Justin Pallenik (CAS '16) 

How did being undeclared make you feel - nervous, excited, lost, hopeful? 

When I came to Orientation as an Undeclared student, I was slightly nervous, primarily because I wasn't familiar with the way college courses and credits fit in to my potential major. However, as soon as I heard Dean Jarvi's speech for CAS Academic Perspectives, my mind was suddenly put at ease. He presented the statistic that the most popular major by and large coming into BU was, in fact, Undeclared. I didn't know about the other students in attendance for that presentation, but his words of comfort certainly took the pressure off of me to get all of my CAS requirements out of the way and really encouraged me to test the waters and try some electives at registration the next day.

What was the first History course you took? How did you do in it? 

The very first History course that I took here at BU was HI 283: The American Presidency. I took the class with an adjunct professor, Professor Brownell, who was wonderful. She specializes in 20th century media studies and how the development of mass media has affected the Presidency over the last 60 years or so. Unfortunately, Professor Brownell no longer teaches at BU after she took a tenure-track position at Purdue University. But, she was one of first professors at BU that I ever connected with through office hours. By the end of the semester, I talked Professor Brownell on a weekly basis to explore the content of the course and expand upon class discussions. During these visits, Professor Brownell also recommended that I choose Professor Haberkern, a professor of medieval studies in the History Dept., as my advisor if I declared in History. I took her advice, and I've since cultivated a great relationship with another professor within the department.

The class itself inspired me. As an American history buff, I knew going into the class that the topic was one of extreme interest to me. Having an engaging professor who clearly had a passion for the material definitely helped me to succeed as well. Over the course of the semester, the class didn't even feel like a four credit elective, it felt like a hobby. I genuinely enjoyed the readings and the essays, especially the final paper, which gave me the chance to do research at the JFK Memorial Library at UMass-Boston. I still consider that research assignment one of my finest accomplishments to date at BU, especially considering I received an A on the paper and in the class. 

Did that course play a role in your choice of the major? Had you ever considered History as a major before then?

Honestly, that first class about the Presidency caused me to declare in History. Before taking the class, I had been considering History as a potential major because I had always enjoyed it in high school, however, I wanted to explore, so in my freshman year I took classes in Philosophy and Political Science. These classes interested me, particularly those in Philosophy, but HI 283 provided an incomparable experience and it truly facilitated my decision to major in History.

How did you choose History as a major? Did any specific resource on campus help you? 

I chose History as a major primarily because of my positive experience in HI 283, but the Department as a whole solidified my decision. During my first informal meeting with Professor Haberkern, he introduced me to the program, its requirements, and specific classes that he recommended. In addition (and more importantly), we simply talked about History. I explained my interest in the American Revolution and American History in general, and from there we discussed the influence of the Founding Fathers in modern society. We also talked about Professor Haberkern's area of study, the Middles Ages and specifically the Protestant Reformation and the Christian sects that emerged from it. Speaking to someone with such a wealth of academic knowledge on a conversational level is an unbelievable opportunity, and as a freshman I was enthralled and excited.

Now you're in the Dual Degree Program. Do you see a special overlap between your majors? 

 I do Public Relations in COM in addition to History, and I believe there is some overlap between the two. The benefit of History as a whole is that it provides context for the modern day. So the recent trends in PR that I study in COM like social media, blogging, and the digital revolution are things that have been/will be introduced to me by my History classes. In my class on the Presidency with Professor Brownell, we talked about the influence of mass media on recent administrations, and I'm currently taking HI 339 with Professor Schulman, a class about the U.S. from 1968 to the present, which will discuss the origins of the current media revolution and its effect on society.

Another aspect of studying history that has certainly had positive effects on my career in COM is its emphasis on critical thinking. I find that the analytical skills taught through historical research and class discussion transfers to each and every class I take, regardless of college. With every text I read and every post I craft, I apply techniques I've learned through HI 200 and the other History courses I've taken.

What is your favorite thing about History? 

That's a difficult question. History has a romantic appeal for me at least. I also think it's really interesting how events and ideas in the past have withstood the test of time and permeated today's culture and society. People don't often think about how our current government is modeled off that of a civilization 2,500 years old or how our country still hasn't escaped the ripples of an event like Watergate.

Do you have any words of wisdom for the rest of our undeclared students? 

Don't rush! You have four years and 128 credits' worth of courses to exhaust here in any configuration you can imagine. There's no reason to hurry through your CAS requirements because above all, you want to find what makes you passionate within the college and what drives you. Take classes that intrigue you or inspire you, you might find that it's what you're meant to do, and if you don't, then you can just cross it off the list until you find your niche.