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Hi, my name is Rica Dela Cruz and I am a sophomore here at Bryn Mawr. My major is currently undecided, but I am leaning towards biology. I have never taken a neurobiology class before, which is why I wanted to take the class. I have read many articles about the brain and behavior in the NY Times and various magazines, which has made me eager to learn more about the subject and has led me to this class. I am really interested in just about every aspect of this area such as memory, dreams, sleep disorders, brain and behavior differences in genders, mental illness, emotion, evolution of the brain, etc. There is so much to learn about neurobiology and I want to know it all.

I especially would like to learn more about depression. I have a few relatives who have been diagnosed with depression. I want to know why and how people are diagnosed and the brain functions that lead to this type of illness. I also have a strong interest for behavioral differences of people from different cultures. How does being raised within a certain culture affect one's behavior? Moreover, to what degree does the brain affect these behaviors? I lived in the Pacific all my life. I was born and raised on Saipan, an island in Micronesia, and then lived in Hawaii during high school. Since moving to Bryn Mawr, I have noticed some behavioral differences. The mentality of the people, in Micronesia, is somewhat different from those who live on the Mainland US. For example, having children at a young age, such as during your teenage years, is much more prevalent on Saipan and is hardly shunned. In addition, presently in parts of Micronesia, such as the island of Yap, women go topless and view their legs as being sacred, which must always be covered.