A couple of weeks ago we looked at a study in class about how having lights on while you sleep may cause depression. This topic was very interesting to me because I always fall asleep with my TV on and I always wake up tired the next morning even when I get good nights sleep. So this had me wondering if keeping the lights on  or electronic devices running does this  really cause depression and why?

A study published in BMC Psychiatry showed a link between a persons natural circadian rhythms with their sleeping cycles and how it affected their bodily functions.  

“Delayed circadian phase may cause depression and insomnia; however, this has not been yet established,” he said. “In addition, LAN may alter human melatonin secretion pattern, which is the hormone associated with mental condition and sleep quality.” Encouraging the continuation of research are studies such as one in Molecular Psychiatry in 2013 that pointed out that rates of major depression have increased just as humans have increasingly brightened the night.”

A recent study has been done on mice linking unnatural light and depression.  According to the study, “researchers found that mice left in lighted room 24 hours a day exhibited more depressive symptoms than did similar mice that had a normal light-dark cycle.”  What scientists found after exposure to light the mice were unable to learn tasks as quickly as without the light exposure.  They also showed no interest in sugar or what mice would consider play or fun acts.  In addition scientists observed they appeared to move around much less than those that were not exposed to the light.  One more interesting observation was that the mice had higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

The study was an experimental study that included 24 male mice. “Half were housed in light for 16 hours a day and darkness for 8 hours, while the other half had 24 hours of light. Half of each group had opaque tubes in their units that let them escape the light when they chose. The other half had similar tubes that were clear and let the light in.”

The study took place over a period of 3 weeks. After the 3-week period, the mice were then set through a variety of tests that would check their level of depression. An example of one of these tests was to see how much sugar water the mice would drink all mice that were forced to live in the light for 24 hours showed more depressive- like symptoms then the mice that were housed in a normal light environment.

Like the first study, the study showed that the reason for the depression was due to lack of melatonin production in the brain.

Another study done at the Ohio State Medical center found the same results. The article says,  “All of these light sources disrupt the natural rhythms of nature, as like most other creatures, humans need darkness. When this natural rule is violated, the consequences can be steep.”

In conclusion like the other study in class all of the above study’s showed that exposure to unnatural  light at night can cause depression. This does not show any definite causes but there is defiantly a correlation. Keep in mind that this experiment has yet to be done on humans so the results could be different. As a sensible SC200 student though I will start to turn off my lights at night. 

For years we’ve heard about the health benefits of breast feeding your baby.  Breast milk contains all of those beneficial antibodies that will help your baby fight against illnesses.  Some research even suggests that it might lower your baby’s risk of allergies, and possibly have fewer infections.  There has been a lot of emphasis on all of the nutrients in a mothers milk.  All of the polyunsaturated fatty acids that are important for brain health.   In addition not to mention that critical bonding between Mom and baby.  While the health benefits have been well documented, recently scientists have begun to recognize the benefits on a persons IQ level.

A new study published in THE LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH, Association between breastfeeding and intelligence, educational attainment, and income at 30 years of age: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil . In this study researchers looked at over 3400 children in Brazil for as long as 30 years.  As the researchers gathered more data, they did indeed find that those babies that were breast fed did in fact have higher IQ levels.  The study suggests that those children who were breastfed for at least one year, were able to have higher IQ scores , were able to achieve a longer lifetime education.   What was more interesting this Lancet article suggests that those babies would go on to earn higher incomes as a result of being breast fed.

It was also noted in an article in USA TODAY Which featured another study published in JAMA Pediatrics.  This article sites another study published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics.  This study took data from 1312 mothers   from 1999 through 2002  .  The study showed that these children showed higher scores on language recognition by the time they turned 3 years old.  It further suggests that their IQ levels by the time they were 7 years old also improved.    As researchers began to focus on those babies that were fed only breast milk for a 6 month period, ther results became even stronger.  

“I would take three or four IQ points any given day,” says pediatrician Michael Georgieff, director of the Center for Neurobehavioral Development at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Georgieff was not involved in the current study. “It’s a pretty significant shift, especially demographically across the world if everyone were to make that gain.” For context, the average IQ is 100, and about 67 percent of people have IQ scores somewhere between 85 and 115.”

This chart demonstrates the point  showing that the longer breast feeding continued the IQ levels showed more of an increase.

It’s important to point out that there are other factors that affect a child’s IQ level; how involved the parents are in their development and how committed the parents are to the child’s education.

Still the research is overwhelming  and fascinating at the same time.  Breastfeeding is one of the most natural gifts a Mom can give to her baby.  All of the reasons doctors have advised Moms over the years that it’s worth the effort over bottle fed children.  Now the results are clear that the long term results could benefit not only your health but your overall well being.  Very much worth the effort!

Do you know anyone who is autistic?  More than likely you do since it is a disorder that affects 1 in 68 children. If you are a boy the odds go down to 1 in 42.   If you do know anyone with autism, you would also know that parents and families of these children would do ANYTHING to help them to have a ‘typical’ life.  I not only know someone with autism, but I love someone with autism.  She is my cousin Ellie, and our entire family is dedicated to helping her live the best life possible, which she is entirely deserving of

My cousin Ellie:

Spend any length of time with an autistic child and you would know that eating is a major challenge.  From what I have observed, my cousin has very few foods that she will eat, creating not only a challenge for her Mom, but also dietary problems.  For Ellie, she is a lover of pasta, it has to be a particular brand and shape, and she will not deviate or try something different.  Seems that our Ellie is not alone, scientists have been looking at the effect that gluten has on autistic children after parents started to question the effect of gluten on their diets, and ask the question can gluten-free diets benefit children with autism?  The jury is still out….

A study done right here at Penn State College of Medicine looked at 387 parents or caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorders.

“Research has shown that children with ASD commonly have GI [gastrointestinal] symptoms,” says Christine Pennesi, medical student at Penn State College of Medicine. She and co-author Laura Cousino Klein, associate professor of biobehavioral health and human development and family studies, report their findings in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.”

“Notably, a greater proportion of our study population reported GI and allergy symptoms than what is seen in the general pediatric population. Some experts have suggested that gluten- and casein-derived peptides cause an immune response in children with ASD, and others have proposed that the peptides could trigger GI symptoms and behavioral problems.”

What the research team found was that they did in fact find that a gluten –free diet did lead to “improving asd(autism spectrum disorders) behaviors”.  They also found that parents saw more eye contact (big  red flag for noticing autism in young children),  the ability for the child to keep their attention a bit longer, as well as, finding improved gastro intestinal symptoms.

According to the co-author of the study Laura Cousino Klein, she began to consider that autism may not just be a disease of the brain, but it also could involve a childs gastro intestinal functions as well as their immune systems.

“There are strong connections between the immune system and the brain, which are mediated through multiple physiological symptoms,” Klein says. “A majority of the pain receptors in the body are located in the gut, so by adhering to a gluten-free, casein-free diet, you’re reducing inflammation and discomfort that may alter brain processing, making the body more receptive to ASD therapies. “

While we here at PSU are more inclined to believe anything from our blue and white colleagues, the truth may not be that simple or clear cut.

In a study featured in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, a report by the researchers at Sweden’s Karolinksa Institute.

“In the past, we have had the believers and nonbelievers when it came to the role of gluten in autism. Over the last decade, a suggested link between autism and celiac disease grew from a few case reports and the frequency of severe GI distress among children with autism. In addition, many parents of children with autism reported improvement when they switched their children to gluten-free diets.”

In this very broad study researchers concluded that they did not find a link between those children with autism and celiac disease (which is an intestinal disorder which is triggered by a reaction to gluten).   However, the study did show that there was more prevalence of gluten-related antibodies in those children with autism, which led to gastro-intestinal problems in these children.

While the results of these studies may not be conclusive it does offer some medical validity to the issues parents and caregivers have suspected for a long time.  There is some association between gastro intestinal discomfort found in some children   The bottom line is that parents and families of these children will try just about anything to help these children, even if there is only a chance they could benefit.    The real life observers of this disorder becomes the parents, families and caregivers of these children.  Their observations of the impact of diet become extremely important.   There is a strong recommendation from experts to bring in a nutritionist to review these observations and create a plan for a diet and find what works best for your child.   I’m sure these families are not much different than mine, we will go to any lengths to promote research for this disease and offer hope to those who have been affected by this tremendous disorder.

This is a picture of a tee shirt Ellie’s Mom (my Aunt Linda) created which our family wears each year when we walk to find a cure for autism at an ‘Autism Speaks’ fund raising event on Long Island to support our Ellie.

As a singer. I always knew that singing was good for you. I have sung in a choir for as long as I can remember. When you are signing with a group of people you feel as though you are one person and science has shown that your heart beats actually match up when you sing in a group. Trust me on this I have done and felt it happen. So why is singing so good for you and can it help better your health? These are the questions I set out to answer when starting this research.

Anyone who has done group singing knows that when everyone is on the same note and harmony the room vibrates, it might be one of the coolest sensations I have ever felt.  Time magazine says, “The elation may come from endorphins, a hormone released by singing, which is associated with feelings of pleasure. Or it might be from oxytocin, another hormone released during singing, which has been found to alleviate anxiety and stress.”

I have personally experienced the healing power of group singing. For example when I was in choir in high school I was selected to be apart of a 6 person 6 harmony singing group. When rehearsing our music our director would make us stand back to back hold hands and close our eyes. If anyone walked in on us I am sure they would think we were some sort of cult but what happened next was amazing. You could feel the vibrations of the voices and the heart beats match up. You could feel it throughout your entire body. Now I understand that you can not base science on a feeling but I knew that something was happening within all of our bodies. It turns out when you sing in a group certain chemicals in your brain balance out.

According to the article “Ode to Joy” when you hear music dopamine, a neurotransmitter in your brain is released this causes feelings of happiness and alertness. “Music lowers cortisol, a chemical that signals levels of stress. Music also releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of euphoria and contentment.”

While singing to your self on your own produces these same effects, group singing is actually found to release another chemical in your brain known as oxytocin.  This particular chemical reduces stress and anxiety. 

A recent study about the meta-anaylsis of 400 studies was released. According to the results of the met-anaylis study, “A lot of work is left to be done in the study of how the body and brain respond to music and singing in groups. In the meantime, as science works to explain what every singer already knows, no matter where you fall on the voice suckage scale—sing.”

I guess being a choir nerd has its benefits.

Why is there always availability in those 8 am classes in college? When students finally have a chance to control their own schedules, they most always choose sleeping in and starting later. Ask any student on campus and they will tell you, they just can not function early in the day; by the afternoon they are much more alert and frankly more interested in learning. Turns out there is a science to back up these students’ feelings.

According to an article in Scientific American volume 311, issue 3, article by Mark Fishcetti:  The later high school classes start in the morning, the more academic performance improves.

The article goes on the say that there is research showing that sleep or circadian rhythms shift was children become older.  

This chart taken from the book by Barry Corbin:Unleashing the Potential of the Teenage Brain: Ten Powerful Ideas.  Page 93 Powerful idea #10 Time and Timing.  Figure 13.3

As you can see there is a genuine shift with teenagers or adolescents circadian rhythm as they become teenagers, creating the effect of becoming more alert at night and much sleepier during the morning hours.  

From the website “Education Next” an article by Finley Edwards: “Do Schools Begin too early?”  Makes the point in a study from Wake County, North Carolina studied delays in start times and talks about this problem that many teens face in that they find it very difficult to fall asleep early enough at night to get enough sleep to feel rested.  The study goes on to show that in studying the same at the same level, looking at changing one group to start their day  just one hour later showed these results:

Accoring to the article by Emily Richmond, the concern is now being taken up at the Federal level.   The Center for Disease Control  is asking Washington to take up the idea of classes starting later in the morning.   The article quotes Anne Wheaton, of the CDC:

“Getting enough sleep is important for students’ health, safety, and academic performance,” Anne Wheaton, the lead author and epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Population Health, said in a statement. “Early school start times, however, are preventing many adolescents from getting the sleep they need.”

In fact prior to this release by the CDC, The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended a later start to the school day.  From the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics:  released on August 25, 2015; The article titled: Let Them Sleep: AAP Recommends Delaying Start Times of Middle and High Schools to Combat Teen Sleep Deprivation – See more at: https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/let-them-sleep-aap-recommends-delaying-start-times-of-middle-and-high-schools-to-combat-teen-sleep-deprivation.aspx#sthash.pouMxjC4.dpuf

The article takes it one step further talking about the fact that those teens that are not able to get a good nights sleep can “suffer physical and mental health problems, an increased risk of automobile accidents and a decline in academic performance”

I experienced this personally when my own high school start time was at 7:40am.  When high school teachers offered ‘extra help’ time, it was often at 7am, before classes started. No wonder I had trouble absorbing the material at that hour of the day.  Now in my second year at State, my day begins at noon and ends much later.

In conclusion I believe that you should schedule your classes later because it always helps to get a few extra minutes of sleep.

Sarcoidosis Race, Age, and Gender:

When my mom turned 40 years old she was diagnosis with a rare disease known as Sarcoidosis. Around 30 out of 100,000 are diagnosed with it each year.

Sarcoidosis is a auto-immune disease that attacks soft tissue anywhere in your body. It is most commonly found in the lungs but can advance to other organs. The disease causes growths and groups of inflammatory cells all over your body. There will different symptoms depending on which organ is affected. For example my mother has it in her lungs so it is very difficult to breath. She has a hard time walking a couple of feet before she has to stop and try to catch her breath. She has also had many surgeries to have the sarcoid bumps removed from her lungs.

There is no known cause for this disease. There is little information but it has become clear that there is a direct correlation between people with sarcoidosis and their race, age, and gender.

Information regarding Sarcoidosis is few and far between but in 1997 a study was released by the American Journal of Epidemiology that showed most people who had the disease were African American females in their 40s. The study consisted of individuals ranging in age from 20-69. The study was restricted to residents of the surrounding Detroit area and they were also all members of the Health Alliance Plan.

Through the study period 259 people were diagnosed with Sarcoidosis. The chart above outlines the age and race of people diagnosed with Sarcoidosis. It clearly shows that African Americans in general are more likely to have the disease.

The data below shows that African American women and African American women in their 30s are more likely to get Sarcoidosis. “African American females ages 30-39 were at a 20% higher risk of forming the disease then African American Males of the same age”.

The troubling part is there is no known reason as to why this is. My mother and all 4 of her siblings have the disease and they are all Caucasian and were all diagnosed at different ages. This is me says that more case studies must like the one above must be done.

In class we discussed how even though a study is well done the results may be due to chance. After research there have been many studies that confirm the findings above. The studies were also done in a variety of different types of geographical areas. All studies support the conclusion that sarcoidosis is more prevalent in African American females in their 30s.

The chart below outlines all other case studies that were done on this topic. There is a range of geographical areas but the results are always the same.

This begs the question, What causes this disease?

In my next article I will talk about Sarcoidosis, genetics, and finding a cause.

Gel, mousse, special shampoos and conditioners. Flat irons and ceramic hair dryers. At minimum, a habit costing $50 a week. My mother jokes it is like having a third child, a dependent she wishes she could claim on her income taxes. I have curly hair. Not straight, not wavy, but full luscious loops. What’s wrong with that? EVERYTHING. First off, it’s unruly. It has a mind of its own. Pulling it back in a ponytail is like wrestling a giant ungroomed poodle into a two-inch hoop. Combing it is like trying to navigate an unmarked path through a rain forest. One hot mess!

Unfortunately there are a lot of curly haired girls out there that face the same dilemma. Because of my curly hair I have tried many different techniques to try to tame the beast that lay on my head. I’m sure if you asked the ‘curly clic’ they would tell you they would try almost anything, throughout my life, I have been no exception. Over my years of trying new products and treatments the only one that seems to work is keratin. Keratin is a protein that is naturally found in your fingernails and hair, what this treatment does is adds more of this protein back into your hair. Sounds simple right? Well the truth is after a lot of research it has been found that one of the key ingredients in the formulation is formaldehyde. You have probably heard the word formaldehyde because that is what they put inside dead bodies to preserve them. Ok so what’s the problem?

Over the years formaldehyde has been linked to many different health problems.

Who is most at risk? More than likely it’s the hair dressers themselves, not necessarily the clients. The salon workers are exposed to the toxin much more consistently, than the individual client. After this became news, some manufacturers thought they had the solution, in creating formaldehyde free versions of the products. Unfortunately this did not solve the problem.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently did investigations of many different salons to find out the health hazards of these hair treatments. “During Federal OSHA investigations, air tests showed formaldehyde at levels above OSHA’s limits in salons using Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, labeled “formaldehyde free,” and Brasil Cacau Cadiveu.” Even when products are labeled “formaldehyde free” when the chemicals combine with heat the create formaldehyde.

Specifically, among the health risks OSHA found many salon workers were complaining of nosebleeds, burning itchy eyes, and in some severe respiratory issues. In some rare causes salon workers who use to apply this treatment have formed cancer. My own hairdresser found many of these issues when she applied the treatment. It became so serious in the salon, that the salon owner no longer permits this application in the salon. Some salons have had to get out of this business.

OSHA has set out to try to fix this problem by setting certain guidelines on how to use and apply the keratin treatments The guidelines that were listed on the OSHA website can be seen below:

• Test the air periodically to make sure that formaldehyde levels are below OSHA’s limits.
• Give employees appropriate gloves and other personal protective equipment (e.g., face shield, chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant aprons) and train them on how to use this equipment while mixing and applying the products.
• Explain to workers how to read and understand the information on a product’s label and MSDS;
• Make sure the workplace has eye and skin washing equipment if products that contain formaldehyde could be splashed onto the workers’ skin or into their eyes.
• Train workers how to safely clean up spills and properly throw products out.
• Get workers the right medical attention (e.g., doctor exams) if they develop signs and symptoms of an exposure to formaldehyde or are exposed to large amounts of formaldehyde during an emergency (e.g., a large spill).

In conclusion, I will still be getting my keratin treatments regularly but this is definitely something that every curly hair girl should be aware of before getting keratin treatments.

We’ve known for a very long time that cigarette smoking is bad for our health.  This is an undisputed scientific fact.  Have you ever considered what effect smoking would have on our family pets?

Some research suggests that dogs who live with a family where there is a smoker, may more than likely suffer from asthma, or bronchitis or other respiratory diseases.  The statistics for cats is even more alarming.  Studies show that cats with exposure to “environmental tobacco smoke-ETS” actually showed an increase in lymphoma.

Now the ASPCA/American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals say they have evidence that supports the view shown another studies.  The ASPCA’s hope is that if you won’t stop smoking for yourself, maybe you’ll stop for your beloved pet.  The USA Today article goes onto to say that a veterinary oncologist says he believes an “animal in an environment with content exposure to a toxin, and that would include cigarette smoke, could be at greater risk of developing tumors”.

Researches highlighted on the PETA website: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also sited studies from the University of Mass and Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine also support the concerns of cancer in cats and dogs.  The website goes on to say that this seems to have a positive incentive for smokers to change their behavior.  Maybe they care more about their  pets then about their own possibility of getting cancer.

A new trend is developing.  Adults are meeting in groups, socially, or at work with crayons.  Yes, you read that correctly, they are meeting to color.  It turns out that sales of adult coloring books are exploding, and some doctors are making the case that coloring can actually help to relieve stress and anxiety in adults.

Sales of adult coloring books are skyrocketing.  Johanna Ashford’s “Secret Garden” sold 1.4 million copies worldwide.  Take a look at Amazons Top 10 list of books sold includes several adult coloring books.

Some of the fans of adult coloring books say they meet in groups, or color regularly on their own.  The common effect is that they say it helps people to forget their concerns (temporarily).  They are not looking at an electronic device, not trying to ‘keep up’ on Facebook or instagram.

One preschool teacher said coloring actually improved her high blood pressure by including nightly coloring sessions after walking each day.  Another woman who has epilepsy says coloring helps her to use her hands and not ‘jerk’ they way they would with normal daily tasks.

Psychologists including Antoni Martinez says it helps people to focus on coloring the image instead of their worries.  Psychologist Gloria Martinez Ayala says “This incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills.  The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, the basic part of the brain involved in controlling emotion that is effected by stress.”  She also says it may be effective because it was something you did as a child, which for most was a care-free, happy period in your life.

Understanding the positive link in our brains, along with demonstrated health benefits; combined with the fact that adult coloring book sales are exploding; we can conclude that adult coloring really does relieve stress and anxiety.  Why not try it yourself- check out this free download.

If you have already spent a winter up at Penn State you know that not a lot goes on. Football games are over, walking to class gets a lot colder, and you spend a lot more time stuck in your dorm room.

Over the years studies have proven that SAD or seasonal affective disorder exists. SAD is a type of depression brought on usually by cold weather. The facts are that when you stay inside for too long and are not exposed to sun light your serotonin and melatonin levels drop.   Both of these drops are caused by the change in your biological clock. Serotonin is a chemical in your brain which mainly controls your mood. If this chemical drops below normal you may being to feel anxiety and insomnia.  Melatonin is in charger of your sleep patterns. It is a chemical that anticipates your daily darkness. When both of these chemicals drop below normal it can become harmful to your health.

A new study shows that if you are feeling sad you ability to see the colors yellow and blue may be compromised. A study published in Psychological Science showed that this is true. In this study 300 college students were shown a short film that was either funny or sad. After the film was over the college students were shown pictures of colors that were mostly grey on a computer screen. The students who were shown the sad film reported seeing  saw mostly red and green colors while the students who were shown the happy film were very likely to see all of the colors correctly. So why can the sad students not see yellow and blue? Again it comes back to a chemical  deficiency. This time it has to do with dopamine in the brain. When a student feels sad or sees something sad dopamine levels drop causing the students to be unable to see the colors yellow and blue in a clear light.

When it is cold outside you spend less time in the sunlight and by doing this your body seems to always think that is night time. Chemical levels in your brain drop and you become tired all the time which in turn leads to feelings of depression.

Avoiding this can be really hard. I know of myself in the winter all you want to do is eat at Wings Over and watch Netflix but this can only put you in a greater risk for becoming depressed. Last year I even became sick a lot more in the winter because I always stuck inside. When the spring came around it felt like I had been in a tomb for a thousand years.

The best ways to combat this are to get outside. Play in the snow, try to exercise, eat healthy food, and try to get outside every day even if you have to wear 27 coats.

Have you ever come from a long day of school or work and the first person to greet you is your loving dog. After being away from my dog for so long it got me wondering if she could recognize my face from a picture?

After doing some research on this topic much to my surprise I was not the only human being to ever think of this. Last March a study was published in the journal Animal Cognition about an experiment that had happened at the University of Helsinki in Finland. The main goal of this research was to see if domesticated dogs were able to recognize human faces from a computer screen. The study consisted of a variety of different breeds and upbringings of dogs (dogs that had an owner and dogs that grew up in a shelter).  In this study they used eye tracking technology to the study the eye movement of dogs when looking at strangers and their owners. This research found that dogs stared longer at familiar faces then they did at strange ones. This study like many others that have been done come up with the same conclusion. Yes, dogs can recognize the faces of their owners from photograph but only to a certain point. This study also turned up an interesting fact, dogs are more interested in the faces of other dogs then they are with human faces.

Another study was done in the Journal of Vision where 12 pure- breed beagles and 12 cats were given certain humans to work with everyday over the period of 6 months. After this period of time each animal was shown a picture of their handlers. The results were astonishing, the dogs recognized the faces of their humans they worked with 88.2% of the time while the cats only recognized their human friends 54.5% of the time.

In a recent study done by Beth Stickler this questions can be answered in two parts. Yes, your dog can recognize a picture of you but only if you look like you in the picture. For example, if the picture is from when you were a child or if you have a different hairstyle they may not be able to recognize who you are. This study also came to the conclusion that dogs are able to recognize other dogs and animals that they live with.

So if you are ever away from your dogs for a long time just know that they will not forget you.  In conclusion, dogs are very capable of identifying your face from a picture.

Hello Class!! My name is Corin Pankow but I actually prefer to be called Corey. I am a sophomore Broadcast Journalism major here at Penn State.

My main reason for taking this class like most of you is for general education requirements. To be honest I actually really like science and find certain aspects of it very interesting. Actually this year I thought I was going to pick up a minor in meteorology but 5 minutes into my meteorology class and I knew it was not for me so now I am here with all of you! I took Bisci 3 my freshmen year and ended up loving it so I thought after hearing about our award-winning professor that I would take another science chance. Bisci 3 opened my up to ideas and experiences I would have never experienced and I hoping the same thing will happen with this class.

Here’s a really funny video of a Cat giving a dog a back massage.