'Tis the Season to Be Not So Jolly
When winter sets in, feeling low is often brushed off as “just the winter blues”—but for many students, it’s something more. In ’Tis the Season to Be Not So Jolly, Maya Murali breaks down the science behind seasonal affective disorder, why college students are especially vulnerable, and how to recognize when a bad mood turns into something deeper. Blending accessible science with practical coping strategies and campus resources, this piece offers reassurance, clarity, and a reminder that support is always within reach.
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Canva for CNS
Late nights wrestling with misaligned graphs and default PowerPoint slides are practically a rite of passage for CNS students—but they don’t have to be. In Canva for CNS, Arushi Nath introduces UT’s new partnership with Canva Premium and shows how it’s transforming the way students design research posters, presentations, and study materials. From lab data to resumes, this guide reveals how making science look good can finally be as accessible as doing the science itself.
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An Overly Normalized Cycle
Skipping one lecture to survive another deadline can feel harmless—until it becomes a pattern you can’t escape. In An Overly Normalized Cycle, Kayla Hoang captures the quiet burnout many CNS students know all too well, tracing how optimism turns into overcommitment, fear-driven productivity, and emotional exhaustion. Blending student voices with honest reflection, this piece confronts the academic survival mode we’ve normalized—and offers a gentler, more sustainable way forward.
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The Hidden Hands of the Internet
When Canvas went dark for UT students one October morning, it felt like a minor inconvenience—until it revealed something far bigger. In The Hidden Hands of the Internet, Ethan Trejo unpacks how a single Amazon Web Services outage exposed the quiet dominance of a few corporations that power our digital lives. From cloud computing to banking and media, this piece explores how efficiency and convenience come at the cost of fragility—and why understanding the systems we rely on matters more than ever.
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Brave New World: The Science that Controls Us
In Brave New World, Aldous Huxley imagined a society perfected through science — one without pain, fear, or freedom. Nearly a century later, Sidnee Bell examines how that imagined world mirrors our own, where gene editing, pharmaceuticals, and even architecture quietly shape our choices. Blending literary analysis with modern science, Bell asks a haunting question: when innovation promises comfort and control, how much autonomy are we willing to surrender?
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From Austin Skies To West Texas
From rooftop star parties in the heart of Austin to the sprawling night skies of West Texas, astronomy student Prisha Desai invites readers on a journey through UT’s most awe-inspiring stargazing experiences. With firsthand stories from the PMA and Painter Hall telescopes to the legendary McDonald Observatory, Desai shows how anyone — student or not — can explore the cosmos. Whether you’re chasing Saturn’s rings or the Milky Way’s glow, her guide proves the universe is closer than you think.
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Dorm Days Are Over: Guide to a Sustainable Apartment
Moving off-campus means more space — and more responsibility. In Dorm Days Are Over, Maya Murali turns the chaos of first-apartment life into a blueprint for sustainability, offering clever, low-cost hacks that actually stick. From composting without the smell, to trading bottles for bars, to cutting down microplastics one shampoo at a time, Murali shows that eco-friendly living isn’t about perfection — it’s about progress, one small change at a time.
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Microtrends, Major Impact
Every semester brings a new aesthetic — ruffle socks, Stanley tumblers, Longchamp totes — but beneath the charm of coordinated chaos lies a deeper story about sustainability and status. In Microtrends, Major Impact, Brina Patel dissects how TikTok-fueled fashion cycles turn “eco-friendly” staples into fast-moving symbols of belonging. Through the shimmer of clover charms and the churn of trend culture, she asks: can sustainability survive in a world obsessed with the next new thing?
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A UT Student's Guide to Groceries and Support
In West Campus, where everything is walkable — except a real grocery store — putting food on the table can feel like a full-time job. Arushi Nath explores how UT students navigate food deserts, from long bus rides to rising costs, and highlights the growing support network easing that burden. With resources like UT Outpost, PTS shuttles, and simple, nutritious meal ideas, this guide turns survival into sustainability — proving that eating well in college shouldn’t require a car or a compromise.
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The End of Trial-and-Error Psychiatry?
For decades, psychological treatment has meant playing pharmaceutical roulette — cycling through low-effect medications and hoping one finally sticks. But what if relief didn’t have to take months or years? At Stanford, Dr. Nolan Williams and his team are revolutionizing psychiatry with SAINT, a personalized neuromodulation therapy boasting remission rates nearing 90% in just five days. Jones explores how precision brain stimulation is reshaping our understanding of depression — and may soon make trial-and-error prescribing a thing of the past.
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