When seeing or hearing the word “fat”, my brain instantly jumps to negative conclusions. Fats are commonly perceived as very bad for you and nothing else. We always are told to stay away from the fats and to eliminate them from our diets, but could the omission of certain ‘fatty’ foods actually be a negative thing?

Believe it or not, fats are actually an important component in a healthy diet. With the intake of fats, essential fatty acids aid in keeping our skin soft, providing the body with vitamins, and re-energizing the body. With that being said, it is still important to monitor your fat intake, while making sure to provide your body with foods to help your health. According to The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines, it is strongly encouraged that “adults get 20%-35% of their calories from fats. At a minimum, we need at least 10% of our calories to come from fat.” 

With the discovery of “good fats”, society can no longer blame fats in general for causing
obesity. Obviously there are some foods that contain a higher fat content than others, but it is highly likely that an excessive intake of almost any food could lead to weight gain.

You may be asking what some of these essential “good fats” include, and just what is making
them beneficial to your health. The main ingredient contributing to “bad fat” is known saturated fat. This is the area in which we are able to distinguish between good fats and bad fats. Instead of a high percentage of saturated fats, good fats have fewer hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon chains, thus, deeming them as healthier fats. Surprisingly there are an abundance of products that fall under the healthy fats category. The most prevalent good fats usually consist of vegetables, nuts, fish, etc. Some additional specific examples include: Avocados, Cheese, Dark
Chocolate, Whole Eggs, Nuts, etc. These foods all fall under the categories of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. 

Next time you ponder whether you should cut out fatty foods from your life, remember that there are a handful of fatty foods that are actually beneficial to your health.

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats

http://authoritynutrition.com/10-super-healthy-high-fat-foods/

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/good-fats-bad-fats

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good

After a long stressful day do you ever find yourself unsure of how you can possibly relax and relieve your stress? Well, yoga might just be the answer for you. When it comes to analyzing stress and your brain, there are two parts of the brain that are responsible for stress. These include the Amygdala and the Prefrontal cortex. The Amygdala is commonly known as the ‘emotional’ brain, where as the prefrontal cortex is known as the ‘logical brain’. These two areas of the brain are related when it comes to stress, as the amygdala initiates the stress response, causing the prefrontal cortex to try to turn off and relax the stressful response.

Now you may wonder how yoga can relax your body and mind. Yoga focuses on relaxation, breathing, the mind, the body, and spiritual connections. Individuals who consistently partake in yoga have noticed a beneficial change in their sleeping patterns.

The benefits of yoga stretch far beyond just a ‘simple workout’. Founder and President of Yogafit Training Systems in Torrance, Calif, Beth Shaw notes that, “The benefits of yoga include decreased stress and tension, increased strength and balance, increased flexibility, lowered blood pressure and reduced cortisol levels.”

When thinking of yoga, people commonly just tend to think of stretching and flexibility, but the science behind yoga includes much more than that. There are an abundance of different yoga positions that aim to target certain parts of the body. Some specific positions that aid in stress relief include: 

• Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal): representing balance and harmony throughout our body, physically, mentally and emotionally preparing oneself for meditation
• Sukhasana (Easy Pose): promoting inner calm, serenity, tranquility, thus eliminating anxiety
  

  Easy Pose

• Uttana Shishosana (Extended Puppy Pose): By lengthening your spine, your mind becomes more relaxed. these tranquil feelings relieve stress and even insomnia.

Next time you are overly stressed, try something new and attend a yoga class! Yoga will help you access inner strength, face overwhelming thoughts and fears, and the overpowering challenges of everyday life.

Sources:

http://upliftconnect.com/yoga-and-stress/

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/yoga-for-stress-management

You are what you wear. Dress it up or dress it down. Believe it or not, your choice in clothing can affect your mood.  It may seem silly to think that choosing an oversized t-shirt or sweatshirt over a nice top can reflect upon your mood, but recent studies have proven that “people who spend an abundance of time dressed in baggy, frumpy clothing tend to feel more depressed, whereas those who wear nicer clothing–such as higher quality tops and jeans–tend to feel happier.” If you think about it, things do start to piece together and the relation between clothing and mood becomes more evident. When you’re in a bad mood are you really going to want to dress up nicely? The answer is probably no. However, an effective way to snap out of your crummy mood could be to dress up nicely.

This theory can especially be portrayed throughout the work world. Writer Joe Pinsker explains this phenomenon as ‘dressing up the brain’, implying that dressing nicer can change individuals thought processes. To add to that,  psychology professor Abraham Rutchick of California State University, Northridge conducted a study that verified that “putting on formal clothes makes us feel powerful, and that changes the basic way we see the world”.

Not only can clothing style impact your mood psychologically but the colors of your clothing can also affect your mood.  

• Red clothing: positive feelings, suggests power, passion, and romance
• Yellow clothing: happy, cheery, and promotes creativity
• Blue clothing: relaxing and calming
• Black clothing: promotes a more serious and professional look and attitude
• Purple clothing: fosters a more sophisticated look.
• Green clothing: calming and stress relieving

As stereotypical as it sounds, your choice in clothing has the ability to define what type of person you are. I came across a study that is in support of the above statement. This study uncovered the differential performances among individuals. All subjects were asked to wear a white lab coat, however, some subjects were told the coat belonged to a doctor, and others were told it belonged to a painter. Performance among the individuals with the doctors coat was observed to be more attentive and motived. From this, it became evident that subjects level of performance varied depending on specific occupations.

When picking out an outfit for the day you definitely do not realize how much of a psychological affect your outfit choice can have. So if you want to feel great then you should dress great!

Sources:

http://www.spiritualbridge.org/featured-articles/spiritual-wellness/choosing-your-clothes-how-the-clothing-you-wear-affects-your-mood/#.VimJhCSaLww

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/04/wearing-a-suit-makes-people-think-differently/391802/

We all know the dreadful feeling of waking up for early classes. As college students we are
constantly battling between the gruesome late nights filled with schoolwork and early mornings filled with classes. For most people including myself, that combination is definitely not ideal. After I turn off my alarm and drag myself out of bed, I find it extremely difficult to keep my eyes open for even a split second. Luckily caffeine can come to the rescue! Routinely within 10-30 minutes upon waking, I am usually rushing to get my hands on a nice cup of coffee. As I take my first sip of coffee each morning I feel like a whole new person, and I hate to admit it but I have become a caffeineaholic. 

Today among American adults, coffee serves as the leading source of caffeine. This statisic makes coffee more attractive in the eyes of individuals, especially sleep- deprived ones.

When drinking coffee, individuals most likely do not think about the long term outcomes their cup of coffee could have on them. People may not admit to a coffee addiction, but if coffee is part of your everyday routines and you can not imagine a morning without it, then chances are you are developing a dependence on coffee or caffeine in general.

According to an article from Everyday Health, “ caffeine is the most common mood-altering drug in the world.” That statement stood out to me because I could not even count the amount of times I have heard people say “I haven’t had my cup of coffee yet today, talk to me after.”

In many areas you can find a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Caribou Coffee, or another coffee shop on almost every block. The popularity of coffee is growing each day, and leading to many addictions among individuals. A recent poll concluded that over 83 percent of adults in the United States drink at least one cup of coffee a day.

Just like a severe dependence on any other drug, individuals can suffer from withdrawal. After stopping the mass intake of caffeine, withdrawal symptoms can appear within 12-24 hours. Experimental and survey studies regarding caffeine withdrawal were conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins University Medical School in Baltimore and American University in Washington, D.C. After their studies, they concluded that the most common symptoms faced by individuals enduring caffeine withdrawal include:

• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Drowsiness
• Depression
• Anger/ Irritability

If you feel like you are suffering from a caffeine addiction, there are some strategies for cutting down on caffeine. A few include:

• Mixing decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee
• Drink soft drinks that do not contain caffeine

Click here for additional information on how to recognize and then break a caffeine addiction.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine_dependence

http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/01/29/caffeine-addiction-is-no-joke-for-some/65142.html

For the majority of todays generation, Instagram has become the easiest and most popular method of capturing, sharing, and transforming photos. Instagram has taken photographs to a whole new level. All in one app you are provided with an abundance of filters to play around with, and you can even share your photos and videos with people all around the world. From people to scenery to food, Instagram displays it all.

Now you may be thinking what’s not to love about this? Yes Instagram is an awesome app, but can it affect your health?

Getty Images/Ikon Images

I would be lying if I were to say that I do not follow a handful of Instagram accounts that solely post pictures of food. As I scroll through my Instagram feed, these eye catching photos of a variety of foods never fail to leave me salivating and more hungry than I was prior to opening Instagram. I always think to myself “how could this be harmful? I’m ONLY looking at the pictures, not actually eating the foods that are photographed in them.” Well to my surprise, numerous scientists have begun to link the excessive viewing of food pictures to weight gain. Articles headlining this growing topic have been featured in New York Magazine, as well as in Cosmopolitan magazine. After research, Professor Charles Spence from Oxford University concluded that “seeing food on social media has a very real effect on our eating habits”.

Now of course, if you were to look at pictures of less appealing foods, this issue most likely will not have an impact on you. With that being said, it is nearly impossible to stumble upon an Instagram account that posts pictures of food that are anything less than 5-star quality.

Mouth-watering photographs of indulgent foods also commonly known as “food porn” tend to range from pizza to cookies to cake to cheeseburgers can be found on almost any food Instagram account. The insanely easy access to all of these photographs contribute to an increase in the linkage between food pictures and weight gain. To further prove this claim, other studies have been conducted and have found that “images of foods with high fat content hit the brain faster and with more impact (kind of like actual high-fat foods)”. Who would have thought that a simple image of food could physically affect you. According to Cosmopolitan writer Elizabeth Narins, some of these physical affects include, “making you salivate, messing with insulin levels, and even shaking up your heart rate”.

Obviously these results do not entail weight gain for all viewers, but if you’re a person that tends to give in to temptation, then maybe it is time to reassess who you follow on Instagram!

Additional Sources:

http://mic.com/articles/127115/looking-at-food-on-instagram-could-be-unhealthy-for-us

http://www.details.com/story/instagram-might-be-making-you-fat

With the haunting “freshmen 15” myth, my peers and I constantly convince ourselves that we should hit up the gym. When I go to the gym I like to work efficiently and get in and out as fast as I can. For me personally, the most effective yet short workout would be to run. More often than not, I find myself experiencing pain in my knees while running.

You always hear people saying “don’t run, walk instead!” or “running is actually hurting your body, not helping it!”. I always chose to disregard those comments, but somehow concerns regarding running and joint issues always found their way into my daily activities. I couldn’t help myself but wonder if I was just psyching myself out and that all of this was really just in my head, or if this was actually an issue I should take caution on.

Physical therapist and coordinator of the Tisch Performance Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Michael Silverman states, “Running gets a bad rap, but running can strengthen the knee, and those who run throughout their lives have stronger knees than those who don’t”.

Now you may wonder to yourself, why is this such a widespread myth? I feel that this myth absorbs the beliefs of numerous individuals since injuries to the knee could happen during running. With that being said, running is just like anything else, meaning that injuries can happen almost any where, any time, and any way. Sure you may injure your knee while running, but that most definitely does NOT mean that everyone that runs is going to experience injuries to their knees. In fact, USA Track & Field- certified coach / founder of Strength Running, Jason Fitzgerald declares, “”The body adapts to running and gets stronger, after all. And since running doesn’t involve excessive bending of the knee nor much twisting or turning, it’s a very safe form of exercise for knees.” Also according to sources, partaking in high-impact exercises such as running can in time strengthen the muscles around your knees which actually will take the pressure off of the joints in your knees. 

If you experience pain in your knees while running follow these tips and in no time you will be back to running like a champ without any pain!

• Begin to strength train your body, focusing on areas of weakness (i.e. glutes and hips)
• Try to stick to a consistent mileage and if you feel the need to pick up your pace, do so in small intervals

If you are interested in gaining more knowledge about ways to prevent such discomfort and pain be sure to visit these websites!

http://running.competitor.com/2014/08/injury-prevention/beating-runners-knee_143/2

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20600281,00.html

Additional Sources:

http://www.details.com/story/health-myth-running-is-bad-for-your-knees

http://fca.com/4-common-myths-about-easing-arthritis-pain/

Most of our everyday activities are revolved around the use of smart phones, laptops, televisions, and other electronic devices. We greatly rely on these products which makes it almost impossible to imagine what life would be like without them. Technology at your fingertips makes it easier to communicate, share documents, record videos, snap pictures, and etc. People become so wrapped up in the newest iPhone or the newest Macbook that they tend to lose sight in what is happening around them. Now, don’t get me wrong I am all for technology and I probably wouldn’t be able to accomplish half of what I accomplish in a day without my laptop or cell phone. However, that might just be the problem. We tend to focus on only the good that comes out of technology, which blinds us to all of the disadvantages that come alongside.

Who would have thought that you would be able to communicate with someone halfway across the world? Or even capture a picture and then instantly share it with all of your friends on social media. It seems as though most problems can be solved with the assistance of your smart phone. If you’re lost then you can use the maps app, if you need to quickly look up something then you can access information via safari. You name it and an app will save it. Life made easy with just the touch of a fingertip. Now a days it seems like almost everything is online or can be done with the use of a smart phone, which makes us extremely hooked on technology. Why go to dinner with a friend when you can just FaceTime with them and have the same effect. We all believe that technology is improving relationships when really it could be destroying them. Dependency on these electronics makes it extremely undesirable for people to stray away from them.

How many times have you been hanging out with friends and over 75% of your conversations or activities revolved around social media and technology? It is extremely horrifying to see a group of people sitting at a table with their eyes glued to their own phones, and not engaging in any conversation at all. All we have to do is simply not take these devices for granted, and use them when appropriate and in moderation.

Technology can be a blessing or a curse, and it is up to the user to control how they let it impact their lives.

“Sugar, spice, and everything nice” has been a commonly used saying for decades, but now if you were to ask someone about sweeteners they my say “Splenda, spice, and everything nice”. Artificial sweeteners are becoming increasingly popular throughout our society. For a variety of people, there is nothing more appealing to them than the two words; “zero calories”. For that reason, artificial sweeteners are preferred by many. The most common sweeteners include: sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), neotame, and saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet’N Low). Most of these sweeteners are created by replacing the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in sugar molecules with chlorine atoms. 

Now you may wonder why using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar is such a big deal, and one main reason is that these sweeteners can lead to health problems, possibly even cancer. Due to this concern, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has placed limitations and regulations on the consumption and the production of artificial sweeteners. As a result, all of these products must be reviewed and approved by the FDA before they hit the shelves. Laboratory studies have been conducted that have linked artificial sweeteners to cancer. In the early 1970s experiments with rats resulted in the discovery that saccharin lead to the development of bladder cancer. However, these results did not always apply to humans leaving researchers with no clear evidence until Aspartame came into the picture. Aspartame contains methanol which is bound to pectic (a fiber which enables methanol to move through your body without being metabolized). According to an article, since pectic is never metabolized it transforms into formaldehyde which impacts your body dramatically. Formaldehyde is most commonly found in paint remover and can be just as poisoning as ethyl alcohol. By allowing such harmful toxins into your body, you are putting yourself at higher risk for developing cancer. 

Artificial sweeteners can also make it extremely difficult for an individual to lose weight. This statement is shocking to most people considering all of these artificial sweeteners contain zero calories. Purdue scientists conclude that “fake sugar in diet sodas teases your body by pretending to give it real food. But when your body doesn’t get the things it expects, it becomes confused on how to respond.” So even though you make think you are intaking zero calories, your body is simply not satisfied by these products which will lead you to eat more than you would have if you had just eaten regular sugar.

Just like most products out there, using them in moderation isn’t going to completely kill you. You just have to be aware of the potential risks and make smart healthy decisions when substituting these products into your foods.

“Sugar, spice, and everything nice” has been a commonly used saying for decades, but now if you were to ask someone about sweeteners they my say “Splenda, spice, and everything nice”. Artificial sweeteners are becoming increasingly popular throughout our society. For a variety of people, there is nothing more appealing to them than the two words; “zero calories”. For that reason, artificial sweeteners are preferred by many. The most common sweeteners include: sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One), aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), neotame, and saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet’N Low). Most of these sweeteners are created by replacing the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in sugar molecules with chlorine atoms. 

Now you may wonder why using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar is such a big deal, and one main reason is that these sweeteners can lead to health problems, possibly even cancer. Due to this concern, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has placed limitations and regulations on the consumption and the production of artificial sweeteners. As a result, all of these products must be reviewed and approved by the FDA before they hit the shelves. Laboratory studies have been conducted that have linked artificial sweeteners to cancer. In the early 1970s experiments with rats resulted in the discovery that saccharin lead to the development of bladder cancer. However, these results did not always apply to humans leaving researchers with no clear evidence until Aspartame came into the picture. Aspartame contains methanol which is bound to pectic (a fiber which enables methanol to move through your body without being metabolized). According to an article, since pectic is never metabolized it transforms into formaldehyde which impacts your body dramatically. Formaldehyde is most commonly found in paint remover and can be just as poisoning as ethyl alcohol. By allowing such harmful toxins into your body, you are putting yourself at higher risk for developing cancer. 

Artificial sweeteners can also make it extremely difficult for an individual to lose weight. This statement is shocking to most people considering all of these artificial sweeteners contain zero calories. Purdue scientists conclude that “fake sugar in diet sodas teases your body by pretending to give it real food. But when your body doesn’t get the things it expects, it becomes confused on how to respond.” So even though you make think you are intaking zero calories, your body is simply not satisfied by these products which will lead you to eat more than you would have if you had just eaten regular sugar.

Just like most products out there, using them in moderation isn’t going to completely kill you. You just have to be aware of the potential risks and make smart healthy decisions when substituting these products into your foods.

Early mornings, a time period that a majority of college students painfully dread. The moment my alarm clock goes off, I lay in bed and think about how long it is going to be until I return to my bed yet again. As I stumble out of my bed half awake I attempt to get dressed in the dark, since it is way too early for any light. Thinking about the long day of classes I have ahead of me all I want to do is crawl back into bed, but the only thing keeping me semi awake is the thought of breakfast.

For years now I’m sure that everyone has always heard the phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and that “you should NEVER skip it”. These may seem like silly myths, but breakfast really is crucial to your health. John L. Ivy from the University of Texas at Austin states that “breakfast is a critical meal because it influences practically every dimension of our being during the course of the day, including how we perform physically and mentally.” Without breakfast, individuals are putting themselves at risk for lacking energy as well as low carbohydrate levels, which will take a toll on your body throughout the day.

Not only does skipping breakfast impact people physically but also mentally. As college students, we have extremely heavy workloads which require a lot of thinking and focusing. Believe it or not, breakfast has a huge impact on cognitive functioning and performance throughout the day. According to my source, “if we fail to replenish our carbohydrate stores during the early morning hours, the resulting low blood glucose levels can adversely affect our ability to concentrate and perform mental tasks.” Therefore, in order to be efficient during your day it is extremely crucial to eat a healthy breakfast early in the morning. Many people say that they don’t have enough time for breakfast in the morning, or that they just simply aren’t hungry yet. If that is the case there are many methods and tips that can help one eat a quick yet healthy breakfast. 

People who are trying to lose weight tend to think that skipping breakfast is one of the key ingredients to weight loss. However, skipping breakfast may lead to the complete opposite of weight loss. Chief dietitian Milton Stokes, quotes “people skip breakfast thinking they’re cutting calories, but by mid morning and lunch, that person is starved.” Thus causing these individuals to snack heavily throughout the day, and then binge eating for
lunch and dinner. In the long run these behaviors will lead to unhealthy eating styles and the possibility of weight gain. According to nutrition manager Elisabetta Politi “when you don’t eat breakfast, you’re actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you’re not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight.”

Next time you consider skipping breakfast, think again and remember that this decision will only backfire on you and your health.

We all know the amazing feeling of laying on a beach and feeling the sun beaming down on us. For as many summers as I can remember I have spent 90% of my time lounging out by a pool, or sitting oceanside on the beach. Not only did I love the beach and pool atmosphere but I loved to be tan. Many girls can relate to the fact that being tan seems to “make everything better”. As fall rolls around each year and the tans gradually begin to fade many people search for alternate ways to maintain their beautifully tanned skin. Teens tend to turn to spray tans or even lay in tanning beds.  

Some teenagers will say that spray tanning or tanning beds are harmless, and that they will only do it once or twice. However, according to Robin L. Hornung, MD, “Frequent tanners exhibit signs of both physical and psychological dependence.” As well as stating that “when a substance causes physical dependency, repeated use of that substance causes symptoms of increased tolerance, craving, and withdrawal”. For most people, a simple spray tan or tanning bed would not trigger individuals to think of the prolonged effects. Fake tanning is commonly perceived as image- enhancing, which can potentially lead to improvements in mood. According to my source, “UV Light has been shown to increase release of opioid- like endorphins, feel-good chemicals that relieve pain and generate feelings of well-being, potentially leading to dependency.” These euphoric effects caused by fake tanning make it almost impossible for frequent tanners to quit.

Who would have thought that fake tanning could mentally affect you as well? Many frequent tanners participated in studies, reporting that “repeated use of that substance causes symptoms of increased tolerance, craving, and withdrawal”. which concluded that tanning resulted in psychological dependence. Aside from the mental effects, fake tanning can be very harmful to your physical health as well. Studies have proven that extreme exposure to  ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun or from indoor tanning machines increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Skin cancer is becoming increasingly prevalent throughout todays society. However, with that being said, skin cancer is also one of the most preventable diseases, and there are numerous actions you can take in order to decrease your risks.

For further information on how to reach out to someone experiencing a tanning addiction you can visit http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/tanning/teens

Whenever I would see people talking at their phone instead of holding it directly to their face I would kind of just stare at them out of confusion. Whether it was neurotic people telling me that cellphone usage can damage the brain, or news articles, I always just disregarded it because I didn’t believe it. The more I heard people talk about this issue, the more I began to believe it. With the advances in technology, alongside with the dependency on technology, this issue poses a huge threat to modern day society.

Numerous studies have been conducted in order to prove the severity of this issue. Professor Dr. Henry Lai from the University of Washington notes that “even tiny doses of radio frequency can cumulate over time and lead to harmful effects. He warns that public exposure to radiation from wireless transmitters “should be limited to minimal.” Even the cell phone company Motorola has issued warnings regarding cell phone use, as well as providing consumers with advice on how to prevent exposure to radiation. My source discussed many harmful effects that extensive cell phone use can have on the body. Some include: “damage nerves in the scalp, memory loss and mental confusion, joint pain, muscle spasms, etc.” A leading brain imagining researcher for the National Institute of Health Nora D. Volkow concludes that “after just 50 minutes of cell phone exposure, the emitted radiation increases brain cell activity in the region closest to the cell phone antenna”, thus leading to extreme health effects.         

Many people will read these articles yet still revert back to their everyday extensive cell phone usage. Those individuals need to take note and realize that by placing their cell phone directly to their face will in time pose serious health risks. You may think that this is just a silly topic, but in reality, this topic is very relevant to everyday activity, as Professor Lennart Hardell states that “those who begin using cell phones heavily as teenagers have 4 to 5 times more brain cancer as young adults!”

Now, just because cell phone usage can lead to serious brain damage, that does not mean that users should completely stop using their phones. There are multiple changes you can make in order to reduce the cancer risk from cell phone usage. 

Hi Guys,

I’m Marisa DeFilippo and I am currently a freshman here at Penn State. I am from Potomac, MD which is about 45 minutes outside of Washington, DC. Since I am in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, I have not declared a major yet. For the time being, I am trying to take as many classes as I can, especially the ones that will count towards my general education credits. I am not becoming a science major since I never really understood science that well. I decided to take this course to become more aware of things happening in the science field, as well as expanding my knowledge.

Here is a picture of my dog named Buddy. He is a cockapoo and is about one year old.