Hi, my name is Brandon and I'm a '25 from just outside of Chicago. I study Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies, and am involved with multimedia journalism and videography on campus. I am passionate about documentary filmmaking and using film as a tool to present lived human experiences in subjective visual, aesthetic, and sonic terms. In my free time, I love to spend time with my cat, follow the Chicago Bulls, and study Arabic. Please enjoy these snapshots of my life in Hanover!
This was definitely my favorite class of fall term—the readings were heavy, but they all felt incredibly relevant to the coursework. For each class, we read both Jewish and Arab perspectives throughout history. Moreover, Professor Avishai has a vast network of connections with important members of Israeli government, and even figures who we read about in the history books (including former prime ministers!). Overall, that class was a lot of work but very effective in helping me understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Professor Smolin's lectures were always something for me to look forward to. In this intro class, a wide variety of subjects regarding the Arab world were covered. Topics such as culture, Islam, literature, poetry, politics, and history were covered from the pre-Islamic period to the more recent Arab Spring. The readings were fascinating, and the professor also incorporated a wide variety of video resources to accompany the readings. I loved this class!
I found myself regularly engrossed in Professor Fishere's lectures in Arab Political Thought. Tracking the development of political ideologies from the 1800s until today was fascinating, the discussion-based classes helped me get to know tons of my peers.
While in Morocco this summer, I had the chance to take intensive Arabic 21 and Arabic 22. Working with a local teacher, Ilham, I had the chance to study both standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic .My favorite part of the class was the opportunity to engage with the language in cafes and shops.
Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy was definitely a class that took me out of my comfort zone. Having never taken a class on philosophy, I had lots of fun studying readings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Furthermore, I liked that the class focused heavily on group-work, with weekly group meetings and write-ups being a critical component of the class.
This class made me think critically about how we use different media, and how different media use us. I always considered media and technology as tools we use to navigate life, but never thought about the ways that media influence us and perceptions of the self. Taking this course inspired me to be involved more with digital humanities in order to think critically about how different media can alter the meaning of a message.
I had a great spring term living in Kuwait while interning at the American University of Kuwait! Working as an intern with the Oral History Project and International Relations departments, I met many amazing friends and gained experience with oral history and digital humanities. As someone who wants to continue doing research on the Arab Gulf, this experience was incredibly valuable.
Filmmaking & Visual Culture was about the intersection of filmmaking and anthropology, and I really enjoyed the course. The course looked at film through a post-colonial lens, thinking about how it can be used as a tool to tell stories, empower communities, and challenge structural violence. As a final project, we were required to make our own films with the broad requirement that they had to tell some kind of story or narrative. Having this sort of creative freedom was lots of fun: I did a short film project about a farmer in the Upper Valley.
This was the first science course that I had ever taken at Dartmouth, and I actually really enjoyed it. The course was focused on being able to identity the names and functions of the bones and muscles in the human body: we covered a lot of ground in a short 10-week term. In addition to studying human anatomy, we also studied the anatomy of monkeys and chimps, comparing their evolutionary trends to those of humans. We also had the chance to visit the Geisel School of Medicine cadaver lab on multiple occasions to review for exams, which was definitely a unique experience. Overall, I'm glad I took the opportunity to go outside of my comfort zone a little bit with this class!
I love to make and watch documentaries, so taking ethnographic film was a great way to look at filmmaking in academic, anthropological terms. We watched and analyzed many documentary films throughout the course, considering factors like documentary ethics, filmmaking style, and multi-media approaches. We also did a lot of critical media analysis, looking at how the medium of a piece of work impacts the message it is trying to convey. Additionally, we were able to work on and submit our own short documentary films as final projects for the course.
Choosing to attend Dartmouth was one of the biggest life decisions I have had to make – being from Illinois, I had never even been to the East Coast. Although I was a little nervous about traveling far from home for university, going to school in an entirely new place has helped me grow in many ways. In this post, I'll share some of the benefits and best lessons I learned from traveling far from home for university!
One of the biggest adjustments was adapting to a completely different environment. The Upper Valley has a much different pace of life than where I grew up just outside of Chicago, and I quickly realized how much I had taken certain things for granted—like easy and quick access to a big city. But over time, I came to love the quiet beauty of Dartmouth's surroundings. The mountains, the rivers, and the changing seasons all made me appreciate nature in a way I never had before. Fall on campus, with its bright foliage and crisp air, is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The very snowy winters here also have their own sort of appeal, and they have helped me bond with my peers through winter sports and walks across the snowy campus.
Another major benefit of going far from home was the independence I gained. When you attend college near home, there's always the safety net of being able to visit family easily. Moving across the country forced me to figure things out on my own, from managing my time, doctors appointments, and finances, to finding new support systems. I had to be more intentional about keeping in touch with family and old friends while also immersing myself in the Dartmouth community. It was difficult to adjust to at first, but it made me more confident in my ability to handle challenges on my own.
Being in a new part of the country also introduced me to perspectives I might not have encountered otherwise. Many of my classmates come from different regions and backgrounds, and hearing their experiences has expanded my understanding of the world. I've learned so much simply by being surrounded by people who have grown up all across the country (and in other countries). It feels great to know that after I graduate, I will have friends who live all across the United States, and the world!
If you're considering going far from home for college but feel nervous about it, I can confidently say it's worth it. While the transition can be challenging at first, the personal growth, independence, and new experiences make it an incredible opportunity. I've learned so much at Dartmouth, both inside and outside of the classroom, so I'm glad I took the chance to step out of my comfort zone.
While many people might associate cold, long, snowy winters with hardship, I've found that winter at Dartmouth is full of potential to be just as fun as other seasons.
