Modules & Mardi Gras

 February service hours: 0

Total semester service hours: 2

The month of February was interesting, as always, and it was very nice to have the Tulane spring break that coincided with Mardi Gras for the first time. In college, teachers were usually understanding about returning home for Mardi Gra; we certainly did not have breaks based around it. I appreciated the break timing especially because Mardi Gras is such a big part of New Orleans culture and traditions. For the last two years, I have had the pleasure of riding in Rex on Mardi Gras day with my father (pictured above). Being so close to my family, I love any opportunity to spend quality time with my parents or siblings, so this was no different. It was a long day with the heat, but nothing beats riding with a family member and being able to spread joy and cheer with something as simple as a throw of a bead. 

Aside from Mardi Gras, the modules we had during the month of February were the Reproductive module and part of the Neuro module, both of which peaked my interest. They overlap with a lot of subjects that I am passionate about. The reproductive module goes into detail about hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, which are closely related to many processes in the body. Testosterone and its relation to muscle mass and therefore sports performance helped me engage with the information because of my love of sports and exercise. Additionally, the Pharmacology program did an excellent job covering estrogen and connecting it to relevant drugs such as contraceptives. Whenever a subject can be connected to real life scenarios, it facilitates my learning about the material. The Pharmacology program has done an excellent job of this as a whole, which I really appreciate.

After the Reproductive module, we had part of the Neuro Module to end the month of February. I have always been very keen on talking through one's struggles or being available for others to talk to me if they are ever struggling with anything. The Neuro module gave us more insight into the inner-workings of the brain and different hormones or neurotransmitters that can greatly affect your mindset and body. Although I do not have a background in Neuro from undergraduate college, this has made the module feel easy and enjoyable to learn so far. I look forward to finishing up another module and seeing where the Pharm program takes us next.

I was unable to complete any community service hours this month, but I am excited to get more engaged in the community in the following months.

Edward Benjamin