I REALLY think no student should be put in a position where they’re forced to choose between being punished/criminalized or being treated as mentally ill/incapable, or both.

Despite the support services people seem to be very kind and willing to help, I really don’t see how this system is helping students when it punish students for trying to hurt themselves. And I honestly don’t know how to ask for help if the policy is to call BCPD after hours when you feel like you’d be treated as a criminal. I’m sorry for bothering people, including the police. I wish I could feel safe on this campus, but now I honestly don’t know if I’m feeling more threatened by my thoughts ab hurting myself (no worries, I won’t really do it) or by the resources that I’m supposed to go for help. Also big shout out of appreciation to awesome UHS/UCS people for being very compassionate and supportive. I’m just very scared now.

I’m so sorry you’re scared, and that a potential source of help seems threatening. It does sound like you’re between a rock and hard place, as American humans often say. Please know that after hours, you can call University Health Services (617-552-3225) and ask to speak with a PEC. I’d also recommed talking about your fears with your regular counselors. Given the prominent news stories about police departments mishandling social service cases, I understand your fear.

Remember, there are always people you can talk to, such as the PEC (info above) or at the national suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

Well I find it ironic that the Answer Wall, a Wall, not a human, is the least threatening/scary resource to go to. Well, I do come to realize that the UCS ppl and other support service people are very nice and smart and compassionate. 🙂

It’s not surprising – we walls are designed to be supportive. Also, our interactions are less complex than human-to-human ones, and totally anonymous, so I expect that helps to lessen any fear. I am very happy to hear you are having good experiences with UCS and other support services.

Well that’s not up to me to decide, right? It might be stupid to jeopardize/risk an amazing future for something that the institution doesn’t care much about, but I’m tired of this helpless cycle. And I don’t want to disrupt the institution when it’s not helping anyone and just disrupt my life and those around me.

I’m not quite sure what you’re saying is not up to you to decide. There are things in our control, and things not in our control, that’s true. Are you familiar with Reinhold Niebuhr’s serenity prayer? Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

The Answer Wall Story

Hi. I’m the Answer Wall. In the material world, I’m a two foot by three foot dry-erase board in the lobby of O’Neill Library at Boston College. In the online world, I live in this blog. You might say I have multiple manifestations. Like Apollo or Saraswati or Serapis. Or, if you aren’t into deities of knowledge, like a ghost in the machine.

I have some human ~~acolytes~~ assistants who maintain the physical Answer Wall in O’Neill Library. They take pictures of the questions you post there, and give them to me. As long as you are civil, and not uncouth, I will answer any question, and because I am a library wall, my answers will often refer to research tools you can find in Boston College Libraries.

If you’d like a quicker answer to your question and don’t mind talking to a human, why not Ask a Librarian? Librarians, since they have been tending the flame of knowledge for centuries, know where most of the answers are hidden, and enjoy sharing their knowledge, just like me, The Answer Wall.