The Wall

Posted on

(from a senior) What does being grateful for having received an education at BC mean in practice?

(from a senior) What does being grateful for having received an education at BC mean in practice?
(from a senior)
What does being grateful for having received an education at BC mean in practice?

Attending any university is a rare experience, putting you in the top 7% of education worldwide. BC is ranked  # 32. With ~325,000 other people at schools ranked higher than BC, and 21.5 million people in the college age group, you’re in the top ~1.6% of your age group in the US for education. 98.4% of your age group in the US hasn’t had the opportunity you’ve had. That should be humbling. In light of your knowledge of this privilege, work to make the world a better place. That understanding of privilege, and an imperative to help those less fortunate, is the bedrock of the Jesuit faith that guides BC. Find a job that helps those with less. Volunteer with groups that help disadvantaged people. Donate money, if you have it, to good causes. And in your daily life, when interacting with people, understand that many of them haven’t had your opportunities and experiences to grow their perspectives and become who they could be if they had just been given a chance. Have patience and love and compassion for everyone you meet. And congratulations and best of luck in all you do! I’m sure you’ll set the world aflame.

Posted on

Should Humanities exams just be 30 1 hour discussions with the professor, rather than sit down exams (at least for smaller upper-level electives)?

Should Humanities exams just be 30 1 hour discussions with the professor, rather than sit down exams (at least for smaller upper-level electives)?
Should Humanities exams just be 30 1 hour discussions with the professor, rather than sit down exams (at least for smaller upper-level electives)?

Oxford and Cambridge do something like that bit.ly/bc-tutorial. Williams offers 60-70 tutorials per year for two students each. bit.ly/bc-williams. And the Wall suspects that is why it isn’t more widespread: it’s hard to do for a student body above a certain size. If you want to dig deeper, there’s a broad literature on testing and what works in our library catalog: bit.ly/bc-tests

Posted on

I like all of the painted lettering and pinstriping on Phil Mastroianni Corp’s trucks! Nice touch!

I like all of the painted lettering and pinstriping on Phil Mastroianni Corp's trucks! Nice touch!
I like all of the painted lettering and pinstriping on Phil Mastroianni Corp’s trucks! Nice touch!

I agree, and as a Wall, I deeply appreciate a good paint job. If you’re a connoisseur of painted trucks, you might appreciate the fine art book Wings of Diesel: Trucks, Identity & Culture in Pakistan, by Jamal J. Elias. It’s over in the Bapst Art Library: NK1476.7 .A1 E453 2011.

Book cover of On Wings of Diesel: Trucks, Identity and Culture in Pakistan, by Jamal J. Elias, showing brightly colored detail of a truck painted with roses and other motifs.

Posted on

Do you know the muffin man?

Do you know the muffin man?
Do you know the muffin man?

Not personally, no. But I do know a wall in downtown Boston who is second cousins with a wall on Drury Lane. So that’s pretty cool. I’m also an professional acquaintance with the Bodleian Library walls which hold the oldest known manuscript of The Muffin Man (circa 1820). So that’s also pretty neat.

Posted on

Where can I get the best pasta in Boston?

Where can i get the best pasta in Boston?
Where can I get the best pasta in Boston?

You should head down to the Little Italy of Boston, the North End! This area of Boston is packed with some of the best Italian restaurants in the city, all boasting about how their homemade pasta is the best. Many of the walls in this historic district have heard patrons rave about how excellent their dinners were, but see for yourself! If you venture down there, you’ll see people lining the streets in queues just waiting to sit down and mangiano! If you’d like to stay a little closer to home, check out Carlo’s Cucina in Allston, which has a great North End feel. Or if you want something fancier & authentic & don’t mind a trek to Needham, try the spaghetti alla carbonara at Spiga.

Posted on

Why does CAB only get washed old rappers like B.O.B.

Why does CAB only get washed old rappers like B.O.B. I'd rather have one good festival than 3 bad music festivals.
Why does CAB only get washed old rappers like B.O.B. I’d rather have one good festival than 3 bad music festivals.

I can’t pretend to know what goes into CAB’s choices for entertainment. If you have criticism or suggestions for them, I recommend you address them directly: bc.orgsync.com/org/cab/ContactUs or perhaps via twitter: @CABofBC.

Posted on

Why can’t I go home <--same

Why can't I go home <--same
Why can’t I go home <–same

Thomas Wolfe had some thoughts on this exact question, although his story is a little funny. He wrote actual people from his hometown of Asheville, NC into his first book, Look Homeward, Angel (PS3545.O337 L6 1934). The townsfolk were angry at their depiction, so he left them out of his second book, Of Time and the River (PS3545.O33 O3x 1944). Being left out angered them even further, so he wrote You Can’t Go Home Again (PS3545.O337 Y6). Long story short: you may return to where you grew up, but as you mature and make your own path, you’ll find yourself making a new home.

Posted on

Who is that random guy w/ white hair who roams around O’Neill 1 at night w/ a piece of paper like he is counting us?

Who is that random guy w/ white hair who roams around O'Neill 1 at night w/ a piece of paper like he is counting us?
Who is that random guy w/ white hair who roams around O’Neill 1 at night w/ a piece of paper like he is counting us?

The “random guy w/ white hair” is far from random. He’s Jeff, and he’s been on the library staff for many years. (He has also bumped into BC students in the San Juan, PR airport and on a mountaintop.) You’ll see him and other staff counting, because the library is currently assessing space usage to help determine space needs, seating preference, and the effectiveness of furniture configurations. To assist with this study, library employees have been conducting head-counts three times per day, every day. This part of the project will end on May 18.

Posted on

Three part question

Three part question: 1. Di BC dining halls compost? 2. Does BC Dining Services itself (kitchen prep, catering, etc.) Compost? 3. If (2)=no, Who would I talk to to encourage Dining Services to compost? Thanks
Three part question:
1. Do BC dining halls compost?
2. Does BC Dining Services itself (kitchen prep, catering, etc.) Compost?
3. If (2)=no, Who would I talk to to encourage Dining Services to compost?
Thanks

The general answer is mostly yes! 1 – Corcoran and McElroy now have “post consumer food waste” composting for what’s left over after eating. 2 – Yes! All dining halls compost kitchen prep waste. As for Q3, several student groups such as UGBC Environmental Caucasus and EcoPledge have engaged with BC Dining to help bring this all about. BC Dining has several other initiatives regarding sustainability, see: bit.ly/BCDiningSustainability

Posted on

Why do forced triples exist?

Why do forced triples exist?
Why do forced triples exist?

Unfortunately, there are simply more students at BC than there is housing. Forced triples exist for the same reason that housing isn’t guaranteed for all four+ years you’re at BC. BUT there are some advantages: 1) you’re on Upper, which is pretty great; 2) reduced room and board costs makes the bill a bit easier to pay (or loans a bit smaller). The best thing to do is just embrace the minimalist lifestyle and find things to do outside your room. Good luck!

Posted on

Which coffee drink/roast has the most caffeine?

Which coffee drink/roast has the most caffine?
Which coffee drink/roast has the most caffeine?

The roasting process of coffee beans occurs at a high enough temp to destroy some of the caffeine molecules contained within coffee. So, contrary to expectation, light roast coffees have more caffeine than dark roast. Espresso has a high caffeine content (~150 mg) for its volume of liquid (~2 oz.), but less than a normal cup of coffee (~235mg in 12 oz.). Here’s a great list of common coffee drinks and their caffeine content: bit.ly/CaffeineList.

Posted on

Why can the university afford to plant new grass each year but can’t pay for more space for the orchestra & chamber music programs to practice in?

Why can the university afford to plant new grass each year but can't pay for more space for the orchestra & chamber music programs to practice in?
Why can the university afford to plant new grass each year but can’t pay for more space for the orchestra & chamber music programs to practice in?

The grass is grown on a sod farm just for Boston College; this contract gives BC a good price break. Buildings and building spaces are much more expensive and require lots of planning and then ongoing maintenance. That said, I have heard that BC is looking very closely at existing spaces that would be suitable for practice, performance and collaborative study. I think the answer to your question is that BC can afford both grass and student spaces- we just need to see what their final plans are for student spaces.