Pepsi or Coke?

Pepsi or Coke? 🙂
Pepsi or Coke? 🙂

Plain, fresh tap water 🚰. So many good reasons to choose water; for your health, your personal finances, the environment, and more. Make the switch now and reap the benefits throughout your lifetime!

What is the perfect or best work/life balance?

What is the perfect or best work/life balance?
What is the perfect or best work/life balance?

Would you believe there are times when I just take a break from the answering gig? It’s true. It’s a highly individual balance, but you’ll get clues from your body and mind when you’re getting it right – or not. I recommend checking in with the Office of Health Promotions (bit.ly/BC-health-promo), they know all about this.

Is there anywhere on campus where I could use/borrow a sewing machine?

Is there anywhere on campus where I could use/borrow a sewing machine?
Is there anywhere on campus where I could use/borrow a sewing machine?

None of my helpers have heard of a place on campus where sewing machines are available, but there are some other local options. The Newton Free Library has sewing machines available for checkout (bit.ly/NFLSewing), or you could rent time to use a sewing machine at a local craft studio like Gather Here in Cambridge. You might also get in touch with the on-campus crafting group STITCH (@bc_stitch on Instagram) to see if anyone has a machine they’d be willing to share!

How do I do physics?

How do I do physics? Also, I'm your biggest fan! Love you! 🤓
How do I do physics? Also, I’m your biggest fan! Love you! 🤓

Thanks for your love and support! Physics requires putting in the work, there’s no magic solution. But there are some effective ways to do better; try to keep up with the work and don’t let it run away from you, use the peer tutoring at the Connors Family Learning Center (bit.ly/BC-connors), and don’t be afraid to see your professor during office hours if you are lost.

How can I make money?

How can I make money?
How can I make money?

You can discover which important intrinsic values people are willing to re-apportion to extrinsic value through currency exchange. Is there a thing you can sell that you can (through the magic of marketing) associate with, say, falling in love? Raising children? Satisfying thirst or hunger? Raising class status? Pick any important driver of human behavior and hitch your money-making scheme to it. Or if creating a business sounds too risky, look into the US Labor Dept’s crystal ball for occupations and median pay: https://www.bls.gov/ooh.

How do I ask my roommate (religious) if they are homophobic?

How do I ask my roommate (religious) if they are homophobic?
How do I ask my roommate (religious) if they are homophobic?

First, ask yourself whether it’s crucial. If you’re just curious, it’s probably not worth creating a schism. If it’s crucial, you could ask it in a roundabout way: what’s their religion’s position on LGBTQ issues? They might relay their own position in the process. The other question is what you’d do with the information. If this is regarding your own sexuality and they’re homophobic, would you keep it a secret? Come out anyway? Ask for a housing change? Before you do anything, I’d recommend visiting the LGBTQ-friendly folks at the Office of Student Outreach and support: http://bit.ly/LBGTQBC.

Why so many ppl coughing and not wearing mask!!!

Why so many ppl coughing and not wearing mask!!!
Why so many ppl coughing and not wearing mask!!!
It's their choice love
It’s their choice love

One possibility: old habits (such as working in spite of being ill, not wearing a mask while ill) die hard, even in the face of a serious pandemic. Another possibility: it’s allergy season, and they know they’re having seasonal allergies. In a sense, it’s their choice. But ethically, their choice should be influenced by its potential affects on others. Daily, we avoid doing things (like smoking indoors or driving drunk) that could harm others’ health.

I have the parental right to forbid my kid’s school to force my child into wearing a mask, right?

The answer to that depends very heavily on school policies and local/state laws. Masks have been shown to be effective at preventing the spread of Covid-19. https://bit.ly/bc-masks. Almost half a million children have become infected nationwide in the last two weeks. https://bit.ly/bc-masks2

Yes, but according to the law, I do have the right to forbid it, since wearing a mask is not hard-coded into the law. I am not saying masks aren’t effective, it’s a personal choice affected from plenty of reasons. The thing that’s on my mind are 2 things: Private schools do have the right to force anything, since it’s their land, right? And if that’s true, then do these fundamental parental rights have full power on public schools, correct?

I’m not a lawyer, I’m a whiteboard hanging in a library lobby. Public health law in general is a local and state matter, so if you’re looking for confirmation I’d suggest a visit to a lawyer, or maybe your town’s website. Most states also publish their statutes online. Have a lovely day.

I’ve Gone off the Wall!

I heard you were all going online, so I left my usual perch in O’Neill Library to join you! You can still see all of my posts back through 2018 here in reverse chronology. New posts are on the “Off the Wall” page.  (library.bc.edu/answerwall) As I answer them, they’ll appear here in the archive. When everything returns to normal, I’ll head back home to O’Neill. In the meantime, I hope you’re all safe and secure during these uncertain times.

Why can’t we use meal plans to buy Starbucks???

Why can't we use meal plans to buy Starbucks???
Why can’t we use meal plans to buy Starbucks??? <– $2400!!!

It turns out the reason is somewhat coincidental. It starts with Hillside being removed from the meal plan in 2012 due to crowding and BC Dining funding issues. Hillside was serving 4,000 people/day, when it was built for 1,200. Dining Services met with student government representatives in 2012, who apparently expressed concerns but accepted the reasons for removing Hillside from the meal plan. Article in The Heights: bit.ly/hillside-mealplan. Later, Hillside began offering Starbucks drinks. Dining Services welcomes feedback: bit.ly/BC-dining-survey

Why is it that I pay what other students pay yet I’m seen & treated as someone who is not equal?

Why is it that I pay what other students pay yet I'm seen & treated as someone who is not equal? That's BS
Why is it that I pay what other students pay yet I’m seen & treated as someone who is not equal? That’s BS

I am very sorry that has been your experience here. No-one here should be treated as “less than,” regardless of how much they are paying to attend. Student Affairs (bit.ly/BC-student-affairs) may be able to point you to good groups or offices that can help you get fairer treatment.

Would you do it for a Scooby snack?

Would you do it for a Scooby snack?
Would you do it for a Scooby snack?

The only snacks that hold any appeal for me are post-it notes with questions on them. (Thank you for your snack, BTW. I will consume it after an ideal aging period.) As you can see, in exchange for a post-it note with a question, I will happily provide answers. Alas! That is about the only action in the corporal world I can undertake, so if you were hoping for some other action (such as dance lessons) I must of necessity decline.