With daylight savings and gaining an additional hour, the pace of time feels like it’s slowed down a bit, and I’m really taking advantage of it. In addition to the early sun sets, cooler nights and just getting cozy much earlier, there are so many aspects of this time of year that I love. The colors of the leaves on the trees surrounding campus have changed to brilliant shades of red, orange and gold, as well as the incredible colors of the sun rises and sunsets have been incredibly beautiful. For years, fall has been one of my favorite times of year, and the beauty surrounding me reminds me why.
NUHS Garden Club
I am pleased to report that the Garden Club’s fall harvest cleanup went very well! It was great to have our club members come together to care for the land, clean up the garden beds and get ready for the winter. I also enjoyed seeing our new members get involved and contribute to the cleaning process. Spending a few hours working outdoors, swapping stories and knowledge while helping to care for a place where we’ve worked together to create something amazing is not something I take for granted. I want to thank everyone who gave their time and energy to tending the garden over the course of this year’s growing season, and I look forward to cultivating something new in the coming year!
As the temperature cools, and seasonal sicknesses start spreading, Naturopathic Medicine Student Association (NMSA) is selling elderberry kits! Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) has been used traditionally in herbal medicine for centuries, especially during cold and flu season. The deep purple color of the berry contains Anthocyanin as well as other bioactive compounds with antioxidant effects. Studies have shown that various preparations of elderberry may help shorten the duration or lessen the severity of certain upper respiratory symptoms. I am always thrilled when students show an interest in botanical medicine and create opportunities for others to explore traditional herbal remedies.
Celebrating Halloween
This year was relatively quiet for Halloween since my partner has been fighting off a cold. However, we did manage to spend time doing a few of our annual Halloween activities. Each year we do a pumpkin seed guessing game (where I usually win), and a pumpkin carving competition. This year I carved a picture of someone meditating, while Kahalla carved Calcifer from Howl’s Moving Castle. I think they were both great examples of our respective personalities. We spent the remainder of the night indoors, enjoying each other’s company and making the best of our cozy Halloween at home in our matching PJ’s.
The Gift of Voting
A big topic that’s been on my mind recently has been voting and how important it is to remember those who fought for more people to have access to this fundamental right. I was particularly glad to hear about the South Shore Opera Company of Chicago’s production of Fannie Lou’s, “I’m Sick and Tired,” which celebrates the life and legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer. Fannie Lou Hamer was a Civil Rights Activist who became one of the most powerful voices advocating for Black voting rights in the United States during the 1960s. When she attempted to register to vote in Mississippi in 1962, she experienced the backlash of losing her job and suffering severe physical abuse due to her activism. She never let these challenges stop her from continuing to organize communities, helping form the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and challenging the exclusion of Black voters from the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Her actions brought national focus to the injustices that African Americans faced when trying to exercise their right to vote.
I am grateful that I was able to attend and witness her story being celebrated through opera, especially during election season. Voting is more than simply marking a box on a ballot: it gives voice, advocacy for your community and participation in determining how life will be shaped by those in elected offices. Much of what happens in health care, education, housing and your daily life is a result of decisions made by those holding public office. I hope we continue to recognize the importance of being informed, participating and paying homage to the struggles that allowed us to express ourselves through casting a ballot. From the results of the midterm, it’s affirmed that voting does matter.
Taking a Step Back
With the successful garden harvest, the changing colors of the trees, and warmer nights spent at home, I feel like there are many different ways this season allows us to take a step back. Although there are still lots of classes, board prep and everything else happening quickly, I’m feeling like I’m able to enjoy quieter time in the evenings. I love taking in the beauty around me, and I appreciate those that give these experiences value.
As we head into November, I wish everyone warm days ahead, good health and some opportunity for rest wherever you can find it. While there is still a lot left to accomplish prior to the end of this trimester. I am currently savoring the changing season and all the little things that allow this to be one of my favorite times of year.
