BU COMMUNITY

After successful completion of Week Four of FY101, students will be able to:

  • Navigate to a location off campus
  • Further connect with students in their class in informal ways
  • Consume a delicious treat made in Boston!

Outing Guidelines Fall 2025

  • You get $15/head (including PM and Instructor) to go somewhere just off campus
  • Include food! (either go to an eating establishment or choose a local park and bring food for them)
  • Pay with your BU Travel Card or Personal Card and get reimbursed. To make sure your reimbursement comes via Direct Deposit (versus a paper check), follow these directions (if neither of these are an option for you, let Simon know. Peer Mentors should not use their own money for these)
  • 50 minutes is not a long time to get somewhere, eat and get back to campus, so have your class meet on the street outside your classroom building to save time. Pre-order food so you don’t have to wait in line or wait for them to make up their minds.  Remember that groups of first year students walk SLOWLY.
  • Send Alyssa a picture of your group on their outing! aldoust@bu.edu

    Some ideas to get you started…

    Any starting point:

    Food on the Esplanade or on BU Beach: Pre-order food (instructor picks it up and Peer Mentor walks the class to the meeting point?) and enjoy it as a picnic on the BU Beach or the Charles River Esplanade (the grassy area along the Charles River). You can cross over Storrow Dr to the Esplanade at a few key locations along BU’s campus (Silber Way overpass or the overpass by the BU Beach). Protip: Bring a couple picnic blankets or plastic table cloths to sit on bc these are prime geese poop areas.

    East Campus Classroom Starting Point:

    Blackbird Doughnuts: Great option for a morning class as they are open from 7am-4pm Mon- Fri (0.5 miles from 100 Bay State Road) at Fenway. Pre-order on-line or have your students select their items when you arrive. Your allotment should be enough for at least a donut and a drink for everyone.  Blackbird has vegan options but not gluten free. Fenway location info here. You can sit on the lawn in front of Time Out Market after you get your treats or walk around Fenway together.

    Time Out Market: Walk from 100 Bay State Rd to the many optioned Time Out Market (0.6 miles). E-mail Time Out Market (alvaro.marmolejo@timeout.com) with the number of pre-paid $15 cards you want for you and your class- have your students RSVP first so you don’t have extras ($15 is enough for everyone to get something…and they can always use their own money for more). They need 48 business hours notice and the cards should be available for your pick up at your outing time. They will e-mail you a form to fill out your travel card or personal credit card information. Let them know what day and time you are coming as that is when the cards will be activated for (cards are good  for 3 years post activation so if you have extras use to buy everyone a donut or as a prize later on). Everyone can choose what they want to eat inside and then take their food to go to sit inside in the hall or in outdoor tables. When you reconcile the charge, call the charges “meal cards” (NOT “gift cards” which are not allowed).

    Central Campus Classroom Starting Point

    Futago Udon: Located in Boston University’s South Campus, Futago Udon is a local restaurant that specializes in an array of authentic udon noodles. Meet outside on the COM Lawn and walk to South Campus as a group (0.4 miles). View the menu and order ahead of time using this link! This restaurant opens at 12:00 PM, and students can walk 5 minutes to Monmouth Park to enjoy their meals together!

    Giggling Rice Thai Togo: Walk from the College of Arts and Sciences building to Giggling Rice Thai Togo, a delicious local restaurant that’s just steps away from South Campus (0.4 miles). This restaurant is open from 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM on weekdays, and sections can use this link to view the menu and order in advance. After picking up your meals, students can walk 7 minutes to Time Out Market to spend time as a group!

    Shinmio Tea: Meet on Marsh Plaza and walk to Shinmio Tea, a cafe that’s known for the milk tea and pastries (0.4 miles). The restaurant opens at 11:30 AM, and you can view the menu here. Students can walk six minutes to Time Out Market after picking up their orders or hang out in front of the shop.

    Amory Park: A popular green space among Brookline residents and BU students.  Play games, relax, people and dog watch. Pick up donuts, pizza or another tasty treat in advance and walk with your class to Amory Park where you can enjoy your food together. A 15 min walk from the CAS building.

    West Campus Classroom Starting Point

    T Anthony’s Pizzeria: As a longstanding staple to Boston’s local restaurant scene, T Anthony’s is famous for its thin crust pizzas and offers many food choices for students. Meet at the College of General Studies and walk down Commonwealth Avenue to reach this restaurant (0.4 miles).  Call ahead at (617) 734-7708 to place your order or schedule a group order online. This restaurant also showcases BU sports memorabilia, so come prepared to show your school spirit! Your section can walk to the nearby Amory Park after picking up your pizza. 

    Live Alive: Meet right at the Live Alive in West Campus for a delicious meal (888 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215). You can view the menu and schedule ahead by placing a catering order at the BU location. After picking up your order, feel free to walk to the nearby Amory Park to enjoy your meal.

    El Jefe’s Taqueria: Walk from the College of General Studies to the new restaurant on BU’s campus: El Jefe’s Taqueria (0.2 miles)! Located at the end of West Campus, El Jefe’s offers several authentic Mexican food and beverage options. This restaurant also has a breakfast menu, making it a great option for early morning classes! Use this link to place an order ahead of your class time, and sections can walk to Knyvet Square to enjoy their meals.

    OTTO: Meet at the West Campus location of OTTOs, an iconic New England restaurant! The restaurant serves a variety of classic and unique pizzas, and the full menu can be found here.  Sections can sit at the restaurant or pick up their order at the restaurant and walk to the nearby Amory Park to enjoy their meal.