I feel so guilty

I feel so guilty for being a homosexual. Will this feeling ever go away or will i just live the rest of my life hating myself? I dont know what to do with my life or how to tell the people i truly love the most. Sometimes, as bad as this may sound, i do hope it is a phase, but in my mind i know its not and sometimes that makes me upset. The fact that i will never be normal worries me every day.

I have some good news—it does not have to feel like this forever. Feelings of guilt and self-hatred are terribly difficult, but since they are learned, they can also be unlearned over time. I firmly believe that finding community and actively seeking out representation is the path towards learning to love yourself exactly as you are. When we find community that accepts us—and when we see people like us finding joy, whether it be in real life, TV, movies, or books—we begin to learn that there is so much good to be found in embracing who we know ourselves to be, regardless of what others consider “normal.” We have to remember that if we try to live inauthentically to please someone else, everyone loses.

Telling the people we love the most can be very hard and scary. There are many groups at Boston College full of people who have gone through similar experiences, and I suggest you reach out to find community and support. Check it out! https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/offices/student-affairs/sites/student-outreach-and-support-services/lgbtq-support.html#tab-discussion_groups

I recently discovered that I almost certainly have OCD…

(mainly, POCD). I’m not sure to whom I can talk about it since, you know, it’s a rather obscene thing. I’d also love to learn about OCD in general before talking to someone, but seems like I can’t find anything helpful regarding POCD. Is it a specific form of OCD or is it it’s own thing? Some say genetics are at play in OCD, is that true? How to get rid of it? Can I get rid of it on my own (since I’d feel extremely uncomfortable talking about it with…anyone, to be honest)

POCD must be burdensome. I hope you can find help. I found a site that looks like a good starting point: https://www.manhattancbt.com/pocd/. It has both good information about POCD and a service that can answer questions and provide recommendations for therapy in your area. I wish you the best.

Is NYU better than BC?

Is NYU better than BC?
Is NYU better than BC?

They are both exceptional universities! I am partial to BC, of course, but have you seen my cousin, The Living Wall (bit.ly/NYULivingWall), at NYU? They don’t answer questions, but they are glorious!

DO ALIENS EXIST? What is your favorite class or sport -S_____ P_______

DO ALIENS EXIST? What is your favorite class or sport -(Name Redacted)
DO ALIENS EXIST? What is your favorite class or sport -(Name Redacted)

It would be unlikely that life doesn’t exist near one of the other 100 billion suns in our galaxy. If you’re interested in digging deeper, the study of the how life emerged in the universe is called astrobiology. NASA studies it: https://go.nasa.gov/3vOTqlM. My favorite sport is BC EAGLES OF COURSE. And I love all the classes, because learning is my favorite pastime.

Cuphead

Cuphead
Cuphead

Haven’t played, don’t have the hands for it. What do you think of it?

Purchased the game on 7/15. beat the Devil on Day 10. Purchased the DLC on 8/1, beat the Chef on Day 6. Got the Ranger achievement. (Obtain an A-Rank or Higher on all bosses in Inkshell Isle IV). About 1% on Steam.

Purchased the game on 7/15. beat the Devil on Day 10. Purchased the DLC on 8/1, beat the Chef on Day 6. Got the Ranger achievement. (Obtain an A-Rank or Higher on all bosses in Inkshell Isle IV). About 1% on Steam.
Purchased the game on 7/15. beat the Devil on Day 10. Purchased the DLC on 8/1, beat the Chef on Day 6. Got the Ranger achievement. (Obtain an A-Rank or Higher on all bosses in Inkshell Isle IV). About 1% on Steam.

That sounds like an awesome way to spend some summer time.

I’ve heard that you can rent/borrow a bike from the BC library

but any evidence to support this notion must be buried in the deep dark corners of the internet because I can’t find it. Is this service still available?

BC Libraries collaborate with BikeBC, a student run club, to provide this service. O’Neill staff is following up with the club to find out the status. Until we hear from the club, bike loans are temporarily unavailable. For more information, please email: bikebcinfo@bc.edu or send a message via Instagram: www.instagram.com/bike.bc/

Music recs?

Music recs? I like Indie & R&B the most but I'll listen to pretty much anything :)
Music recs? I like Indie & R&B the most but I’ll listen to pretty much anything 🙂

The music I listen to is the quiet symphony of voices in the lobby of O’Neill Library. I asked my BC Libraries friends, and many responded with their favorites (below), sometimes with specific albums. I hope you find some artists new to you! One recommended following an ongoing Twitter thread: 1000 favorite tunes of Duke Professor Gavin Yamey, a public health professor at Duke with eclectic tastes and a penchant for deep cuts: https://bit.ly/yamey-1000


Silvana Estrada: Lo Sagrado, Trash Rabbit, Tom Heyman: Show Business, Baby, Carly Rae Jepsen: Emotion or Dedicated side b, Black Seeds, Fat Freddy’s Drop. Fly My Pretties, Brandy, Beatles: Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s, Badly Drawn Boy: One Plus One is One, Big Thief: Capacity, Elliott Smith: Either/Or, Dick Stusso: In Heaven, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, Mitski, Ethel Cain, Maggie Rogers, Florence and the Machine, High Fidelity Soundtrack (2002 film, 2020 Hulu series), Hello, A Tribe Called Quest, Cat Power: Moon Pix, Cowboy Junkies: Whites Off Earth Now , John Frusciante: Niandra LaDes, Usually Just A T-shirt, The War on Drugs: Lost in The Dream, Shilpa Ray: Last Year’s Savage, Okkervil River: Away, I Forgot to Love My Father: self-titled EP, Sofi Tukker: Wet Tennis, Sly & the Family Stone: Greatest Hits, Arlo Parks, Nick Waterhouse, Nia Simone

What is the average GPA to get into college? What do you study for a SAT test?

What is the average GPA to get into college? What do you study for a SAT test?
What is the average GPA to get into college? What do you study for a SAT test?

It varies a lot based on the particular school. Highly selective schools like the Ivies tend to accept students with higher GPAs, but many state schools and community colleges are open enrollment, which means they accept everyone. Most schools, like BC, are somewhere in between. There are loads and loads of SAT test prep guides and it’s a good idea to spend some time with one or more of them. BC has a few: https://bit.ly/bc-sat. Your local public library will have more. BUT: Important life note. Do your best, but there is a place for you whatever the numbers end up being.