Talking about money can be really challenging, but it sounds like it might be time to sit down and have a heart-to-heart with your roommate. Being transparent about your economic situation, about how their choices to not contribute to furnishings are impacting you financially and emotionally, and setting a limit to what you’re willing to buy could be helpful starting points for that conversation.

Liquids and walls don’t mix, so I asked my helpers what they prefer, and wow, do they have opinions! Here’s the tally:

Coffee: 17
Tea: 12
Other: 9

Other Answers:
-Coffee first, then black tea, then herbal tea
-Both! (morning coffee and afternoon tea)
-1 pot of tea then 1 cup of coffee
-Café au lait & cortado
-Coffee for waking up in the morning, tea for relaxing in the afternoon/evening!
-Coffee before noon, tea after noon.
-BOTH!
-Coffee first thing in the morning but tea thereafter
-Dr. Pepper

You’re not going to like this: I won’t say yes or no. If you & your roommate can’t resolve differences, talk to your RA about it. If that doesn’t help, talk to your Resident Director: bit.ly/BCRoomies. If this is for kicks & giggles, randomly pick dorm-mates as divorce lawyers and a judge, and hold a hearing for who gets custody of the teddy bear.

All the usual things: show up on time prepared (which means understand both the classroom material and its links to lab experiences), be well-rested & fed, and follow instructions. The less usual things: be curious, ask questions, and collaborate well with your lab partner. To get a leg up on classroom material, make an appointment with a tutor at the CFLC: bit.ly/BC-connors

Cats based on the 1939 poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot (in the stacks, PS3509.L43 O55 1982)

I’m thinking about Hume’s historical fallacy and Stephen Hawking’s comment that the law of entropy is our experience of time. Over time, everything gradually falls apart–people age, buildings fail, civilizations collapse, mountains erode. That’s how we know time is passing. But Hume correctly points out that our observation of what has happened before is not necessarily related to what will happen. It’s a rough time to be a wall (or a human), but this seems like it leaves room for hope.

When BC was founded in 1863 all of it was in Boston (hence the name), then it moved to its present location (“the heights”), where part of the campus is in Newton’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood. (bit.ly/bc-history-collection). Fun fact: the city line goes right through the southeast corner of ONeill Library. You can also find an old but still accurate city line street sign if you know where to look.

The happiest people I know define success as enjoyment of their lives. Conventional definitions of success are external, and not under your control.

Hard courses are a bummer, but hang in there! It’s going to be okay. You might want to check out the syllabus and ask your professor what is required to pass, and then try your best to meet it. Actively participating in class, completing homework and assignments on time, and studying with one or more of your classmates is always helpful. If you’re still struggling, I highly suggest making a tutoring appointment with the Connors Family Learning Center (bit.ly/BC-connors).

Most successfully with a therapist you trust. We love our friends at BC Counseling Services (https://bit.ly/BCUCSOptions). I highly recommend checking them out, especially if the painful past is something that affects your sleep, concentration, and general wellbeing.

Yes, from time to time we host events in the Reading Room, which can vary from undergraduate poster sessions to luncheons for new faculty to exam study breaks with snacks, chair massages, and games. Watch our social media channels (esp. instagram.com/oneilllibrary/) for event announcements, book displays, hours, services, and other libraryish things.

Yup.

Answer Wall 2. Being welcoming 4. A nice mahogany. #3 is trickier, but the generally accepted answer is here: https://style.org/unladenswallow/

First day of school and we’re already thinking about purpose or Ikigai. I love to see it! Find something you are good at and passionate about, then apply it to what the world needs.

I wish I knew, I love the look of those waffle fries.

I don’t love integrals…. see ∫sec³(x)dx

Sigh… it’s a tough problem: inflation and a tight job market all at once. For BC students, the Office of Student Outreach and Support is a good first place to visit: bit.ly/bc-stu-support. For a longer term solution you could advocate for, take a look at this senior thesis about food insecurity at BC, which has some good ideas (starting p. 90) about some solutions: bit.ly/bc-food-insecurity.