has always been eccentric. He marches to his own drum, but everyone loves him for being just like that.

“He’s unique, and in today’s world, that’s special,” said close friend, Samantha Boyd. Born in Wall, New Jersey, the 19-year-old prodigy has big dreams for his future. His dreams are not stinted by his staggering height of 5’4. Continue reading →

SOULS Alternative Spring Break

Felicia Homan Community , ,

BOSTON — Put away the bathing suits and flip flops and break out the work boots and jeans. Suffolk University students are partaking in a different, less party-oriented kind of spring break this year.

Suffolk University’s S.O.U.L.S organization is hosting an alternative spring break program in Texas and Mississippi during this year’s regularly scheduled break. Volunteers will participate in poverty relief projects through Habitat for Humanity in Texas and Katrina relief in Mississippi through Community Collaborations International. Continue reading →

The world is at your fingertips — study abroad!

Felicia Homan Fashion, Art & Culture , , , ,

BOSTON — The world is at your fingertips and it’s time to reach out and grab it. Studying abroad will tighten your grip on today’s world; educationally, culturally, and socially.

Suffolk University’s Center for International Education offers roughly 25 study abroad programs in over 55 countries around the world. Students have the option of studying in the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Regardless of the season or country selected, an expansive educational and rich cultural experience is guaranteed. Continue reading →

March to madness

Scott Largay Sports , , 


BOSTON — The National Collegiate Athletic Association 2008 Men’s basketball Tournament is well under way; four brackets and 64 of the best collegiate teams in America have been whittled down to the final four: UCLA, North Carolina, Memphis, and Kansas are still in the chase for an invitation to The Big Dance.




The 2008 bracket is a study in dashed hopes and dreams with some of the best teams in the field bowing out in early rounds. March, a month of big upsets and unthinkable buzzer beaters, is now securely tucked away in the history books. April however, promises to be the month where basketball super giants reign supreme. Continue reading →

					

		
		
	



			
				


	

		

					
Things to do in Boston for budget-minded students

								

								 Nhi Tran
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BOSTON — On a chilly weekend, Casey has been sitting in front of her laptop surfing the internet for hours. Facebook has become her addiction. She walks back and forth to the kitchen several times in an hour before settling down on the couch to watch an episode of “The Office.”


istock_000004919083xsmall.jpgCasey Suter, a sophomore at Suffolk University, has a small amount of money in her purse and no desire to drink alcohol this weekend. She does not know what do on this frigid Friday without the burden of burning a hole in her wallet.


Many Suffolk University students share the same predicament as Casey but little do they know, Boston offers a wide variety of things to do when the weather is cold and students are low on cash. Continue reading →