The Wall

One of the wonderful aspects of a safe democracy is that voting is done with the assurance of privacy. Voting records are confidential, and I have no basis for speculating one way or another.

I’m you’re a BC student, faculty, or staff, you can access recently released movies, documentaries, and some TV series for free through the streaming collections on the BC Library website: bit.ly/bc-movie-stream. Just make sure you set up Eagle VPN first if you want to watch films through the sites listed off-campus.

You might have heard the term “money isn’t everything,” and I think it applies well here. People in poorer countries might have less material and financial goods, but having a loving, supportive family and community makes up for that lack and likely contributes to greater happiness and less feelings of despair. There’s nothing wrong with wanting success, but if the goal of success is to obtain as much wealth as possible over physical health or quality relationships, then we have to ask what it means to be happy and what success is for.

I can understand the confusion. GenAI chatbots and I both offer disembodied answers to questions. But the resemblance ends there: Chatbots turn words into numbers and calculate the probability of word combinations based on massive data files of digitized text. I consult with my librarian friends, and I reflect on their carefully collected and curated books and articles. My supportive foundations are built on an ethic of care for the people and the community I’m a part of.

I’ll give a general answer because energy levels and how your body handles caffeine are very personal. A regular sleep schedule and some honest reflection about whether all the things you’re trying to do actually fit into one day would be helpful as a starting place. Then you’d be in a better place to see if (slowly) tapering off the energy drinks is something you can do without shocking your system. The folks at Student Wellness could probably help with some suggestions too: https://bit.ly/BCStudentWell

Apparently, chickens are smarter than we thought: “When making decisions, the chicken takes into account its own prior experience and knowledge surrounding the situation.” bit.ly/chickenbrain So unless you know the chicken’s prior experience and knowledge, it’s anybody’s guess.

If atmosphere is your thing, I recommend Gargan Hall on the second floor of Bapst Library. It’s oak tables and stainglass windows are a nice contrast from the busy feeling the rest of Chestnut Hill campus has. If you find views more relaxing, the fifth floor of O’Neill Library is quiet and has some great views of Newton and a bit of Boston too. A third option, if you’re okay with walking, is The Theology and Ministry Library on Brighton Campus. It’s close to a seminary and has several trees surrounding it so you’ll get the calm of spirituality and nature at the same time.

Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!
Gering-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding!

Pancakes

My first reaction is that academia IS the real world and that anyone saying it isn’t has likely not paid their rent with tips, or not recently enough that they remember it clearly. But I will say that communicating the implications of scholarly research for policymakers and our communities is hard, and it isn’t work that either higher education or the broader economy values for its own sake.

The most recent report showing individual institution data from Opportunity Insights was 2017. (They’ve issued an updated report, but it’s unclear whether individual insitution from that newer data is available yet.) Here’s an interactive tool in the NYTimes Upshot based on the 2017 data, with Boston College already selected: nyti.ms/3TpS145

Some people react to loneliness by throwing themselves into a lot of distractions. It sounds like that’s not your style. You seem capable of sitting with discomfort and talking about it. Those are both really good skills for making and maintaining long, trusting friendships.

You know me so well! I also really like Don’t Start Now.

I hope things are going OK for you. So, you might try the candlelight Mass on the Newton campus at 9:15pm if you’re looking for something formal. (Campus Ministry’s Mass schedule: https://bit.ly/4gZEdVH) You might also try the Labyrinth outside Burns Library, or the reservoir if you’d like some birds for company.

Frank Caprio

Vault (bit.ly/BC-Vault) lists clinical psychologist median income as $78,200. The Chronicle of Higher Education (bit.ly/bc-chron-facstaff-pay) lists the 2024 median income for social sciences professors at private institutions (like BC) at $67,394. These are, of course, only medians, and there’s a very wide salary range in both fields.

Find a comfy chair on the 4th or 5th floor, especially one away from heavy traffic areas. Explore all the nooks & crannies!

I only eat post-its, so I’ll have to defer to my library assistants on this one. Here are their answers:

• OTTO in Coolidge Corner, Brookline
• Stoked Wood Fired Pizza (Washington Square in Brookline)
• Pizzeria Regina is really good and pretty; if you are up for a road trip, the Pizza Barn in Center Ossippee, New Hampshire is amazing.
• Brooklyn, NY (specifically Elegante on 5th Ave. in Bay Ridge, but the whole borough has hidden gems)
• Frank Pepe (Chestnut Hill), Pino’s (Cleveland Circle), Dirty Water Dough (Back Bay), and Mortadella Head (Somerville)!
• Maruca’s Tomato Pies, Asbury Park, NJ boardwalk
• Nearby? Crazy Dough’s. Far out? Anywhere in North End has got to be good.
• Gary’s Pizza in the South End for authentic Roman style pizza
• The Pizza Factory in Amesbury (if you’re willing to travel)
• Maybe not the best pizza, but the most Boston pizza experience is going to Galleria Umberto in the North End. (Green line to Haymarket. Take cash. It’s cafeteria style.)
• Stoked in washington sq
• Bardo’s at Castle Island Brewery has crust that is so crispy and buttery (a la Detroit-style, although they claim it’s South Shore-style). Try the dill pickle version!
• Pizza Project at the Speedway 100%
• Regina’s
• Anywhere but Bill’s in Newton. Ziggy’s on Washington St has good slices.
• Pino’s

The big secret about college is you’re actually here to learn how YOU learn: partly about what’s in your classes, mostly about how to get along on your own and relate to a whole bunch of new people from different backgrounds. College is to set you up for continuing to learn how to learn for your whole life, so you do NOT need to get it all right today. Be patient, be curious. You’ve got this. And lots of people on campus can help when you feel like it’s a lot. Because it is. But you’ve got this.

Yoga! Wednesdays at 5:15 pm with Daniel. I’m really good at Tadasana, aka mountain pose.