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.
This weekend, some friends and I took a day trip to Montreal! If you've read my previous posts, you know that many students like taking advantage of the great weather during sophomore summer to do some road trips with friends. Since Montreal is only a 3-hour drive from campus, it is an excellent opportunity to see an unfamiliar city. The chance to experience a different country was lots of fun for me and my friends.
I wasn't expecting Montreal to be much different from U.S. cities—like New York and Boston—since it is so close. However, I was shocked to see so many significant differences in demographics, urban planning, fashion, and other cultural details. It definitely felt more European than American, and I really enjoyed the city's cosmopolitan and diverse nature. Furthermore, being in a dominantly French-speaking city so close to home was fascinating.
My friends and I at the botanical garden in Montreal!
Since we had to cross the border to get there, all of us had to have our passports. We left campus at 6 am on Saturday and arrived in Montreal at around 9:30 am. This gave us the time to get some morning bagels, check out a botanical garden, and explore different parts of the city. As the day went on, we spent more time exploring the different parts of downtown Montreal. After being in Hanover for eight weeks, this trip was a nice way to take a quick break from Dartmouth's campus.
For me, a highlight was trying poutine, a Quebecois dish consisting of fries, gravy, cheese curds, and various meats. In general, the food was excellent across the city! While Dartmouth has a breadth of dining options, I find eating from the same dining halls every day can get a bit repetitive. Breaking up the routine felt great, especially right before finals period rolls around and it is time for me to lock in academically!
Since Dartmouth can feel intense academically due to the fast pace of the quarter system, I think students must allow themselves to take breaks. Being surrounded by high-achieving students, I can sometimes feel pressured to work constantly and center my life around school. However, I have found it's very important to value and prioritize things outside of school and work, such as friendships and having fun. Making an effort to do so this term has made me more well-rounded, fulfilled, and given me a clearer mind to determine the things I value and focus on daily. I urge prospective and incoming students to prioritize a school-life balance, as I think maintaining one can help in all aspects of life!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
Homecoming—a time when current students and alumni gather to relive cherished memories and exhibit large amounts of school spirit. Find out how I spent my second Homecoming Weekend at Dartmouth!
