Mycelium On the Brain

In a few more hours I will have to take my final exam in fungi. Right now, I'm thinking fungi isn't very fun. I wish there was an option to not take the final if the rest of your performance in class has been good. That is to say, if a student has near perfect attendance, or does well on the first battery of tests, or something like that, there should be an option to not take the final. I was in a class like that, and it was interesting because I opted to take the final anyways. (I was more curious to see how much I know.) Right now, I feel as if I'm being made to know, and that takes out the enjoyment I would have gotten out of class.

To nevadi.

Perhaps what I really wish for are some priorities. There is a lot of information. Dr. S is going to be the expert; he is a PhD  after all. (Hey, it's a bit easier for him since he's probably taught this class several times...) If I could only remember three things from this class, what should those things be?

On the top of my list is poisonous mushrooms. Eventually I'd like to go out and hunt for mushrooms myself, so this bit of information (how to id and eat mushrooms safely) is particularly important...to me.

At this point, my brain is too mush(roomy?) to think about the how and the why.

The second point is probably along the lines of mycoses, especially those that affect people. 

The third point would be...balance. A lot of stories in this course involve fungus attacking animals, our food, and us. The key is balance. What tips the balance in favor of fungus? Fungus can hurt or help us depending on what role they get cast into. They are always present, and they will always be present long after I'm gone. How do we get them to play nicely with us?