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Navigating an ADHD diagnosis in graduate school

About two months ago after approaching a mental health professional for what I thought was persistent depression, I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I had seen various mental health professionals in my life and ADHD never came up in our conversations. All I actually knew about ADHD is that ADHD stigma exists

The damage of traditional lawns and what you can do to help

When I think about the suburban USA the main image that comes to mind is a bright, prim, proper, and trimmed yard with fresh turf and maybe a berm with a rose bush. However, in recent years, there has been a push to move away from these cookie-cutter landscapes and toward a more natural or

Biting the forbidden fruit

Book banning. Those two words never fail to stir up controversy, and have been especially active in the last few months. From critical race theory to evolution to gender studies to fiction, the topics that have been suggested become entirely erased from school education are wide and varied. It's understandable, though. We, as a whole,

Drifting through cosmic dust into April Lyrid Meteors

People say that April showers bring May flowers, but have you ever considered meteor showers? We are in the midst of the annual Lyrid meteor shower, and it is one of the oldest meteor showers ever observed with sightings dating back to 687 BC. In 2022, the shower is expected to peak on the night

Turmeric: The Root of Skincare

When I scroll through Instagram or TikTok, I have a major sense of FOMO. People have wonderful travel visuals with perfect glassy skin all the while having their finances in order. However, to me, nothing seems as important as the absolute urge to get my particular skincare routine right this very instant. Browsing the internet

Our Water, Our Health in Rural Appalachia

West Virginia is home to the newest national park, New River Gorge, known for its world class white water rafting. It is also home to some of the worst drinking water in the United States. The juxtaposition of the two could not be more clear. Old habits die hard, and in a state where an

Don’t take them for granite: The whimsical world of granite outcrops

When most people picture landscapes of wildflowers, they often picture bright pastels of yellow, blue, and pink against a backdrop of prairie grass. Others may think of the chorus of spring ephemerals blooming in the understory of the woods. Folks from the west coast may even imagine a blanket of desert annuals blooming in synchrony

mule deer in a field

Machine Learning for Ecologists and Other Interesting People

Every spring, graduate students at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia organize a short weekly seminar around an interesting theme. This year, the theme is “Machine Learning for Ecologists”. At first glance, machine learning may not seem very related to a discipline mostly concerned with the distribution and abundance of organisms,

An ode to herbalism, seeking help outside of disparities

A brief history of herbalism Herbalism began to grow its roots many years ago through African and Indigenous American culture and practices. It seeks to combine the knowledge of plants and plant extracts for healing purposes, whether that is mental, physical, or spiritual healing. Specific herbs are utilized for their ability to treat specific ailments.

Long term ecological research is our crystal ball

How might climate change affect the environment in 50 or 100 years? To even begin to answer this pressing question, we need work that can accurately describe changes in the environment to predict the future. Long term ecological research (abbreviated as LTER), describes studies interested in environmental processes that last for at least one year

COVID-19 Uncertainty: The Effects of Unprecedented Times

How uncertainty has impacted our lives during the pandemic. It has been almost two years since COVID-19 was thrust into the forefront of everyone's mind. Many of us are still waiting for things to go back to normal, or at least for things to feel a little more right. Despite adjusting somewhat to this “new

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