Nicotine addiction in teens at all-time high

By: Elizabeth Lavender

Nicotine addictions amongst college students is at an all time high. But the most common question is how vaping sales have remained such an issue among younger individuals since their rise in popularity in 2016.

Dr. Douglas Phillips, explains that “even though this addiction recovery would be fairly simple, and fast, I would presume that the temptation from how common they are is holding individuals back from recovery."

A New York Times article, also attributes the addiction rise to individuals being away from their parents for the first time. With this separation and lack of rules, students are able to experiment more freely without parental guidance.

“I think when younger students are able to do whatever they want, with younger individuals, these temptations are easily turned into the social normal,” said Dr. Phillips.

Kelby Smith, Georgia Southern University graduate, claims she only started vaping because all of her friends vaped while they were drinking in college.

“It was always just a drinking thing, we shared them when we would go out”, said Smith. But even though it just started as a weekend habit, the habit has grown to a daily activity. “I still buy disposable vapes before work, because I have to be awake very late for my job, and it helps when we’re busy,” said Smith. 

Kelby is one of many college students who have had a vaping addiction develop throughout their college career.

The easy accessibility of these devices being placed in corner stores, as well as their fruity, sweet flavors, has made the opportunity to get hooked even higher. While students are awake late studying, or even out with friends, these easily accessible nicotine devices have added a quick habit to their everyday life styles.

Current Georgia Southern University student, Elizabeth Love, claims that the temptation for vaping was never intriguing to her.

“I think even though everyone else was doing it, the first couple of times I tried it grossed me out,” said Love. She continued that coughing while attempting was uninteresting to her.

“I would watch people waste their money, and we would have to stop on the way to events if someone was out,” said Love, continuing how the habit seemed like it would be annoying to her. 

Love is not alone, many students have resisted temptation and do not partake in smoking habits. In 2021, the Center for Disease Control estimated over 2 million youth individuals have current nicotine addictions.

While these addictions are not seemingly ending soon, there have been multiple CDC bans on certain flavors to hopefully curve the numbers of the addicted.

Which CPU is Best 4 U: a guide to the benefits of building a custom PC

By: Addie Robinson 

With a higher platform for online gaming, and the more and more people have begun to take their office to their homes, a need for a personalized computer is more than ever. More and more over the recent years people have started building their own personal computers, picking every single piece of hardware by hand and putting them together. This can be a time consuming and expensive process, but what exactly makes this worth it?

“I spent about eleven hundred dollars total on all of my parts. I got all of my parts over a span of about two months and I actually built it all in a span of about 3 hours when I finally got all of my parts.” Said Jacob Daley, a sophomore computer science major at Georgia Southern who built his own PC. 

“It’s honestly been great having one because it was an upgrade from my old laptop so I can play more hardware intensive games and software and I like having a larger workspace and screen when I do my schoolwork.” What all goes into building a custom PC? There are some main parts that go into the build that one would need: a CPU, a graphics card, a motherboard, RAM, a PSU, and of course a monitor and keyboard. 

A CPU includes the instructions and the processing power that connects everything together. It is like the ‘brain’ of the computer, telling the organs what to do and providing them with the power to do so, but having the capabilities to do the actions themselves. The CPU has many functions alongside that, according to SmartBuyer, the CPU is responsible for the cache memory, which is the assistant memory provided to the central (RAM) memory, Threads, which are the individual tasks it can execute, and the cores, which are responsible for how fast it runs. The graphics card is the prized possession for any PC builder. The graphics card is responsible for all of the visuals the monitor produces. This is typically most important to a lot of PC builders because of the aesthetics it produces. While it is less important as far as how the computer itself runs, the importance is made in the fact that this is the only part of the PC that’s quality can be seen directly on the screen.  The motherboard is what works with the CPU that communicates with the other parts to execute a function. While the CPU is the brain, the motherboard would be like the central nervous system. Motherboards and CPUs do have to be compatible however, because of the amount of power they would require being fed to it. RAM, as previously mentioned, is the short-term memory the PC has that allows it to run programs and applications. On average, the average user would be satisfied with 8 gigabytes of RAM, however, those that use larger applications, such as video or photo editing softwares, animation software, or games with a large amount of file space, would be better off with larger amounts of RAM, such as 12 or 16 gigabytes.  A PSU, or Power Supply Unit, is responsible for distributing the appropriate amount of power. This will help with the longevity and stability of the PC and will make sure that only the appropriate amount of power is being provided to the PC. As far as monitors and keyboards go, like the graphics card these have a major role in the aesthetics of the PC, as well as the functionality. In keyboards, ones with customizable key caps are common, because it provides the user with a choice of what kind of feel, sound, and speed their keys will have.  Like the rest of the PC, a lot of keyboards are also heavily customizable. For example, if one were to buy a keyboard that has the correct aesthetics that the user wants, but does not have the right feel or sound, the user can purchase pieces called ‘switches’ that can change how the keycaps feel or sound. 

What started out as a hobby for technology enthusiasts has grown into a massive industry, and now a custom pc is almost an industry standard in some places. On the surface, the appeal for a custom PC is the same as the appeal for anything custom made; the user has the choice to prioritize what they want while not having to sacrifice any features in the process. The process goes deeper than that though.  The average cost of building a custom PC can range anywhere from $800 to $2000 according to CliffyB, a PC building guide website. The opportunity to include nearly any features you want in your custom computer is one of the main benefits to building a PC.  There are different features one can choose for the different functions they want their PC to do. Someone who is more of a gamer might choose different parts for their PC than someone who is going to use it for video editing, and ultimately that is the main appeal for building your own personal computer. 

On the surface, one would see the cost of building a PC and be immediately turned off, but the benefits the user would have after completing the build would ultimately make the price worth it. Being able to mix and match parts and pieces to fulfill individual needs and goals is something you would not be able to find with a pre-built PC. This is why those who use desktop computers are starting to make the switch. 

Sleep deprivation in college students is a common, concerning issue

 

 

By Austin Carter

Consistently being able to get the necessary eight hours of sleep every night can be quite difficult, especially for college students. Whether partying, studying or cramming assignments, students often sacrifice sleep without considering the implications that come with it. 

 

Sleep deprivation is increasingly common, affecting approximately one-third of adults in the United States, according to Sleep Foundation. Over half of all college students get less than seven hours of sleep each night, according to Harvard Summer School. Consistent sleep deprivation of this sort impacts a person’s cognitive abilities and mood, and also contributes to drowsiness during the day. 

 

Lifepoint Medical nurse practitioner Hannah Wilker noted that sleep disorders such as insomnia can be developed as a result of consistent sleep deprivation. To combat this, she described the importance of sleep hygiene, which involves limiting stimuli that keep a person’s mind active. “Avoiding using your phone prior to sleeping, avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon and keeping your bedroom dark and cool, things like that are good sleep hygiene,” said Wilker. 

 

Pulling an all-nighter can be considered a staple in the life of a college student. The impact that periods of acute sleep deprivation such as this can have on a person are drastic, but generally ignored. Students prioritize powering through an assignment or having fun with friends in those cases because they are unaware of how much an all-nighter affects them. 

 

Staying awake for 24 hours straight can have the same cognitive impairment effects as a blood alcohol content of 0.1%, higher than the legal limit of 0.08%, according to the CDC. Cognitive impairment to that extent can be dangerous for driving and diminishes reaction time. 

 

Sleep deprivation can also serve as an obstacle by causing students to miss out on certain aspects of every-day life. “This semester with my 8 a.m.’s, I have slept through a lot of those,” said Becca Lerzo, junior at Georgia Southern University. “Then sometimes if I take naps, I’ll only want to sleep for 30 minutes, but it’ll end up being like three hours.”

 

Allowing sleep deprivation to reach that extent is harmful to a student’s grades, social life and overall health. Beyond just the immediate impacts, consistent lack of sleep can have lingering effects that can be felt for an extended period afterward.

 

Reed Johnson has been out of college for over a year and still feels the impact of his poor sleeping habits. “I did all-nighters in college and it was bad on my body, and I still have not really recovered to this day,” Johnson said. While Johnson already suffers from sleep apnea, his habits of neglecting sleep altogether took a toll and would leave him feeling continuously exhausted. 

 

It is unrealistic to expect college students not to have relatively poor sleeping habits due to the nature of being in college to begin with, but it is important that students understand what they are doing to their body with continuous neglect of sleep. Impaired cognition as a result of an all-nighter could lead to lower quality work being done, negating the purpose of staying up all night in the first place. 

 

Balancing the negative effects is what it comes down to for students. Being able to keep a good sleep schedule that is relatively consistent while also partaking in other usual college activities should be the ultimate goal.

Breathe in, breathe out: Climate change’s effect on human respiratory health

By: Joshua Jones

The doom and gloom predictions of climate change may be a distant threat in the minds of many, but for those with respiratory issues, it is a very real problem.

Climate change has occurred naturally long before humans were around, but since the time of the Industrial Revolution, humanity has been a driving force behind these shifts in temperature and weather patterns, according to the United Nations.

Used for most of the world’s energy, industrial and transportation needs, fossil fuels, when burned, release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane into Earth’s atmosphere. These emissions trap the heat of the sun, raising temperatures globally.

What this looks like is earlier and longer warm seasons and more frequent extreme heat events, which can lead to complications for everyone, especially people with respiratory illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alan Harvey, professor of biology at Georgia Southern University, said that more carbon dioxide and longer-lasting warm periods will increase the amount of pollen in the air due to greater plant growth during those times.

While this just means a runny nose for most, a greater pollen count can trigger asthma attacks and cause more people with respiratory illnesses to be hospitalized, according to the CDC. In fact, medical costs related to pollen exceed $3 billion every year.

“If you’re starting just a couple of days earlier every year, and pollen levels are 5% higher than they were the last year, that accumulates pretty drastically over the course of a couple decades,” said Harvey.

Furthermore, when extreme heat events occur, there is a higher concentration of pollutants in the air, which can exacerbate asthma and lead to airway inflammation, according to a team of researchers at the University of Maryland and Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Lissa Leege, a biology professor at GSU, said that a lot of these respiratory problems come from tropospheric ozone, a pollutant formed when nitrous oxides from vehicle exhaust combine with heat and sunlight.

This ground-level ozone can diminish lung function and could lead to 1,000 to 4,300 additional premature deaths in the United States by 2050 if no action is taken, according to the CDC.
An additional concern with rising temperatures is drought, especially because of the increased frequency of wildfires in dry areas, according to the CDC.

On top of the loss of life and property damage that could occur if a fire breaks out, wildfire smoke contains particulate matter, greenhouse gases and ozone precursors that not only affect the area but locations downwind of the fire. This can increase hospitalizations and medical visits, as well as the dispensing of medicine for asthma, bronchitis, COPD and other respiratory infections.
Another consequence of climate change is rising sea levels, which happens as glaciers and ice sheets melt and water volume expands as it warms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

In coastal communities, this can cause “sunny-day flooding,” in which water seeps into homes and other structures leading to problems such as mold growth, said Leege.

Mold can worsen respiratory issues for those allergic if touched or inhaled, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

While respiratory issues are not the only concern, the effects of climate change have already impacted many who do suffer from them, and this will continue to get worse if no change is made.

However, Leege was adamant that the fight against climate change is not lost if people can band together, though she added that it is now more an issue of adapting to current conditions than fixing the damage that has been done.

This includes planting trees, building sand dunes, which are natural barriers from rising tides, and trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“I can’t give up hope that we as humans can’t turn this around,” said Leege. “We know the solutions to the problem, it’s just the political will to get things done.”

Graphic by Joshua Jones

Concerns over avian flu spread as bald eagles are being infected in Georgia

Freedom the bald eagle, Georgia Southern's mascot. Photo By: Kaz Thomas

By: Kaz Thomas

The University of Georgia is identifying new cases of avian flu spreading across the state, notably affecting bald eagles.

 Avian flu, or Influenza A has not previously been identified in Georgia’s bald eagles, making this development a new risk for the species. The population is currently labeled as “Least Concern” after being endangered until 2007.

 The nest success rate for bald eagles on Georgia’s coast was found to be over 30% lower than usual, with avian flu “playing a substantial role in that remarkably substantial drop,” according to Bob Sargent, a program manager for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. 

Wild birds such as bald eagles fly long distances during winter migrations to warm climates, increasing the risk of avian flu in birds from each area. This makes social poultry such as chickens and ducks more susceptible to the virus as wild species fly in. 

Unfortunately infected birds must be culled to prevent the spread of the disease. “I’ve heard about it and learned that they stopped allowing chickens to be sold or traded at certain places, but not all,” said hobbyist poultry farmer Lilly Johnson. “I haven’t seen any affected by it though, and I hope it doesn’t get bad.” 

In order to keep the domesticated birds healthy, Johnson uses “medicated feed” as well as doing daily cleaning for their water pools. 

Some farmers use vaccines to keep their poultry free of common ailments such as bronchitis, Fowl Pox and cholera. 

Avian flu vaccines are available but not widely used since it makes it difficult to monitor symptoms of an outbreak, a method known as “surveillance testing” for visual signs of sickness in the birds. In addition, an effective avian flu vaccine is still being developed to withstand constant mutations the virus may undergo.

 According to OSHA, the symptoms of avian flu in birds is “sudden death; lack of energy, appetite, and coordination; purple discoloration and/or swelling of various body parts; diarrhea; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; and reduced egg production and/or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs.” 

This strain of bird flu is currently not affecting humans, though it has made the jump to other bird species. According to the CDC, domestic poultry and wild species may contract avian flu by “direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces that have been contaminated with the viruses.” 

Georgia Southern’s Wildlife Center in Statesboro maintains a large collection of wild-born raptors and domestic waterfowl, including a bald eagle known as Freedom, the school mascot.

 Bald eagles are central to the identity of Georgia Southern students and faculty, and Freedom flies over the Allen E. Paulson Stadium at every major event. 

“The bird flu is concerning especially for the wild population, bald eagles made such a good comeback from the endangered species list,” said Scott Courdin, Wildlife Curator of Georgia Southern. 

“Bird flu, it’s something that happens yearly. It does hit different parts of the United States, oftentimes it’s very localized and doesn’t go very far. Sometimes it spreads much farther and it affects a lot more birds than just bald eagles.”

 Domestic poultry infections are of high concern since the birds are raised in close proximity to each other. Raptors at the Wildlife Center are fed with domestic poultry such as farm raised quail and chicks as well as rodents.

 “If my quail producer had to eliminate his flock, we still have the mice and rats. We have other options if one of those food sources were to go down.” Courdin said. 

Though some of the raptors are housed in open air sections, Courdin explained that it was highly unlikely for an infected bird to land among them. The territorial nature of the captive birds in addition to the varied species causes wild populations to be repelled quickly. 

Currently eagle deaths have been confirmed in Chatham, Glynn and Liberty county, concentrated in northern Georgia. 

Epidemiologists are monitoring the avian flu strain as it spreads across the United States, pointing towards a trend of mass poultry die offs.