Stage Presence

Archive for the ‘Student’ Category

 

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Many parents groan and cringe when they hear that their son or daughter will soon be performing in a school-sponsored play or concert. These events can be long and boring and they are often held in gymnasiums or auditoriums with poor ventilation and uncomfortable seats. Most parents care only for the few brief moments that their own child will be center-stage, belting out ”Tomorrow” or doing a passable imitation of a tree. Having to stay for the whole production is thought of as torturous.

However, parents should understand that they are teaching their kids a valuable lesson in attending these plays and concerts. Not only are they sending the message that the child is worth the time spent, regardless how stuffy or uncomfortable, but they are also teaching kids that other people matter, too. That’s a big lesson for most little ones, and a hard one to learn. More than a few adults seem to have never picked up on it. Learning to work together as a time, cooperate and strive for the greater good is only the external reason behind such school-sponsored events. The fact that Mom and Dad also go, stay through the whole thing and try to keep an open mind speaks volumes to our children and tells them what we really want them to know: they are the most precious things in the world to us, but they are not the only people in the world. The next time your child brings home an invitation to the holiday choral concert or spring play, think about the kind of person you want your child to be.

Figuring out your child’s housing is an important part of sending him off to college or university. Many students choose to stay on campus – which of course comes with a steep room-and-board bill – but that isn’t always an option. If your child doesn’t want to stay on campus, you’ll need to find alternative housing, most likely an apartment. You’ll want something comfortable but not too expensive, free from distractions but near places to unwind. It may seem like a tall order. Fortunately there is no shortage of Boston apartments, many of them suitable for college students and within commuting distance of Boston University.

Fenway Kenmore, Cambridgeport and Back Bay are all neighborhoods within a mile of BU, with costs running the full spectrum from A&S Realty in Back Bay on the lower-price end to 1330 Boylston in Fenway Kenmore on the upper end of luxury. This being Boston, don’t expect low rents, but there’s a wide enough range that people should be able to find something suitable to fit their budget. Many of the establishments offer such amenities as high-speed Internet access (really a necessity for today’s college student), pet-friendly policies, indoor parking, high ceilings (a must for the vertically-inclined) and elegant architecture. Make sure you research the various options thoroughly so you find what you’re looking for.

Boston is a vibrant city and so you’ll also want to investigate what culture is close to whichever of the Boston apartments you select. Whatever you choose, there should be plenty of theaters, diners, clubs, libraries, concert halls and other such establishments that absolutely should be used to reward studious effort, not distract from it. Check into Boston’s public transit system to make sure your student can take advantage of it. Perhaps you can find an apartment complex popular with college students so that even though he’s not on campus, your child can still spend time with his peers outside of class.