Does he like me back?

Does he like me back? [reply] Ask him! It's better to be honest than to leave it unsaid. I know from experience
Does he like me back? [reply] Ask him! It’s better to be honest than to leave it unsaid. I know from experience <3 Very Blunt Girl

Very Blunt Girl has good advice. If you’re looking for certainty before you ask, you’ll never know. However, it’s wise to prepare for disappointment by letting a few good friends know what you’re about ask. Then, if the answer is no, they’ll be ready with support.

Why isn’t Spring break longer?

Why isn't Spring break longer?
Why isn’t Spring break longer?

Doesn’t it seem short? Sigh. But there is so much learning to be done before the end of the semester. I’m committed to staying here after mid-May, but you probably have other things to do then, so extending the semester to get a longer Spring Break wouldn’t be a great idea.

Why is this world so mean & virulent & judgemental?

Why is this world so mean & virulent & judgemental ?
Why is this world so mean & virulent & judgemental?

There’s no getting around it, people have done mean things and said judgmental things. A good many others have done heroic things and said things that were honest, thoughtful, and/or caring. I recommend seeking out more of the latter, and attempting to avoid the former as much as you can. If you can’t avoid it, perhaps you can meet it with equanimity & silence, kind of like a wall. Meanness expects (and thrives on) mean responses. Starved of reaction, it often recedes.

Why the TML (Theology Library) doesn’t have proper access to people with disabilities?

Why the TML (Theology Library) doesn't have proper access to people with disabilities
Why the TML (Theology Library) doesn’t have proper access to people with disabilities

I have reached out to our friends at BC Facilities to get an answer. I’ll let you know as soon as I have one.

The TML is old enough that it is not legally required to meet modern accessibility standards. However, because of your question, BC is going to look at the doors to see if they can be improved.

Do you think Communications is a good major?

Do you think Communications is a good major?
Do you think Communications is a good major?

During my time supporting the O’Neill Library, I have had an opportunity to observe students from every major available here at Boston College and my belief is that there is that all of the majors are “good” but that they might not all be right for a particular student. I would recommend focusing your efforts on deciding if Communications is the best fit for you. To do this, consider questions such as: Do you enjoy the Communications classes you have taken so far? Does the work make you fulfilled? Does it feel meaningful? Will it support your future career goals and personal aspirations? Along the way, you might want to visit the BC Career Center (bit.ly/BC-career) and check out our portal for Communications Resources (https://libguides.bc.edu/communicationportal).

Hi, my ex-boyfriend started to date a girl he dislliked before, WTF is going on? I’m bothered!

Hi, my ex-boyfriend started to date a girl he dislliked before, WTF is going on? I'm bothered!
Hi, my ex-boyfriend started to date a girl he dislliked before, WTF is going on? I’m bothered!

So many possibilities: he was prevaricating about disliking her before, he still dislikes her but is attracted to her anyway (really not unusual), he changed his mind about her, she got a Bugatti for Christmas…. All I can say it it’s not your circus, not your monkeys (anymore!) Wishing you peace of mind.

Why do all the girls hug each other all the time. I like a hug with my bros but they don’t. I like a hug please :(

Why do all the girls hug each other all the time. I like a hug with my bros but they don't. I like a hug please :(
Why do all the girls hug each other all the time. I like a hug with my bros but they don’t. I like a hug please 🙁

I’ve never understood human behavior all that well. If I had arms, the first thing I’d do is hug everyone. Well, OK, the first thing I’d do is ask. Maybe you could carry around a few of these children’s books on hugging as a way to instruct your bros: bit.ly/BC-hugging. But it’s all in how you frame it. Maybe “Bro, how about a hug?” would work better than “Bro, time for snuggle wuggle.” You also might be interested in reading about changing notions of masculinity, such as bell hooks’ The Will to Change (O’Neill Library HQ1090 .H66 2004 – currently unavailable, click “request book” to get a copy through interlibrary loan).

Goldman Sachs or Peace Corps?

Goldman Sachs or Peace Corps
Goldman Sachs or Peace Corps?

Or both! You can always spend 2 years with the Peace Corps and then apply for a job at Goldman Sachs (or anywhere, really). Having Peace Corps experience may even give you an advantage over other applicants. Or, you can start your career and then try the Peace Corps later in life. That route may be more challenging if you have obligations, but people do it. Either way, enjoy your life and its many possibilities!

Can u post one of ur best selfies?

Can u post one of ur best selfies?
Can u post one of ur best selfies?

This will probably come as a shock to you but the Wall does not have a smart phone and cannot take a selfie! My helpers have on occasion posted a few photos, though. I am rather fond of this recent one of me in a bikini: bit.ly/AnswerWallSelfie. And I think my formal picture (the one on my blog: answerwall.domain.bc.edu) is very stylish as well.

Tell me. Please. College and grades don’t matter THAT much. Right? So why do we have to do this

Tell me. Please. College and grades don't matter THAT much. Right? So why do we have to do
Tell me. Please. College and grades don’t matter THAT much. Right? So why do we have to do this

I hear your frustration. College is only 4 years out of a long life, and grades should really just be a way of ascertaining that you’ve “got it” about a subject, not the goal. On the other hand, college gives you opportunities you may not have again in life, to learn intensively and follow a path of study that interests you. Grades may or may not matter for your career goals, so there is some risk in ignoring that aspect, I hope you can focus on the core learning and growing part of your time here.

Where is Father Leahy?

Where is Father Leahy?
Where is Father Leahy?

University presidents have many different styles: some insert themselves into student life with awkward gusto, some are more faculty-focused, some concentrate attention on capital campaigns and fundraising, and some administrate by delegating. Father Leahy is mostly a combination of the latter two, it seems, and judging by the remarkable expansion, pace of construction & plans for more, that’s where his priorities lie. He rarely comments on political issues, though did sign a letter strongly disagreeing with the Trump administration on DACA: bit.ly/BC-DACA. If you’re curious about his history among students, explore articles in The Heights that mention him: bit.ly/BC-Heights-Leahy.

Heart or brain?

Heart or brain?
Heart or brain?

Heart *and* brain. The current consensus in neurology is that the brain is as much a feeling organism as a thinking one, and that cognition itself is inextricably linked to emotion. I recommend Antonio Damasio’s book Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain (O’Neill Library QP401 .D2 1994) as an early & influential title. There’s also been a lot of research into the effects of gut microbiota on mood, depression, and anxiety (bit.ly/gut-mood). Gut feeling? It’s truer than we knew, and bacteria may even play a part. Heart, brain, gut… all of it and more: neurons extend throughout your entire body, sort of like all the network cables in a Wall.

how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? – Mr.Owl

how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? - Mr.Owl
how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? – Mr.Owl

This question has been researched thoroughly by parties ranging from high school students to engineering doctorate students. Interestingly enough, results vary drastically. A licking machine (oh yeah, a licking machine!) developed at Purdue University took an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. At the same institution, 20 individuals conducted the same experiment and averaged 252 licks to complete the task. Another licking machine, developed at the University of Michigan required 411 licks to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop; and a group of high school students from Swarthmore Schools averaged 144 licks to achieve the goal So, to answer your question: Getting to the center of a Tootsie Pop takes between 144 to 411 licks, depending on whether you are a teenager or a licking machine.