Hello, it is I - Santina Duarte - reporting live from Calgary for a change of pace. I have officially survived my first semester of grad school, everyone. We made it.

And listen… it almost broke me. Daily crash-outs, so many cockroaches, fighting with admin, learning how to live alone... and yet, here we are. Still standing. Mostly.

So after desperately needing a more chill episode, this week I’m breaking down the top 10 things I learned during my first semester of grad school. From lab dynamics and classes to depanneurs decorated like submarines, this episode is a candid (and slightly unhinged) collection of lessons, reflections, and tips from my first few months of becoming a grad student.

As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening and remember that when people do you dirty, ask yourself what would 50 Cent do.

This week, we’re talking about that strangely heavy feeling you get when you go home after a significant life change — the “everything is the same, but I’m not” moment. We’re unpacking the neuroscience and psychology behind growing apart from people, outgrowing old versions of yourself, and why returning home can feel like stepping into a past life.

We’ll break down how your brain processes major transitions, why nostalgia hits harder around the holidays, and why drifting from old friends or familiar places activates real social-pain circuits. We’ll talk about identity shifts, reverse culture shock, autobiographical memory, and what actually helps when you feel disconnected from the place (and people) who once defined you.

If you’ve ever gone home for Christmas and felt like a visitor in your own story — this episode is for you.

A mix of neuroscience, vulnerability, and seasonal bittersweetness… welcome to Stick Season for the brain.

As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening, and I am going to go to bed now since I have the literal plague (please send chicken noodle soup + cold medication)

Hi, it's me, Santina Duarte, the girl in your lab who has like 800 pets and is quite literally a crazy cat lady, and this week we are talking pets. Have you ever thought about how your pet all of a sudden hates your ex when you break up? Or how can they pick out your friends in a crowded room, even if they have never met them before? In this week's episode, we explore the neuroscience of the human–animal bond: oxytocin loops, emotional contagion, how pets read our stress signals, and how our brains light up when we’re with them. From third-party social evaluation (yes, your dog can form opinions about people based on how they treat you) to the biology of comfort, attachment, and why animals often feel like family — this is the science behind the connection we feel in our bones.

As per usual, I release a new episode every Monday at 7:00 am EST. You can find me on all podcast platforms and on Instagram at @theplasticitypodcast. Thank you so much for another week of listening, and I am holding space (insert Cynthia Erivo holding just Ariana Grande's finger) for all the new listeners who have joined me :).