Author: Answer Wall

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Head hurts from writing

Head hurts from writing
Head hurts from writing

Well, no wonder with all the work you’ve been doing. Each person is different, but there are a few things you can try to alleviate the hurt. Make sure you’re well nourished. Get up and walk around at least once an hour, or stare into the distance for about five minutes each hour. Go visit the therapy dogs. If you’re totally non-productive, you might need a longer break and some sleep and/or exercise. I’m sure you’re getting the picture … do something totally different for a little while and then go back to your writing. All the best; I know you can get through this! <3

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My best friend is leaving me to suffer alone during finals. Should I be mad or should I skip my finals and travel with her?

My best friend is leaving me to suffer alone during finals. Should I be mad or should I skip my finals and travel with her?
My best friend is leaving me to suffer alone during finals. Should I be mad or should I skip my finals and travel with her?

It is sad when the people you count on for support leave you to go it alone. But I don’t think skipping your finals would be a good idea at all. Maybe let her know you miss her and make plans to travel with her on in the future? If you could use some unconditional love, our therapy dogs are coming in through Finals – see the schedule: bit.ly/PuppersBC

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DDX Is it Lupus?

DDX Is it Lupus?
DDX Is it Lupus?

IAAWNAD, but lupus is notoriously difficult to diagnose. Try not to lose too much peace of mind on the possibility. (I assume you’re seeing doctors about your symptoms? Please don’t attempt to self-diagnose.) You may find it is something much simpler to treat than lupus. If the DDX is lupus, there are lots of resources to help you – I like the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus, which takes you from the basics all the way through the latest in clinical trials: bit.ly/NLMLupus. And University Counseling (bit.ly/BC-counseling) if you need help processing it. Best wishes for future good health!

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opinions on the cohabitation policy?

opinions on the cohabitation policy?
opinions on the cohabitation policy?

It’s not uncommon for Universities to restrict housing to members of the same sex in a given domicile. This prevents a number of tricky issues that would be likely to crop up otherwise (couple breaks up – who gets the room? parents of a student don’t approve of a living situation – how does the University handle that since most students here are legal adults? domestic violence problems could be exacerbated, etc.). Yes, it mostly assumes that everyone has “traditional” views on relationships, but it is successful in handling most of these potential problems.

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Thoughts on Joker 4 Smash?

Thoughts on Joker 4 Smash?
Thoughts on Joker 4 Smash?

Ehhh…he’s not really a video game character originally and seems kind of out of place. I know a lot of other characters are the same (looking at you pokemon characters), but it just seems forced. I know this version of Joker is from a video game, but it still doesn’t fit right. Even as a video game character, he’s not a classic Nintendo character – most of the Persona games are on PlayStation. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Can we get snacks in the employee lounge?

Can we get snacks in the employee lounge?
Can we get snacks in the employee lounge?

Do you mean the employee lounge in O’Neill? I’m afraid it is limited to those who work at the library. And I have heard (we walls have a way of communicating amongst ourselves, you know) there are no snacks there except for those that staff bring in. (Which is why you will see staff at the same vending machines you use for snacks!)

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Silence is still Violence

Silence is still Violence
Silence is still Violence

Speak, for your lips are free;
Speak, your tongue is still yours,
Your upright body is yours–
Speak, your life is still yours.
See how in the blacksmith’s shop
The flames are hot, the iron is red,
Mouths of locks have begun to open,
Each chain’s embrace has spread wide.
Speak, this little time is plenty
Before the death of body and tongue:
Speak, for truth is still alive–
Speak, say whatever is to be said.
–Faiz Ahmed Faiz, translated by V.G. Kiernan (Poem was recited by the Indian actress & activist Shabana Azmi at the UN in 2009, regarding the treatment of women in Afghanistan.)

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How hard is it to get into grad school for Econ from BC? (GPA) What resources are there

How hard is it to get into grad schoo for Econ from BC? (GPA) What resources are there
How hard is it to get into grad school for Econ from BC? (GPA) What resources are there

Boston College is a very good school, so you’ll at least have that as part of your overall profile. However, things like GPA, GRE, personal statement, and other “soft” factors are going to weigh much more heavily than the fact that you went to BC. Admissions requirements will vary between schools so you should determine what schools you’re interested in and get a feel for your chances of getting in. The Grad Cafe (thegradcafe.com) can provide you with some useful admissions data. Talk to your BC Econ professors, too, and don’t forget the BC Career Center: bit.ly/BC-career

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How many books are there in BC Library? What is the oldest one?

How many books are there in BC Library? What is the oldest one?
How many books are there in BC Library? What is the oldest one?

According to the latest Factbook, at the end of fiscal year 2017, there were 2,326,205 books available from O’Neill Library. Defining what a “book” is gets kind of tricky (librarians love to nerd out on this stuff), but the oldest printed book in our collection is Jean Gerson’s De Spiritualib[us] Nupciis (On Spiritual Marriage). It has been digitized and is available to read online: bit.ly/BurnsOldestBook. The oldest item we have is a Mesopotamian clay tablet from 2000-3000 BC.

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Will the therapy dogs actually help my soul

Will the therapy dogs actually help my soul
Will the therapy dogs actually help my soul

Maybe. There are many health benefits to owning a dog, including improved mental and physical health. Therapy dogs can provide similar de-stressing opportunities and the chance to focus on something other than yourself, however briefly. If you’re asking if they can absolve you of sin and cleanse your soul of that weight….it might better to talk to a member of the clergy.

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I grew up Catholic; why is the Catholic Church so anti-female?

I grew up Catholic; why is the Catholic Church so anti-female?
I grew up Catholic; why is the Catholic Church so anti-female?

The Catholic Church is committed to traditions. This is both a strength and a weakness. However, any institution as old as the Church that places such a high importance on tradition is going to have some vestiges of old (and unfair) power structures in place. It was (and to a large extent remains) the case that men held most positions of power in all areas of life throughout history – whether that was the church, politics (ignoring the inseparability of the two for a second), on down to the individual household.

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How do you think Avengers: Endgame will play out? Also, how dope is Hawkey’s (Ronin’s) new sword!?

How do you think Avengers: Endgame will play out? Also, how dope is Hawkey's (Ronin's) new sword!?
How do you think Avengers: Endgame will play out? Also, how dope is Hawkey’s (Ronin’s) new sword!?

IDK (nor do 240k+ YouTube commenters), but I think Ant Man being stuck in the quantum realm isn’t insignificant. No doubt the writers will think of a way to leave us all hanging again, though, so don’t get too wedded to getting all your questions answered. Yes, dope sword!

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Why did I get a concussion ice skating :(?

Why did I get a concussion ice skating :(?
Why did I get a concussion ice skating :(?

Oh, so sorry to hear that! But you asked why: If you’re going to get a concussion, “unintentional fall” is the likeliest cause, and it’s certainly easy to fall unintentionally while skating. I didn’t find stats on skating college students, but 13% of high schoolers who played sports in 2017 had suffered at least one concussion. (BC only: bit.ly/statista-concussions) So you, if you ask around, you’ll find you have a lot of company.