Mamadou Ndiaye

Out of all the accounts I follow, my favorite would have to be Sam Bentley. He essentially makes feel-good/wholesome news content. Some examples of things he covers on his page are critically endangered wildcats being successfully bred in Scotland, Ecuador giving wild animals legal rights, and goats helping to prevent wildfires in California by mowing down long grass and weeds that humans would otherwise have difficulty removing. I obviously have a preference towards the animal-centric content but his entire page in general amounts to a shot of serotonin every time he pops up on my feed. News for the most part is typically negative and dreary so the positive spin Sam puts on world events is a great change of pace.

Witty, Sardonic, Educational

As a kid, I was always consuming as much zoology/nature-oriented content as I could find. However, not everyone is for watching hour-long documentaries, especially if they don’t have much of an interest in wildlife to begin with. I like to think a book like this can help bridge the gap between those interested in nature and those impartial with its fast-paced humor, colorful depictions, and occasionally NSFW facts and jokes. My aim is that the reader wouldn’t necessarily have to be an animal nerd like I am to find the book entertaining (and if they can take away an obscure animal fact or two to tell their friends, that’s just a bonus). The best compliment I can ever receive is hearing that my book or my videos inspired someone to take more of an interest in the natural world. This book is the marriage between two things I truly enjoy, animal science and making people laugh. So what inspired me to write this book? Long story short, it’s exactly the kind of book I would’ve enjoyed as a kid.

I am a Cancer (shoutout to all the July babies) and if it counts for anything, most people close to me would say it fits me to a T. I’d say certain aspects do apply to me. Cancers are known for their sensitivity and empathy. I think that as a result of growing up in one of the most culturally diverse cities in  – Jersey City – I’ve been able to view things through different lenses and perspectives in a way that I don’t believe I would’ve been able to had I lived somewhere else. I’m definitely more on the laidback side, and lean towards the introverted side at times. At the same time, I can also have stretches of wanting to go out and experience the world and the people outside my little bubble. So while I wouldn’t say the Cancer sign is 100% accurate, a lot of the core traits definitely fit me.

I discovered lofi during a particularly intense exam period in college and have been listening to it regularly ever since. (I’m actually listening to it right now as I write this.) The downtempo/ chill music is great for keeping up morale during an all-night study session but I find it works for so much more, be it as background music during dusk walks through the city, spontaneous car rides, or even just to listen to while napping. I also think the laid-back, calming hip-hop instrumentals perfectly suit my personality. The best way I can describe lofi is “musical dopamine” and would definitely recommend it to help get through tedious tasks or just to relax in general.