The Teachings of French Onion Poe

Angelica Gajewski ’26

I write a lot about scary things. Fearmongering is a hobby of mine, and, if I do say so myself, a talent. Still, I recognize the value of a positive read every once in a while, especially in our hellish landscape. Hence, if you’d like to indulge in an intellectual junk food Tripod story, you’re in the right place.

At Trinity College, there is a residential betta fish named French Onion Poe. The following is what he has taught me about life, love, and respiratory functions:

When I told my partner’s family about my new pet betta fish over dinner, his father stated that he has never understood them. 

“All they do is swim and hide,” he noted. 

I thought, what else is there to understand about them? As it turns out, a lot. About a week after French Onion’s adoption, I awoke to discover a layer of bubbles covering the top layer of his tank. I immediately panicked. Had I killed him already? (likely) Had Hansen Hall’s water quality killed him? (highly likely) It took me a couple of minutes to locate French Onion, still alive, sleeping in a forest of aquatic plants. Relieved, I began researching what a film of bubbles covering the tank could possibly mean. 

You might be surprised to know that there’s entire online communities dedicated to betta fish and their care. Fishtok, r/bettafish, and my personal favorite, a site called Fishlore. These communities largely consist of people who are passionate about the care of these animals, the other subset being made up of fish parents with health anxiety. Turns out, betta fish actually make groupings of air bubbles when they’re happy and content. That is literally it. I was prepared for more dramatics! Certainly all this commotion couldn’t be over a behavioral sign of life satisfaction. 

Yet, many of us are guilty of fearing our own moments of contempt. Our culture is far too quick to write off biological necessities like rest as indulgent. Many of us, especially by the midpoint of the semester, become motivated by a fear of appearing lazy, rather than genuine drive. All this to say, as October begins and we settle into our routines of productivity, let’s not forget to engage with the things that bring us joy. Even seemingly silly things like blowing bubbles, personifying animals, or reading Bits and Pieces should not be neglected for the sake of increased productivity. Especially when, more often than not, those pockets of playfulness keep us sane. In about twenty seconds, when you return to reading about Trinity’s many administrative failures and other bummers, remember the teachings of French Onion Poe: Take a breath, chill out, and nap in some greenery.