10 Quotes by Erica Hall Translated into CollegeSpeak

On Thursday, NBC Anchor Erica Hill, a ’98 COM graduate, returned to her alma mater to host a Q&A session with a group of budding journalists, all eager to learn the tricks of the trade.

Unfortunately, college students seem to have a hard time absorbing advice these days; some things we hear  just don’t seem to compute.

What’s worse, college students can’t even resort to Google Translate to help them decipher all this counseling. You can translate things into Bulgarian, Icelandic, Yiddish, but not CollegeSpeak. Good job, Google, way to miss a whole demographic here.

Erica Hill, COM '98, returns to her alma mater to speak about her career in broadcast journalism. | Photo by Nicole Seese
Erica Hill, COM ’98, returns to her alma mater to speak about her career in broadcast journalism. | Photo by Nicole Seese

So, since Google can’t seem to get its head in the game, I guess it’s up to me to do the dirty work. Good thing I’m an ex-computer science major – that totally qualifies me for the job, right?

Never mind, don’t answer that. Instead, read these ten quotes from Erica Hill’s Q&A session and what they really mean to college students.

1. “Anywhere I worked, there’s always a lot of BU grads.”

Translation: It’s not a myth—BU grads do get jobs after graduation, so seniors, start breathing again – there’s a chance for you yet.

2. “Say ‘yes’ to everything.”

Translation: Don’t take everything people say literally—know the context.

3. “You could end up working 20 hours straight. You operate on adrenaline…and crappy food.”

Translation: Some skills can’t be learned in a college classroom

4. “The grass is always greener on the other side.”

Translation: Even well-versed broadcast journalists use cliches sometimes, so relax, it’s ok—no one is perfect all of the time, not professionals, not professors, not you. Well, maybe Morgan Freeman is, but that could just be personal bias.

5. “Me and Anderson are still friends.”

Translation: If you were at this event, you are now two degrees of separation away from Anderson Cooper. Your life has just been made.

6. [On the president] “He’s a person just like everyone else. He gets up in the morning and puts his pants on like the rest of us.”

Translation: If Obama can get up in the morning and get dressed even with the humiliation and stress of the disastrous Healthcare.gov looming over him, you can get up and get dressed for an 8 a.m. class. It’s rough, I know, but think of it this way: at least you don’t have a crumbling healthcare plan and a swarm of angry government officials to contend with.

7. “Mentally, in the moment, know where you’re at.”

Translation: Don’t get stuck in the future. I know it’s coming pretty damn fast, but when you get overwhelmed with everything that might happen, step back and take a look at was is happening. Then go get yourself some Ben & Jerry’s; you deserve it.

The crowd of youngsters eager to emulate the success of BU alum and NBC Anchor Erica Hill. | Photo by Nicole Seese
The crowd of youngsters eager to emulate the success of BU alum and NBC Anchor Erica Hill. | Photo by Nicole Seese

8. “I’m always bugging my boss to get feedback.”

Translation: Asking for feedback = personal growth = you become a more desirable job applicant = employment for you, Glen Coco – you go Glen Coco! Need I say more?

9. [In reference to anything posted on the Internet] “It doesn’t go away.”

Translation: Don’t be a dumbass. Watch what you post online, and if you wouldn’t let your grandma see it, keep it tucked away—if you let it out to romp around the Internet, it may very well come back to bite you in the ass.

10. “It’s very easy to have a pity party for yourself, but that’s just life. You can’t do everything.”

Translation: Pity parties are part of life. If you need one, take one, then chin up like the boss that you are and get back to strutting your stuff.

Bonus quote!

Student comment: “Obviously all of us have three, four internships…”

Translation: Don’t assume anything. There is no “right way” to do college; it’s an incredibly personal journey. Don’t assume that everyone has had the same experience as you—see people for who they are, not who they “should” be. Oh, and if you read this statement and started freaking out because you haven’t racked up your three or four internships yet, relax. Again, don’t assume anything—just because you only have one or two or don’t have any internships doesn’t mean you won’t get a job when you graduate. There’s more to life than internships, so forget about what other people are doing and just do you.

About Nicole Seese

Nicole Seese (COM '15) is a native Pennsylvanian who spent 19 years of her life convinced that her home state rivaled Texas in size. Her interests include wandering aimlessly, listening to other people tell her their stories, and snuggling up in any type of worn-in flannel attire. She fears strawberry seeds and escalators and will probably judge you if you don't judge her for that.

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