Snaps from Sydney

SoCal girl. Country Music Enthusiast. Amateur Photographer. Kappa Kappa Gamma.

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Best Restaurants around Northeastern

Northeastern students are pretty lucky when it comes to dining on campus: from gluten free to kosher, and vegan to gourmet food trucks, there are plenty of options to keep you fed. But whether you are studying in Club Snell until the sun comes up or have friends and family visiting and want to show them the culinary offerings of Boston, there are a bunch of great restaurants choices on the edge of Northeastern’s campus.

 Ratings Chart:

($) Quick and Affordable ($$) Moderately Priced Night Out ($$$) Special Occasion

Boloco ($)  Boloco is one of the easiest ways to get a quick meal on the way back to your residence hall, conveniently located in-between campus and freshman housing.  What to Try: Nutella Shake, Free Burrito Days, Goloco, nutella wrap.

Check out the menu: http://boloco.com/food/menu/

Cappy’s Pizza ($)  Craving some pizza but don’t want to order a whole one for yourself? Head over to Cappy’s, where they offer huge slices for a great price (and then you can grab some frozen yogurt after!) What to Try: Curly Cheese Fries, Boneless wings, Huge slices of pizza for those late night cravings, frozen yogurt, Meatball subs

Check out the menu: http://cappyspizza.com/menu-s.php

5 Guys Burgers ($) One of the newer places around campus is 5 Guys Burgers. Perk: they have huge boxes of peanuts for people to eat waiting for their burgers!  What to Try: French Fries, Awesome personalized soda machines, free peanuts!

Check out the menu: http://www.fiveguys.com/menu.aspx

Pho & I ($) Feeling adventurous or just craving some Asian food? Pho and I features many types, specifically Vietnamese and Thai.  What to Try: Pad Thai, drunken noodle, Mango Curry and Vermicelli

Check out the menu: http://www.phoandi.com/Menu.html

Symphony Sushi ($$) My personal favorite! Right on the corner of St. Stephen and Gainsborough, Symphony Sushi is probably the best sushi I have ever had (and I grew up eating sushi, so that says a lot). It’s a great local place to hit whenever you come to campus and they deliver! What to Try: Spicy Seafood Maki, Christmas Maki, Party Boat

Check out the menu: http://www.symphonysushi.com/menu-signature.html

5 Napkin Burger ($$) 5 Napkin Burger is one of the newer nicer restaurants we have down the street from campus in the Prudential Center. It’s a big hit for students going out to dinner for  birthday celebrations while still being affordable.  What to Try: Any of the milkshakes, Ahi Tuna Burger, Italian Turkey Burger, Happy Hour ($2 sliders, wings, pork taquitos)

Check out the menu: http://5napkinburger.com/locations/back-bay-boston/menu

Joe’s American Bar and Grill ($$) Shopping on Newbury and want to get a nice meal? Head over to Joe’s American Bar and Grill! It’s has so many options and DELICIOUS bread to start with. What to Try: Ahi Tuna Salad, Pre-Dinner Bread, Chicken Picatta, Southern Crispy Fried Chicken.

Check out the menu: http://www.joesamerican.com/index.cfm/pk/content/cd/LOCATION/pid/10245/cdid/10315

Max Brenner ($$) Calling all Choco-holics! Max Brenner is known for their desserts, which you will smell the second you walk in. My favorite thing to get there is any of their fondues or anything that involves s’mores.  What to Try: Onion Rings, Urban S’mores for Two, Mac and Cheese

Check out the menu: http://maxbrenner.com/menus-new/Boston-Food-Menu-9-9-2014-09-08-2014-05-59.pdf

Legal Seafood ($$$) Legal Seafood is the place that many Northeastern student visits when their parents are in town. It’s a great option if you’re want something local and nice and are in the mood for seafood. What to Try: Fried Shrimp, Oysters, anything on the wood fire grill, Crispy Montauk Calamari

Check out the menu: http://www.legalseafoods.com/restaurants/boston-the-prudential-center

[northeastern-sydney-blog]

Things I wish I knew Freshman Year

Going into my senior year at Northeastern, there are so many things I wish I could have told myself back when I first started at Northeastern:           

The initial group of friends you meet in your first few weeks on campus may be an entirely new group of friends by the end of the year—and that’s completely okay.

Wait until classes to get your books. Some professors will put a book on their syllabus but then tell you the first day you don’t need it or may give you a discount code to get it electronically, so save yourself some money and wait until your first class! 

If you eat out at restaurants all the time or go shopping at the Prudential Center every weekend for new clothes, you will run out of money sooner than you expected.

Join clubs, intramural sports, or other organizations on campus.  Get involved! I came to Northeastern for rowing and never thought about joining anything else. When I left the team two years later, I had to find another way to spend my time. I joined a sorority, and it helped me meet so many more people.

If you don’t understand a class, ask for help! College is a lot different then high school. You don’t have your parents or teachers to hold your hand through your classes.. It’s up to you to go to go to your professor’s office hours and find a tutor if you find a particular class challenging. 

Do NOT wear sweats to class. Unless it is legitimately the only clean thing to wear or it’s seriously that cold out, it’s not OK. Layer up instead.

The freshman 15 isn’t just something your parents warn you about, it can actually happen. Why do you think Marino gym is located conveniently in the middle of freshman housing?? Coincidence? I think not.

Take lots of photos. You will laugh at yourself in a few years and say, “what was I thinking? What was I wearing?” but you will remember all of those memories you would forget otherwise.

Netflix is your best friend/worst enemy. I have spent days binging on shows, which is great, until I realized I had an assignment due at midnight.

To that point, don’t be that student ending the night in the library to finish a paper the night before it’s due when it was assigned over a month ago. It will stress you out and stress causes more harm than good.  Buy a planner, print the course schedule, post it next to your desk, put it in your binder, and pay attention to Blackboard!

Ladies, heels are not your friend. Yes, they may pull your outfit together, make you taller, make your legs look great, but when you are falling all over the place, they aren’t worth it. Also, they will probably get destroyed walking around Boston with all of the cobblestones.

Travel! Waiting to go abroad until my fourth year is one thing I wish I could change. So many of my friends went on incredible Dialogues of Civilization (Photography in Italy or Cuba, Sustainable Transportation in Holland, Health and International Medicine in South Africa to name a few), worked in co-op positions all over the world, or studied abroad in so many amazing places. If you can travel as a part of your major, take advantage as much as you can!

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Boston had a bit of an eventful morning today! Clouds to downpouring to sunny within an hour! 

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Photos from singing beach today! It wasn't super sunny but it was still a nice day! Definitely worth the traveling. And that's a dead stingray.... Which was cool.

[vineyardvines]

Cape Cod sunset

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If only I could be there every weekend.

[northeastern-sydney-blog]

Top Beaches Accessible by MBTA from Boston!!

Growing up 10 minutes from the beach in Southern California, I am used to driving to the beach around 1, staying for an hour or so, heading home, and considering that a day at the beach. "Beach Day" for most of my New England friends means leaving Boston by 9:30, 10:00 at the latest, driving an hour or more to a beach in Gloucester or on the Cape, and spending the whole day there. There are closer beaches that you can take the T to get to, they don't really portray the way Massachusetts beaches really look. So, Ive decided to compile a list of the easiest and best beaches to get to by using either the T or the Commuter rail. Honestly, I haven't tried all of these yet, but I have heard good things from those who have! I'll be at Singing Beach tomorrow, so I'll post a picture and how I actually feel about it later. 

1. Singing Beach

Where is it? Manchester, MA

How do I get there? Catch the Commuter Rail from North Station to the Manchester stop on the Rockport line. From there, it’s about a half-mile walk from the station to the beach. 

Why is it great? While you have to pay a 5-dollar walk on fee to get on Singing beach, it’s worth it to have a clean beach to walk on.  It's small, secluded, and the sand is said to be really soft. They even have a place called Captain Dusty’s that has ice cream sandwiches! I will be going here tomorrow, so I will let you know how it goes! 

2. Carson Beach

Where is it? South Boston

How do I get there?Subway: Take the Red Line to JFK/UMass.

Bus: MBTA Routes 5, 8,11,16,41

Why is it great? Carson Beach is said to have the best swimming beach in the area. It was recently renovated with new sand, new walkways, and benches. It also has a great view of the harbor.

  3. Back Beach

Where is that? Rockport, MA

How do I get there? Go to North Station and take the Rockport line to the end. From there, walk 0.5 minutes 

Why is it great?  It’s great for ocean swimming, but not so much for a day relaxing at the beach. The actual beach surface has more rocks than sand. Personally, if I'm going to have to stay somewhere for a few hours, I need somewhere to tan!

  4. Spectacle Island

Where is it? Boston Harbor Islands

How do I get there? 15 minute ferry from downtown Boston (see ferry schedule here)

Why is it great? The Boston Harbor islands has 12 islands that you are able to visit, but Spectacle Island is the best place to swim since it has lifeguards on duty during the summer hours (May till Columbus Day). Spectacle Island is also great for hiking, boating, and learning. They have a visitor’s center that talks about the history and evolution of the island as well. Best part about the Harbor Islands is they all have great views of the Boston Harbor and city by going to the top of the island! Pricing for ferry tickets are 15 dollars round trip–not too bad for spending the day on an Island!

5. Provincetown

Where is it? Cape Cod

How Do I get there? Boston Harbor to Provincetown Ferry (ferry schedule info Here)

Why is it great? Provincetown is right at the top of the Cape, and takes 90 minutes to get there by ferry. Provincetown has great stores, restaurants, and beaches right off the ferry! It’s a great place to stay for the day or overnight. There’s so much to do, I’d suggest staying overnight! The ferry tickets for round trip are 88 dollars a person, plus a 12 dollar fee for bikes, if you decide to bring yours. This is one place I have actually been, and I can say its absolutely gorgeous. But then again, most places on the Cape are! 

[northeastern-sydney-blog]

It's summer time on campus, which means colorful adirondack chairs, running fountains, and freshman orientations! 

[northeastern-sydney-blog]

Hey! I’m Sydney. I am going into my 5th year here at Northeastern and personally, I feel like I have done it all. I have studied abroad in Australia (feel free to check out that blog here ), done two co-ops (both on campus, currently on my second in the Marketing and Communications department of Admissions), played on a D1 sport (Coxswain for the Women’s Rowing Team), and joined a sorority!

  I am a combined major of both Communications and Digital Art emphasizing in Photography, both within the College of Arts, Media and Design, or CAMD. As a photographer, I see things a bit differently than others do. I love to do portraits, but sometimes I like to throw in the landscape or building shot.

  Here, I will show you my perspective of Northeastern and other shots I like from photographers around campus. If you have any questions or comments for me about anything about Northeastern, feel free to ask!