Answering questions at Boston College O’Neill Library
Grad school can be a lonely time, but there are ways to make it better. Try some events held by The Office of Graduate Student Life (bit.ly/BC-graduate-life) – Waffle Wednesdays sound very appealing! Also, you could talk to the staff at Murray House, who have creating community among grad students at BC as part of their mission.
The CDC has some good advice (bit.ly/RidRat): seal up any holes in your home; remove food sources like spilled foods, pet foods, bird seed; keep your garbage tightly closed; and set up traps.
If you’re hearing voices that don’t exist, and it is disturbing you, I suggest you check in with Counseling Services: bit.ly/BC-counseling. If you’re hearing actual voices and it’s disturbing you, try studying on Level Five – our quiet floor.
I did answer, but sometimes the little post-its go off and hide! You can always see my answers on my blog: https://library.bc.edu/answerwall/. The answer was: 12/11/19 from Campus Rec: “Campus Recreation allows community members to purchase memberships during the Summer, but not during the academic year. We keep the facility foot traffic during the semester to the students and faculty/staff that are directly affiliated with BC.”
I recommend meeting with a health coach at the Office for Health Promotion. The staff there will be able to help you establish and maintain a healthier lifestyle that fits your needs. Although taking an hour out of your day can seem like a nuisance, talking to a health professional can give you strategies to lose weight and keep it off (if that’s what you need) through personalized assessments. They can also help you figure out other ways to be happier and healthier! bit.ly/BC-health-promo
Sceniscophobia is a thing, but an irrational one. Nuns are much much more likely to feed you or teach you something than do anything scary, and BC is a great place to meet them. Western nuns don’t wear the habit since Vatican II, but Asian and African ones often do, and there are lots around campus.
Ha! That’s excellent. I did not know that, and I’ll remind my helper to check their facts a little more closely.
Sometimes you can’t help getting sick, but you probably know the basics of how best to maintain a healthy body: enough sleep, healthy foods, exercise, frequent hand-washing, etc. Why not schedule a coaching session with the Ofc. of Health Promotion (bit.ly/BC-health-promo) to fine tune your prevention?
I’m sorry you’re having those thoughts. Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8355) right away, and/or immediately call Counseling Services (617-552-3310) or visit them in Gasson 001 and ask to speak to with the Psychological Emergency Clinician (PEC). Tell them you are having suicidal thoughts. If it’s not during work hours, call BC Police (617-552-4444) if you’re on campus or 911 if not. I and many, many people want you to get past this bad moment, and are ready to help.
I’m sorry you experienced that. There’s really no need to be secretive or ashamed, and staying in buildings without anyone knowing can be a safety issue. Yes, Student Affairs, especially Residence Life (transitions@bc.edu) and the Student Outreach and Support Services(bc.edu/outreach, student.support@bc.edu) are good places to start, as is the Montserrat Coalition (bc.du/montserrat).
A generous soul receives benefits and wishes the same for others. Merry Christmas, generous human!
If you really did that, I’d say keep a toilet handy for a while, and in the future, I’d recommend just using the opening in your body nature intended for the intake of food and liquid.
1. In the airport, buy a decent set of corded earbuds (if you don’t already have some) because you’re going to watch a lot of movies. 2. Wait to board until the last minute, and use the restroom right before you board. 3. On the plane, ask to switch with someone near the restrooms. 4. Tell a flight attendant that you’ve had way too much coffee & you’re not sure what effects that will have on you. 5. Settle in with some really engrossing films until the caffeine wears off. 6. Sleep.
![I'm Sad --[name redacted]](https://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/im-sad-answer-wall-post.jpeg)
I’m sorry. It’s a rough time of year. I’m here for you.
I’m so sorry you’re feeling sad all the time. That must be hard. I would begin by setting up an appointment with University Counseling Services: bit.ly/BC-counseling. I hear they’re quite busy, so it might take a while. In the meantime, if your sadness gets to be too strong and you don’t think you can wait to talk to someone, call the counseling center and ask to talk to the PEC (psychological emergency clinician), or text the national Crisis Text Line: 741741.
I don’t want you to do that either! I’m sorry you’re feeling that bad. Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8355) right away, and/or immediately call Counseling Services (617-552-3310) or visit them in Gasson 001 and ask to speak to with the Psychological Emergency Clinician (PEC). If it’s not during work hours, call BC Police (617-552-4444) if you’re on campus or 911 if not. I and many, many people want you to get past this bad moment, and are ready to help.
😢 I wish I could offer you a shoulder, because the shoulder of a friend is often a good crying spot. If you want to cry alone, some humans use the shower. Others might go for a walk in the woods, perhaps the Hammond Pond Conservation Area, which you can access via a path from Suffolk Road, or the Webster Woods, accessible via the Hammond Pond Parkway.
It sounds like you know what the cause of this intense stress is. Try to reduce the amount of contact you have with people who stress you out. If you need space for yourself, try to find a place that is comfortable and peaceful; a space were you can relax, reflect, rest, or study for as long as you want or need to. The libraries have plenty of spaces that are conducive to relaxation, study or reflexion. My favorite is the area located at the 4th floor’s north end, where the soft chairs are. You ought to try it!
It’s wonderful to see students encouraging each other. And I agree – you’re doing gr8.
That’s great news! Congratulations. Keep it up with meetings and turning to help others. And thanks to the person posting in response with the BC meetings connection! Anyone reading this who wants a new start: I highly recommend a first step with that email: recovery@bc.edu
I can’t tell by looking at you, but hope you will check in with Health Services (bit.ly/BostonCollegeHealth) to rule out a physical cause, and then with the Office of Health Promotion (http://bit.ly/BCSleepy) to get some serious advice on improving your sleep.
