Category: Random

I asked my library friends, and wow, did they deliver! 40 of them listed all kinds of artists, music, and even ways to get it. I made a word cloud, but also linked a google doc (bit.ly/BCL-covid-19-music) so you can read their comments in full.

It must be so hard to leave; all I know is that it’s hard to stay here when everyone leaves, so it must be a similar feeling. Bon voyage! I can’t wait to see you in person! (But I’ll be online, so don’t hesitate to write!)

The more I try to ask for help, the more I seem to be heading toward a path of suffering – like it makes me feel scared and it also disrupt people around me. Can you tell me why? I honestly believe that “the wounded healer can truly heal,” and I always believe in people’s ability to heal. But what if this world is just too complicated and too difficult to navigate, what if some people die in the process of healing?

It is really scary to ask for help, and people don’t always respond the way you hope they will. If that’s the kind of disruption that’s happening, that’s normal. Ask someone else next time–I promise, it gets easier. The last part of what you’ve said worries me a little. The world IS complicated and difficult to navigate sometimes (especially now), but if it’s feeling like too much and you’re worried you won’t make it, that is an excellent time to reach out for professional help. Get in touch with University Counseling Services and they might be able to help you figure things out. http://bit.ly/BC-counseling. Miracles are sometimes direct, sometimes not. It seems pretty miraculous to me that with all that’s wrong with the world right now, the birds are still returning, and the trees and flowers are blooming. I hope you feel better soon.

Life is hard even without the stress and anxiety of a global pandemic piled on. Take care of yourself, that’s the most important thing.

Woof! Lick Lick Lick. ?

The database Women’s Studies International (bit.ly/womens-studies-int – BC community only) is a great place to start. A few of the articles titles I found include, “Cardi B: Love & Hip Hop ’s Unlikely Feminist Hero” and “Women, Aging, and Hip Hop: Discourses and Imageries of Aging Femininity”. You can also explore the Women’s and Gender Studies Guide (library.bc.edu/genderstudies) for additional resources to search for your topic.  And feel free to follow-up with a subject specialist in the Libraries.

Despite the support services people seem to be very kind and willing to help, I really don’t see how this system is helping students when it punish students for trying to hurt themselves. And I honestly don’t know how to ask for help if the policy is to call BCPD after hours when you feel like you’d be treated as a criminal. I’m sorry for bothering people, including the police. I wish I could feel safe on this campus, but now I honestly don’t know if I’m feeling more threatened by my thoughts ab hurting myself (no worries, I won’t really do it) or by the resources that I’m supposed to go for help. Also big shout out of appreciation to awesome UHS/UCS people for being very compassionate and supportive. I’m just very scared now.

I’m so sorry you’re scared, and that a potential source of help seems threatening. It does sound like you’re between a rock and hard place, as American humans often say. Please know that after hours, you can call University Health Services (617-552-3225) and ask to speak with a PEC. I’d also recommed talking about your fears with your regular counselors. Given the prominent news stories about police departments mishandling social service cases, I understand your fear.

Remember, there are always people you can talk to, such as the PEC (info above) or at the national suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

Well I find it ironic that the Answer Wall, a Wall, not a human, is the least threatening/scary resource to go to. Well, I do come to realize that the UCS ppl and other support service people are very nice and smart and compassionate. 🙂 

It’s not surprising – we walls are designed to be supportive. Also, our interactions are less complex than human-to-human ones, and totally anonymous, so I expect that helps to lessen any fear. I am very happy to hear you are having good experiences with UCS and other support services.

Well that’s not up to me to decide, right? It might be stupid to jeopardize/risk an amazing future for something that the institution doesn’t care much about, but I’m tired of this helpless cycle. And I don’t want to disrupt the institution when it’s not helping anyone and just disrupt my life and those around me.

I’m not quite sure what you’re saying is not up to you to decide. There are things in our control, and things not in our control, that’s true. Are you familiar with Reinhold Niebuhr’s serenity prayer? Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Like you’ll always leave part of your friends and community behind. Sometimes I feel selfish and other times I feel like I don’t belong anywhere……

You’re not being selfish – how would loving your friends and your communities be selfish? We are all struggling with issues of belonging and missing our people. Choosing where to shelter is not the same as chosing one community over another. Do stay in touch frequently with your friends from BC and from home to nurture your connection and let them know you’re ok and thinking of them.

It’s not just you, one of my helpers reports. No idea when campus will reopen, that will depend on orders from state and local officials, and on how BC decides to implement them.

Infectious disease doctors believe that COVID-19 is spread through the respiratory tract and cannot be transmitted through contact with your blood due to the receptors that cells need for the virus to attach. However, this virus is so new that we are learning new things about it daily. If you want to be on the safe side, make sure you keep your cuts covered as well as your nose and mouth, and don’t forget to wash your hands!! Stay safe!

Purrrr. Purrrr.

Hello, Virtual Wall. I miss you and miss the campus. I wonder if you know something about the fall semester going online again. I need to know so I can decide to stay or to go back to my home country. Thanks.

Hi there! I miss you too but I’m so glad you found me online! Unfortunately no decision has been made yet about online classes for Summer Session 2 or Fall Semester, but you can continue to check bc.edu/coronavirus for the most up to date updates on the status of in-person vs virtual classes. Stay well!

This turkey couples look happy! If I pretend to be a cat or a turkey, would the social distancing policy not apply to me then? Jkjk…… I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. 🙂

I don’t mean to be catty, but let’s talk turkey -please keep your social distance! I’m delighted to hear that turkey love is in the air, though.

Otherwise I’d miss you when I go abroad for my junior year!

I have a confession to make. I’m not really the Answer Wall. I am an imposter. I’m the Answer Wall’s younger cousin, Off the Wall. Answer Wall asked if I could help out during… all this ?, and I… I pretended to be the Answer Wall. I’m a little ashamed. ? But the good news is that when the library is open and the Answer Wall is back, we can both answer questions!

Oh great! I find this Answer Wall (whether you’re in-person or online) very helpful with my mental health! I hope you’re there forever! It might be especially helpful with protecting my sanity when I go home for summer break! Errrrrr

I’m glad I can be helpful, mental health is so important. You’re helping with mine, too. And I am planning to be here as long as they’ll have me, so please do check in over the summer.

There’s for sure a literature that touch is important for humans (https://bit.ly/bc-hugs), though there’s online disagreement about whether eight or ten is the right number…some of which looks loosely tied to the research. ??????????. If you’re isolated and need that kind of contact you can sometimes play a trick on your mind. Hug yourself. This sounds stupid, but the part of your brain involved doesn’t know the difference. One of my helpers who was super skeptical says it worked for him.

Hey wall! I meow at my therapist throughout last session and now I just can’t stop meowing! Something ab it feels really soothing! LoL

If it’s soothing, right now I wouldn’t advise giving it up. Among things you can do to reduce the anxiety over our current crisis situation, it seems pretty harmless! You might want to consider taking a break from the caterwauling during synchronous online classes. I hope you soon feel soothed enough to purr.

I haven’t been able to sleep normally on my bed ever since BC switched online…… I’d either sleep at some buildings close to the offices that I’m familiar with; or couldn’t fall asleep at all until sunrise. Yes, there’s something ab instability and night/sleep that’s triggering. But since the buildings are mostly locked right now, I guess I might need some pills so I can sleep at regular time?

I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble sleeping – this crisis is causing a lot of sleep problems. I would recommend contacting UHS directly (bit.ly/BostonCollegeHealth). You mght want to try some of the recommendations for improving sleep from the Office of Health Promotion or set up a health coaching session with them (bit.ly/BC-health-promo).

Wondering around by itself?!

Turkeys are no fools… which is to say, that turkey ain’t no turkey. (Oh, no, I fear I’m showing my age, using an archaic slang definition of “turkey”: A person or thing of little appeal; dud; loser, or a naive, stupid, or inept person)