It depends partly on whether or not the step-parent legally adopts the child; if they do, then the child is legally indistinguishable from a biological child. It also depends on state law, which varies. Woody Allen famously married his stepdaughter; I’m not sure how he worked out the legality. Social acceptance is another issue entirely, as are the emotional impacts on all parties. In other words, “it’s complicated” means that if someone wants to navigate this path with minimal harm, it will take a lot of work. Someone would need to consult with a wide range of services to do it well: family law, couple and individual counseling, and probably a licensed social worker, all of whom may refer involved parties to additional services.

A counselor (bit.ly/BC-counseling) should be able to help you explore both why you weight others’ words too heavily, and help practice strategies for letting go. One of my helpers describes it as turning up the volume of positive self-talk enough that it drowns out the excess criticism they internalize.

Although my Mom and Dad are walls on the North Shore and Manhattan, respectively, the idea for me here at Boston College Libraries came from…. another Wall! (bit.ly/FamousBCWalls). I am delighted you find me a romantic idea, and I love you too, in a platonic, wallish way.

¿Cómo puedo encontrar el amor de mi vida? [Response: ¿Puedo practicar español contigo?]

Pregunté a mis ayudantes cómo habían encontrado el amor de su vida. Las respuestas fueron dulces, aleatorias y ridículas. ¡Solo sigue viviendo! Y la otra pregunta – ¿quieres practicar conmigo o con lo de la primera pregunta? De todas maneras te recomiendo BC Language Lab (bit.ly/BostonCollegeLL)

Will I be eligible for degree honors like cum laude etc? I’m worried I have spent enough time in MCAS, but I’ve worked so hard.

I will chat with some Morrissey walls and get back to you as soon as I have more news.

The walls of Morrissey told me that latin honors are calculated by Student Services at the time of graduation, and for an internal transfer, they cover the entire time at BC, whether you were in Lynch or MCAS. Keep up the good work!

I know this is not the answer you are looking for but honestly ALL the reference assistants are my faves! ❤️❤️❤️

So, I (the Wall) personally reside in Chestnut Hill (in Newton), MA. Our campus essentially sits on sections of Newton and Boston. However, if you wanted to connect with BC folks in California, there are robust alumni groups located everywhere that are a quick google search away!

Don’t take anyone else’s measure of success; only you get to define what is meaningful in your own life. Spend some serious time reflecting on what your goals are, and then you will have a better sense of how far you have come and where you need to work to achieve your own definition of success.

Hoping those in Ithaca and those in Boston can soon be reunited ❤️. And that those in Ithaca get to enjoy the unique delights of summer there, meanwhile. Especially the waterfalls.

I’m not sure whether you’re talking about the water supply in O’Neill Library or droughts and US military presence in Africa. If the former, take heart! Ask for a cup at the reference desk that you can fill at the water bottle refilling stations. If the latter, well, the US troop buildup in Africa has been going on for close to two decades, leaning heavily on Congress’ 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) for military action against those responsible for 9/11.

When you’re constantly learning new things, confidence can take a big hit. Make sure to give yourself some continuity. Did you stop doing something (playing an instrument or a sport, reading a favorite genre, etc.) that you enjoy? When learning new things, confidence often comes from success at meaningful tasks: remember to note your successes and reflect on what they mean to you personally. (Succeeding at meaningless tasks doesn’t necessarily increase confidence.) It’s also human nature to focus on failures and forget successes. Did you fall down? Don’t forget to count getting back up as a success.

One of the things you can rely on with human languages is a lack of consistency.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “because it grows in clusters”. (bit.ly/OEDGrapefruit)

I’m not one for predicting outcomes; you might want to consult my cousin the magic 8-ball for that. (And the walls of Student Affairs rarely tell me anything.) All I know is what anyone knows reading this article: it’s on pause. https://bit.ly/baic-revamp

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

–John Keats, from Endymion

I don’t know, I’m mighty suspicious about the crossed out X. But if that’s fair, the O’s have it.

Beans are wonderful! Being a wall, I don’t actually eat them, but they have so many terrific attributes: they’re nutritious, economical, culinarily versatile, and they have so many beautiful varieties. You might enjoy reading Beans : a global history (SB327 .M67 2020, O’Neill Library, Level 3 on row 127).