Hello, Eda here: full-time learner, part-time writer, and pretty much a happy amateur at everything else. My hobbies include reading, discovering new movies, and looking at the pictures of my cat. On campus, you can find me peer supporting for the Mental Health Union and SAPA, writing for Spare Rib, doing research in psychology, or listening to Turkish & English alt-rock. Feel free to ask me about taking a gap year, transitioning to a new cultural space, or college in general!
This class discusses the concepts of sex and gender in the broader context of issues related to race, class, national identity, and more. I loved this class because it helped me better understand how systemic inequality affects individual lives and made me think about ways to change it. Professor A'Ness is such an inspiring prof!
In this first-year writing seminar, we discussed how avant-garde movements from futurism to punk rock have constituted a rebellion against the status quo. I loved all the readings for this class and Professor McCann inspired me to take more courses in the English department!
In this course, we learned all the basics of fiction: character, plot, setting, etc. My favorite parts of the course were receiving feedback from other students, reading my peers' work, and having fiction readings as assigned course work! I also appreciated all the guest speakers we had, who were experienced writers in their respective genres.
As an aspiring clinical psychologist, this course has been one of the best classes I have taken at Dartmouth so far. The class focused on the etiology, diagnosis, characteristics and treatment of various mental disorders. Professor Hudenko has been one of the greatest lectures I had the pleasure of meeting. As a clinical psychologist himself, he had extensive knowledge in not only the theory, but also the practice of clinical psychology. He also succeeded in making a lecture-based class feel interactive and dynamic.
We covered the complex neural and biological mechanisms of multiple mental health disorders ranging from common conditions like anxiety to more complicated illnesses such as schizophrenia. In addition to reading about the cutting-edge research in this area, we also read memoirs and watched documentaries about the mental illnesses to focus on how these conditions are affecting people in real life. Professor Funnell is one of the best profs I had!
As an aspiring clinical psychologist, this has been one of my favorite classes at Dartmouth. We learned about different therapy methods, how and when to use them, their advantages, and shortcomings. The class was incredibly engaging with Professor Hudenko's frequent demonstrations of methods, therapy videos, and guest speakers. I would recommend this class to every psychology major.
I worked at Dimock Health Center as part of my community health internship. I was part of a team of summer interns who were college students like myself. We worked as patient advocates that helped people reach out to resources regarding housing, food, utilities, etc. Most of our work involved calling patients, helping them fill out forms, and researching resources. I learned so much about community health resources and how to communicate with a diverse set of patients. It was an invaluable experience!
I took classes in the School of English and Drama at Queen Mary University of London. My favorite class of the term was called London Performance Now, which involved going to different performance events in London and discussing them in class. It was the perfect opportunity to explore the cultural landscape of London.
As the title of the course suggests, this class was about food: its history, economics, and cultural practices. I learned a lot through this course thanks to guest speakers, thought-provoking readings, and engaging assignments. My favorite assignment in this course was writing about a family recipe; I learned so much about my family's history as well as the cultural conflicts in my home country. Overall, it was among the best classes I have taken at Dartmouth. Plus, we even got to eat delicious food cooked by our classmates!
I guess this was inevitable. Here is the compulsory blog post on my favorite study spots on campus, and what I like studying for in each of them.
Sherman
On a regular day, you can find me studying in the Sherman Art Library, which, as its name implies, houses the art history and studio art books as well as materials supporting the Hood Museum of Art. I usually study in the inner room connecting Baker-Berry Library to Sherman, which has a collection of the newest editions of art magazines, comfy armchairs, and desks beside the large windows. These desks are my favorite study spot on campus because of all the natural light they receive, the gorgeous view from the window, and the whole aesthetic of the window frames themselves. Plus, I can zone out as much as I want while studying. The actual Sherman Library is also gorgeous with its high ceiling, wooden walls, and huge fireplace. I also love Sherman because of its location. Sherman is connected to Carpenter Hall, where the office of Spare Rib, the intersectional feminist magazine, is located. I can simply take a shortcut to the Spare Rib office on meeting days. I cannot think of anything I don't like about Sherman.
Sanborn
I didn't start as a Sanborn fan, which is off-brand for me as a potential English literature major. Sanborn Library is run by the English and creative writing department. The first time I visited Sanborn was for the English department open house during New Student Orientation. I loved the coziness of the atmosphere with the armchairs by the windows, the soft lighting, and the smell of old books. But I have found the library too cozy to do work in the evenings because my eyelids tend to get heavy. The spell of the armchairs is just too strong to resist. Nowadays, I go to Sanborn on weekend mornings to work on essays or evenings to do some readings that require a certain level of comfort for motivation's sake. Another thing I love about Sanborn is the John Milton Reading Room, which we refer to as the Poetry Room. We used to have CRWT 10: Introduction to Fiction in the Poetry Room, which has a dome-like ceiling that makes the sound echo throughout the room. The weird acoustics of the room ended up adding a lot to our learning experience in the classroom. Sanborn is a perfect example of how different rooms in the library have such hidden surprises and secrets that make them unique.
Irving
The library and the study spaces in the Irving Institute Building are my new favorite study spots for the finals period. I usually find my other favorite study spaces packed with people during the finals. That's why I followed my roommate to Irving when they promised there would not be as many people there. And they were right. Irving is slightly farther from the center of the campus and is closer to the graduate schools on campus, so there are more grad students than undergrads in Irving. It has become my ideal finals grind spot for one other reason: the Fern. The Fern is one of the newest dining locations on campus. Their sandwiches are the perfect lunch in between studying for different finals without having to change location. The Irving building is special because it has multiple clean energy and sustainability features. It houses the Irving Institute for Energy after all!
Now that I exposed all my favorite study spots I can call myself a real blogger. Until next time!
In the Winter term of 2024, I composed and performed an hour-long, avant-garde concert as the culmination of the grant award. Here is more on my experiences with research as a musician.
Sometimes in my courses I find myself thinking, "Hey that seems familiar!" I think it speaks to Dartmouth professors' ability to cover a broad range of relevant topics and the interdisciplinary nature of the College.
