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As a graduate student, Ostrom's journey began in Los Angeles, where she examined water usage in a city marked by scarcity. Her findings were pivotal—communities that communicated about their collective needs were more successful in managing their shared resources. When individuals made decisions regarding water extraction in isolation, depletion was inevitable. Still, through collaboration and open dialogue, groups could establish effective regulations that prevented resource overuse, demonstrating that communication is a powerful dynamic in mitigating the Tragedy.