For the last day of my takeover I wanted to share some of my fav memories from my 4 years at BuzzFeed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
BF is definitely as fun a place to work as it seems. But it is a job and we do work hard too! I think in particular the creative, experimental culture we’ve honed over the years makes it a particularly special place. People are encouraged to try new things, push their personal boundaries and take risks. Having the freedom to “test and learn,” as we call it, built into the framework of your job is honestly a huge gift. I’m even doing a “bungee” into another dept right now, a 3 month test to see if it might be a good fit. This kind of emphasis on growth and development is part of why I’m grateful to be there. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I did a bit of a strange thing last year; after quitting my journalism job at BF and going to MTV News for a year, I was asked to come back, and I said yes. We call these boomerangs at work, and I’m so happy I decided to be one. I came back into a totally different role and department, building and running a parenting brand and managing a team of awesome producers. ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As you can tell, I ended up a hop skip and a jump away from journalism, though the things I learned about storytelling and tenacity by studying that at NU are invaluable to me. Throughout all these job transitions, a big lesson for me has been that I get to define success for myself. You can blindly follow a strict 5 year plan or you can allow yourself a gut check and evaluate whether you’re still passionate about the things you used to be. I’ve realized that changing your dreams and your path doesn’t equate to failure - in fact it’s the opposite. It’s growth, both personally and professionally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So if I can give one piece of advice to fellow alumni, it’s this: Know you’re the only one who gets to choose what success means, and whether you’re happy with yours. Always push yourself to do better, to learn more. But don’t forget to look back once in a while and be proud of all of the cool things you’ve done and how far you’ve come since you first stepped foot on Huntington Avenue.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- @rachelzarrelllllll

huskies take NOLA! all j-school pals. @jdunccc was editor in chief of @huntnewsnu when I was managing editor and we’ve been close ever since! she’s getting hitched this december. @tzigal and I did a co-op together in investigative reporting and she’s probably one of the only people in the world I could share a desk with for 6 months and not get sick of. she’s getting hitched to herself and/or every good dog she meets. 💜 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀- @rachelzarrelllllll

#tbt! mostly of being a news nerd. a large chunk of my memories from being at NU is all of the 4 am nights putting together @huntnewsnu. those crime logs didn’t write themselves! also, cappys. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀- @rachelzarrelllllll

love to get swole at the gym 💪💪 jk i loathe exercise but drag myself to @f45_training_flatiron a few nights a week to get my butt kicked. it’s the crossfit of australia! #gohuskies #missingmarino #TKObutnotthesandwich

reliving my away messages at the @googoodollsofficial show with @nytimes reporter (and @bostonu alum 👎) Sopan Deb (@soap07)! hearing my karaoke song live (slide, natch) is definitely a life highlight #ilovethe90s #gohuskies #suckstoBU - @rachelzarrelllllll

hey everyone! Rachel Zarrell (@rachelzarrelllllll) here taking over your instagram feed! I’m a 2012 #northeastern grad who studied journalism (shout out to @huntnewsnu!) and now I work at BuzzFeed in NYC where I’m the New Initiatives Lead. 😊
.
BuzzFeed is a super fun place to work and I’ll make sure to give you a peek into what goes on here. I’m also meeting up with some NU pals this weekend in New Orleans so stay tuned for some #huskies debauchery then. 🎉
.
excited to show you all what I’m up to and how I’m putting that degree to use 😂 say hi in the comments and find me on twitter at @rachel! #gohuskies

My time here is wrapping up but if you are in New York City, the Hudson Valley or New Orleans, come see me at any of these free events! You might end up going home with a new dog! Thanks, @kenfosterwrites Bouve ‘89

Another outtake from @cityofdogsbook by @kenfostergram as I wind down toward the end of my instagram takeover! #Repost @cityofdogsbook with @get_repost
・・・
Who says having a dog in the city will slow you down? Not these two! With Oz at his side, Noah Neiman rose up the ranks of personal trainers and co-founded @rumble_boxing, with locations all across the country. But he still prefers life in his NoHo neighborhood with Oz at his side. You can learn more about their story (and see Noah in his default, shirtless mode) in City of Dogs the new book by @kenfostergram and @traer_scott , on sale October 9th (pre-order link in bio). And you can follow them at @noahdneiman and @snoopozzyoz.

It’s me, @kenfostergram on my last day of my takeover. Here’s a fringe benefit of writing about dogs: puppies at booksigning events. Today I was at @ourgangpetservices in New Jersey for a discussion of @cityofdogsbook and got piled on by these two litter mates. ❤️❤️❤️ #puppiesofinstagram #bullterrier #booksigning

@kenfostergram takeover continues with another glimpse at my new book.
One of our unexpected stops in @cityofdogsbook is Rikers Island, where select inmates live with and train dogs as part of the PAWS of Purpose program, supported by @animalfarmfoundation. Photo by @traer_scott #citydogs #rikersisland #nycdogs #dogbook

Another outtake from City of Dogs, now on sale. #Repost @cityofdogsbook with @get_repost
・・・
Jamilla says, "I have never lived without having a dog. Having a dog is like having a sibling, someone who is always there for you." When her family's house in Fort Greene burned down ten years ago, it took a long time to rebuild. But their dogs, and the dogs they have rescued and fostered, were part of the healing process. "When it feels like your world is falling apart, it's great to have some kind of support system, and your dogs are always there for you." You can learn about Jamilla, her mom Monet, Grandmother Alfreda, and their three generations of pets in City of Dogs, out October 9th. .
#threegenerations #cityofdogs #brooklyn #fortgreene #nyc #nycdogs

If you are in Manhattan and looking for something to do tonight in the rain, join NU alumnus @kenfostergram and @traer_scott for a party and book signing at @dearmamanyc

One of the most fascinating but challenging locations for the @cityofdogsbook was behind the scenes with Homeland Security at JFK airport #Repost @cityofdogsbook with @get_repost
・・・
Did we mention we got to spend a day with the dogs that work for Homeland Security at JFK Airport? #cityofdogs #october9

Last night was the official launch for @cityofdogsbook at Greenlight Books in Brooklyn. @freyfrey_husky and Joni are featured in the book. #dogsofinstagram #nycdogs #dogbook