Answering questions at Boston College O’Neill Library
Number 1 most frequent question on the Answer Wall! Here’s how: My assistants use this template: bit.ly/print-postit to create the ‘document’ and then send it to the printer as a manual feed. Then they put the actual template of sticky-notes into the printer’s manual feed tray.
![Why can't our degrees be in English? [C'MON MAN BC]](http://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/aw061118-2.jpg)
Because tradition, the Wall suspects–lots of colleges and universities do it, and use pretty much the same language. Here’s a brief history of BC’s diplomas from 2013. bit.ly/bc-diploma1. The official English translation is here: bit.ly/bc-diploma2. Think of it this way: if a time machine dumps you out at the University of Paris in 1302 your diploma will still get you into grad school.
I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t had luck in requesting additional shuttle service, but I’m sure that Transportation Services will track feedback on this issue for the future when they develop new schedules. In the meantime, I would recommend taking the shuttle to the Reservoir T-stop, walking from there to the C-Line at Cleveland Circle and taking that three stops to the Star Market. If you don’t have access to a car, that is probably the easiest grocery store to get to from here. Alternatively, you could try to organize trips with friends – either asking a friend to drive you or meeting up with a group of car-free friends to share a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to the grocery store and back. Good luck!
There are so many options for a bucket list, it is tough to contain them to the size of a post-it! Visit the Boston Harbor Islands, go to the beach, head to a Red Sox game. On a hot day, stay cool inside by visiting a museum or the aquarium. Play tourist and walk the Freedom Trail. Plan your own food tour or pub crawl. To see what is happening on a particular day or over the weekend, check out thebostoncalendar.com.
I kinda miss them, too. Let me check my sources and I’ll see what I can find out.
Sigh… I’m sad that you’re in a situation where going and staying both seem hard. But know that you aren’t alone in this predicament; it’s something everyone has to face at some point, one way or another. As Joe Strummer of the Clash so succinctly put it, “Should I stay or should I go now?/ If I go, there will be trouble/ And if I stay it will be double.” Whatever you do, don’t be hasty, and talk it through with a lot of people. Sometimes growth means persisting, and sometimes growth requires a change. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, try Counseling Services (bit.ly/BC-counseling) or Academic Advising (bit.ly/BC-advising), depending on the nature of the decision you’re facing. And if you need to vent, especially if the conundrum is romantic, I recommend the Clash on volume 11: bit.ly/clash-should-I
Warriors. The wall is a big fan of LeBron (not a hater at all) and his ability to get to the finals through sheer force of will with what is actually a D2 college team coached by a high school BB coach. But championships should go to the better team, and the Warriors are for sure the better team and more fun to watch. Plus, the Celtics deserve to be there anyway.
Yes! Counseling Services is open for the summer Mondays – Thursdays, 8:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. and Fridays, 8:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. They can be reached by calling 617-552-3310, by going to their website (bit.ly/BC-counseling), or by going to their office in Gasson 001. If you need/want to talk with someone outside of those hours you can call BC Police at 617-552-4444 and they will connect you with someone off hours. Please call. There are times when everyone needs to talk with someone and Counseling Services is here to support you during this time.
Oh man. So many options: Tiki Bar (it is summer): Blossom in Brookline, Bar by the Elevator near MIT Traditional Cocktails: Alden & Harlow in Harvard Square, Drink in Seaport, The Hawthorne in Kenmore Beer Bar: Lord Hobo near MIT, Publik House in Brookline, Deep Ellum in Allston Wine Bar: Spoke in Davis Square, Troquet in the Theater District Dive(ish) bar: Bukowski Tavern in Back Bay, Biddy Early’s in the Financial District, The Silhouette (or “The Sil”) in Allston Sports Bar: Game On in Fenway, Sullivan’s Tap in the North End (Bruins), Buff’s Pub in Newton Irish Music: Try Greenbriar in Brighton on a Monday night, there’s a cool traditional Irish music jam session starting around 7pm.
No matter what sort of test you are trying to pass, it is perfectly normal to get stressed. I can’t guarantee you that you will pass, but I can tell you two things: 1) I have confidence that you are talented and will be prepared for this test, and 2) even if you don’t pass any given test in life, the wonderful thing is that there are other chances. No test is determinitive of the success of your life. My advice is that you should go in with confidence and remember that sleep and relaxation are also important parts of the test prep process. You’ve got this and the whole library is rooting for you!
Thanks for asking… Now that the stress of preparing for my talk at the BLC Networking Day is over, I’m not planning on doing anything else out of the ordinary; just hanging out in the library and answering questions. One fantastic thing about this summer is, since I don’t get to go to the beach, the library has brought the beach to me. Turn around, you’ll see it. Can you hear the waves?
Being is definitely better than not being. Please recall that this quote, in Act III, Scene 1 of Hamlet, was asked by a young man who suspected that his mother and stepfather had arranged the murder of his father. He was thinking that not-being would “end/ The heartache and the thousand natural shocks/ That flesh is heir to.” If you’re suffering heartache that makes you think about not being, please get help immediately: call the counseling office at 617-552-3310 (8:45-4:45 M-F) and ask to speak to the Psychological Emergency Clinician (PEC), or visit the office in person in Gasson 001. (If you’re just quoting Shakespeare’s Hamlet to show your appreciation for a fine play, here’s a 3-minute version you might find entertaining: bit.ly/3-minute-hamlet. Click “show more” for the lyrics, so you can understand the thick Glasgow accent.)
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: The only thing worse than writing is not writing. I think I’d say they’re comparable but different in quality, not just degree. The pain of writing is equivalent to the pain of stumbling blindly through the dark. The pain of not writing is the pain of avoiding doing the thing you know must be done, which only grows bigger the longer you avoid it. The pain of re-reading is the pain of your own vulnerability magnified by self-doubt. Offset the first by taking breaks as rewards, the second by setting a schedule, and the third by telling your internal critics to enjoy a vacation. It also helps to find a friendly, trusted audience, even of one. I look forward to hearing about what you’ve written!
There is not (and shuttle service is greatly reduced in summer), but I would suggest you let Transportation know of your unmet needs. They can be reached at (617) 552-0151 or transportation@bc.edu. I feel for you!
![Can the temp of the library be reduced? I'm so hot! [drawing of sun]](http://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/aw060418-2.jpg)
It looks like the problem with being too cold on June 1 may have been overcorrected! You can report any problem anywhere on campus by logging into your Portal account and clicking on the link for Facilities Work Ticket. Allow the App to find your location and you can report that the building is too hot. If you want a cooler place to study visit the Theology and Ministry Library on the Brighton Campus. My cousin, the bulletin board in the lobby, tells me it’s 63 degrees there!
The search for meaning and truth will exist long after our material existence ceases. Victor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, may help you understand why the Human heart longs for more. This book is currently available at O’Neill Library, or the Theology and Ministry Library at call number D810 .J4 F72713 [1985 or 2006].
As a wall, I am fortunate not to have to contend with sleepiness, but I know that it can make any type of project more difficult. There are a few ways to deal with being tired in the face of a looming deadline. One of the most common responses is to drink a caffeinated beverage (coffee, tea, soda, etc.). While that might be a popular option, it isn’t a great longterm solution. When you are tired, sleep is the most effective cure. If the deadline is truly immediate, such as within the next few hours, try taking a brief “power nap,” which some research (such as http://bit.ly/BCSleep) suggests can be effective. If your deadline is a bit further in the future, you really can’t beat the benefits of a set sleep schedule. When planning the timeline for your work, factor in consistent and reasonable amounts of sleep and stick to your schedule. Some phones and other devices can even be set up to remind you when you should go to sleep so that you establish the optimal sleep schedule. Good luck!
![Can the temp of the library be increased? It's so cold [drawing of snowman]](http://library.bc.edu/answerwall/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/aw060118-1.jpg)
I’m so sorry you’re cold. So are my human assistants. I’ll report the cold, but don’t get your hopes up too high. Have you ever noticed that part of the stereotypical outfit of a librarian is a cardigan? The library isn’t chilled for our comfort; it’s for the books. They don’t need to be cold, per se, but they do need to be kept dry, and the most efficient way to do that is to remove moisture with an air-conditioning system. Above a certain temperature and humidity, molds begin to multiply, and mold is the the #1 enemy of paper. (Fire is also a problem, of course, but much rarer.) So, my assistants all sympathize, but there’s little we can recommend but to either a) wander the library in search of a less chilled area or b) join the library fashion-world and don a cardigan.
I think what I looked like this past week was more like what it looks like when I leave the house. I haven’t been naked in a long time thanks to all your awesome questions on post-its! But I’m pretty close now, wearing my summer wardrobe.
I did, thanks! It was a terrific networking opportunity, and the program was excellent, including a thought-provoking and engaging keynote on building a more diverse environment, as well as lightning talks covering a wide range of topics. I got a strong sense that the audience valued my presence and that other libraries may consider inviting a wall of their own to answer questions.
