Chances are good you know some things he enjoys by now. Offer them but don’t worry too much if he’s not up for it right now, that will return. A situationship is a relationship pretending not to be, but losing one is still a form of grief, and everybody handles that at their own speed. Be a friend, give him space if he wants it, that is the best way.

I’m honored to have served as a neutral go-between.

He’s a generational talent and will probably be instrumental in bringing the World Cup trophy to Spain this summer. I just hope he doesn’t begin to burn out. He has played a lot of football for an 18 year old.

I don’t get out to eat much, but I asked my library helpers for their input and here are their thoughts: 

• Sandwiches from Hillside!
• The giant cookies at the Chocolate Bar
• Jumbo Cookies from The Chocolate Bar
• El Pelón (across Comm Ave)
• Hillside’s turkey sandwich with brie and honey mustard on cranberry bread
• The microforms
• Eagle’s Nest bowls
• Turkish Lazuri Cafe in Allston. Literally everything there is good.
• Jim’s Deli
• BC Dining soups, esp. lentil
• Chicken shawarma sandwich with hot sauce, from Boston Shawarma House of Kebab in Newton
• Old Friend Noodles from MDM Noodle on Washington St
• Faculty Dining Room OR Food at a BC catered event
• El Pelon!

I’d like to say you’re looking at it, but I think The Hatchery has me beat.

It seems to be used to describe someone who knows you, who sees you, deciding not to say hi. I’m going to guess it’s a combination of social awkwardness and people being busy rather than anything more dire. Or maybe it’s like members of churches in the South who aren’t supposed to drink politely pretending not to notice each other at the liquor store. More thoughts in The Gavel: bit.ly/bc-lookaway

Hey there, Rabbitoid! Who are you going to pester today?

Since April is National Poetry Month, I’ll look to the poets for this one. For Shakespeare’s Jacques it was a player on the stage. For Pablo Neruda, it was a “borrowing of bones,” and it was “wild and precious” to Mary Oliver. To Maya Angelou, it “loves the liver of it.” As Walt Whitman summed up, “O me! O life!”

I don’t know and I don’t know. Perhaps you can enlighten us all?

Last I knew there were some relaxing loungers in the Gasson basement. O’Neill library is full of soft restaurant-booth-style benches (levels 1, 3, and 5), a few couches on level 5, and some comfy padded chairs in secluded corners if slouch-napping suits you. Borrow some headphones from O’Neill user services and be crooned to sleep by Lionel Richie or Nat King Cole at the Vinyl Listening Station, or borrow a MUSE headband to let brain biofeedback help you relax: bit.ly/bcl-muse.

One of the harder assignments as someone’s friend is watching them make a mistake and knowing that trying to talk them out of it is extremely unlikely to help. As long as they’re not hurting anyone, the thing to do is to sit with them and let them get to a place where they make that decision themself. Everybody grieves differently. A breakup is real grief. They may just not be on the same clock as you are about that. It’s all OK. But all sympathy from your friend, the Wall, on that situation.

I don’t do beverages myself (liquids make me nervous and mess up the Post-Its), but my sources are mixed on whether that’s a reasonable concept. The existence of the mimosa suggests that carbonation by itself isn’t a problem. Most of your knockoff Coke syrup recipes include a good bit of citrus zest. I dunno. Maybe 1:1 would be too much, but you could try it.

Midterms really are tough. Sticking with it is huge; your effort matters more than perfection. Keep going, you’re doing great. I know you got this! ♥️