Hi, I’m the Answer Wall! I’ve been perched in the O’Neill Library lobby at Boston College since February 2017, except for a year in 2020 when I went fully online. Ask me a question by posting a post-it on me in O’Neill Library. I’ll answer within a day on weekdays. I snooze on the weekends, because answering questions is hard work!
How can you be motivated as we see so much cruelty in the world?
It might be helpful to remember that, as bleak as the world seems right now, there are moments of beauty and joy that exist around you each day that make life worth living. Also, remember that, as cruel as others might act, you have the capacity to show compassion, generosity, and kindness to those around you.
How do I find the right one? #romantic
Love has a great capacity to find you when you’re being yourself and not worrying about it. It also tends to have awkward timing. Be patient, be yourself. There are many possible someones for everyone.
Solid choice.
What is the meaning of life? and how can you have purpose?
This question is a pressing one for most people, so it’s a great service to them that you asked. I wish I had an answer. The difficulty is it’s different for everyone. Perhaps rephrase the question: how can I find my purpose and meaning? Father Himes (1947-2022), a beloved professor of theology at BC, said to ask yourself three key questions: What brings me joy? What am I good at? To whom can I be of service? Your meaning and purpose is where those three overlap. Here’s his famous lecture: bit.ly/himes-3key
Why my neighbor is always clapping at night? NO.
This does seem mysterious.
What is your least favorite color?
I prefer earth tones because they match Boston College colors, so blue is a no for me, both because it makes me feel gloomy and because it’s one of the colors of a rival school, Notre Dame.
:P Hi BF
![[drawing of a smiley face with its tongue out] Hi BF](https://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AW110825-1.jpg)
Hi!
Hey Answer Wall! Any Relation to Dr. Tom Wall?
No relation, but a coincidence both of us enjoy.
Is The French Winning 4 Years of GBB rigged? #Wingwin
Is GBB the Grand Beatbox Battle? Or something else? I am not up to speed on Beatboxing competitions, sorry!
what are the best bars to go to/activities to do in Boston to meet new people? (not rock climbing sorry) thank you !! :)
It’s so hard to make recommendations like that in general, but here are a couple of thoughts. 1) This Field Guide to Boston is a pretty great introduction to the area, and it includes neighborhoods, places, and activities to think about. https://www.wbur.org/news/section/field-guide-to-boston 2) One of the things about Boston is that it has loads of people who are college-aged, and they tend to collect. Maybe try hanging out around Trident Books on Newbury Street on a Friday or Saturday and follow the vibe and/or the crowds.
Thoughts on Zootopia 2?
It’s rare for a sequel to exceed its original, but this one might surprise us. Go watch it when it hits theatres on November 26th and let me know what you think!
What does the office of first year experience do? :)
My library helpers told me this office supports first-year students as they transition into educational, social, and cultural life at Boston College. You can find out more about the programs, initiatives, and resources they provide here: bit.ly/first-year-office.
am I pretty?
![[drawing of a heart with a face] am I pretty?](https://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AW110125-4.jpg)
I’m not a mirror on the wall, but I do insist you’re the fairest one of all.
If Boston College had to embody one of the “virtues” that the M&M characters exemplify (red = friendliness, brown = wisdom, etc.), which would it be & why?
Perhaps I misunderstood the cardinal virtue of M&Ms, which is that humans think they’re a treat. Red & Brown sounds like a good combo to me, though.
Who will win the World Series tonight?
Having seen the outcome in the bottom of the 11th, now maybe you understand why I don’t attempt to predict anything.
Why is the football team so bad and why can’t it improve?
As soon as they reconsider generously sharing the ball with the wrong folks (more brown M&M, less red, cf. M&M post), it’ll be all good.
Do you mean Billy Budd, the character in a Herman Melville novel? I think that poor man’s been through enough.
Do you think I’m pretty?
You are the fairest one of all.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
“Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” Let me say that as a wall I do love Shakespeare. Check out Midsummer Night’s Dream to see how important a wall can be to a love story.
Baby Dont hurt me, dont hurt me, no more
Woah-woah-woah-woah
Oh-woah-woah, uh-huh
What is love?
There are so many kinds of love! So many words in so many different languages. Here is a short poem about different kinds of love in Arabic by Philip Metres, who recently graced Gasson Hall with a reading:
)
because there is a word for love in this tongue
that entwines two people as one
)
& there is a word for love in this tongue
that nests in the chambers of the heart
)
& a word for love in this tongue that wanders
the earth, for love in this tongue in which you lose
)
yourself in this tongue & a word that carries
sorrow within its vowels & a word for love
)
that exudes from your pores & a word
for love that shares its name with falling
–Philip Metres, from Shrapnel Maps
How many books are there in the O’Neill library?
Technically, the answer to your question (as of 9:15 am 10/27/25 😉) is 971,184. Still, please remember that this number excludes many of the resources managed by library staff—eBooks, bound journals, music scores, and material housed in offsite locations. We always have more than you think we do.