Answering questions at Boston College O’Neill Library
It’s wonderful to hear that you want to share with others! What are some of your passions or concerns? The Libraries subscribe to a resource called GuideStar (BC access only: bit.ly/bc-guidestar) where you can find key information about thousands of non profit organizations. Included in the database are important details such as key organizational players and financial data. Have fun exploring!
Yes, North Dakota is an actual state. A conflict between the U.S. and ND constitutions had many believing that ND was not a state. However, the issue was resolved during the 2012 election. In 1989 Rand McNally left both Dakotas and Oklahoma out of a road atlas to save space, but I don’t think that’s directly related. bit.ly/bc-rand
Yes we are! We have a great deal of respect for all our Big Ten friends. But come NCAA tournament play we stick with our ACC allies.
As my distant cousin the Magic 8-Ball often says, “Cannot predict now.” There are certainly many contestants. If by “get it together,” you mean have a single consistent message, the late great Will Rogers said it best: “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.”
Many. My helpers had a meeting recently and it filled a conference room. They also reach out to experts in the library and on campus for lots of questions, and I have other helpers who do the printing and such. No Wall is an island, but I absolutely couldn’t do what I do without lots of help.
There are lots of approaches to diplomacy that don’t involve corruption. One way to learn would be to read about how other people have done the work–lots of ambassadors write books about their careers. bit.ly/bc-diplomats. One of my helpers recommends this one in particular: bit.ly/bc-galbraith.
My cousin the magic 8-ball is better at predictions. I’m good at support. My recommendation would be to take a look at the biographies of past secretaries general (bit.ly/un-secretaries) to understand some pathways to that position (e.g., diplomatic service, university professor, foreign affairs ministry, UN Committees, UN employment), and get to work. I fully support you in this endeavor, and look forward to having a friend in high places!
Not much, really. Very happy to wake up from a long nap to find several days in a row of questions. You?
The literal meaning is products from Microsoft, the company Bill Gates founded. Why it’s phrased that way on the banner is anybody’s guess. Light humor? Good security practices are really about keeping yourself – your identity and access to your private information – safe. Bill’s products will be just fine.
Welcome to BC! I’m from right here! I’m not sure where my constituent materials all came from (oak cabinetry, concrete, brick) but they were all assembled right here in 1984, and my library assistants discovered that I was more than an inanimate structure in 2017.
Not sure it’s the rarest, but certainly the oldest: Jean Gerson’s De Spiritualib[us] Nupciis (On Spiritual Marriage) from about 1470, in Burns Library. Lots more info about it, and a link to the digital version, here: bit.ly/ReallyOldBook. As far as value goes, here’s a worthwhile answer: bit.ly/bc-books-worth.
Because baseball is a game of inches. Because draft picks. Because pitching. Baseball giveth, and baseball taketh away. Don’t worry, they’ll rock this town again.
Here they are: 1. Distrito Federal 2. Chihuahua 3. Sonora 4. Coahuila de Zaragoza 5. Durango 6. Oaxaca 7. Tamaulipas 8. Jalisco 9. Zacatecas 10. Baja California Sur 11. Chiapas 12. Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave 13. Baja California 14. Nuevo Leon 15. Guerrero 16. San Luis de Potosi 17. Michoacan 18. Campeche 19. Sinaloa 20. Quintana Roo 21. Yucatan 22. Puebla 23. Guanajuato 24. Nayarit 25. Tabasco 26. Mexico 27. Hidalgo 28. Queretaro 29. Colima 30. Aguascalientes 31. Morelos 32. Tlaxcala
Talk to someone! When you’re having self-doubting and anxious thoughts, it’s easy to feel like you have to rely on your own understanding alone — but that’s not the case! Speak with your family, friends, and other members of your support system for a dose of reality when you’re feeling down on yourself. Don’t be afraid to speak with a professional counselor too; dialectical behavioral therapy has been particularly useful for some of my more anxious assistants. bit.ly/BC-counseling
I’m so sorry you experienced childhood trauma. What has a way of sticking with people for years is not so much the trauma itself, but the strategies those heroic little child-selves created to protect themselves from the trauma. Those strategies were absolutely brilliant & served their purpose well at the time: you survived. Adults no longer subjected to the trauma need new strategies that won’t interfere with adult relationships & situations, at the same time that they need to recognize (and celebrate!) the remarkable self-preservation accomplishments of the child-self. There are many different avenues of healing; almost all of them begin with some form of therapy. If you are a student at BC, avail yourself of counseling (bit.ly/BC-counseling). If you aren’t, begin with your primary care physician – you may need a referral for insurance purposes.
Practice & Study. The official College Board study guide for 2020 is available for a modest price via most booksellers, as are many, many other print and online guides such as Khan Academy, Princeton Review, and the SAT Prep Black Book. The Khan Academy online version is free, and was developed with the College Board. You can also take an SAT prep course, but gains are modest, given the fees & exaggerated promises: bit.ly/sat-prep-results. I’m fine, thanks for asking!
“Better” for schools is not really an objective thing, despite the attempts of the people who do rankings. “Better for people who study X” is a little more knowable. But it still ultimately comes down to where you personally feel comfortable, because a very short time after college you’ll begin to find that people are more interested in what you’ve done than where you went. Brandeis has some really fine, upstanding walls, though..
As a wall, I’m most content when I’m living in the moment and appreciating what’s around me. Our busy lives often get us thinking (and stressing) about the future rather than just seeing what’s in front of us. For me, the practice of this mindfulness leads to greater contentment and happiness in the day-to-day. If you’re interested in reading more about this, check out Jon Kabat-Zin’s ‘Full Catastrophe Living’ at RA785 .K33 1990! I hear therapy really helps personalize your path to happiness, too… 🙂
You’re welcome!
No, I would warmly welcome you and be here for you. For more sources of support here at BC, visit: bit.ly/LBGTQBC.
