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'm about halfway through my term abroad in London and I've made a lot of valuable memories. My favorite thing about this study abroad experience has been discovering the art scene in London through my classes and solo excursions. Here are some of my favorite places and memories of the arts in the city!
Theater
One of my classes this term, called London Performance Now, requires us to go to different performances each week. So far, I've been to As You Like It in Shakespeare's Globe, Marina Abramovic Institute Takeover at the Southbank Center, Imposter 22 at the Royal Court Theater, and The Flea at the Yard Theater.
Out of all these venues, the Yard Theater has been my favorite. It's in an unconventional location for a theater, far away from all the other fancy venues, in an old warehouse. Despite the relative bleakness of the surroundings of the theater, the venue itself felt lively, cozy, and inviting. Maybe because it reminded me of the underground theaters I'm fond of in my city, Istanbul. I'm so grateful for this class and this study abroad experience for taking me to places I wouldn't otherwise hear of during a regular tourist visit.
Bookstores!
If you've been reading my previous blog posts, you'd know that I've been to a fair share of bookstores in London. I will have to admit that I've been organizing most of my day trips around which bookstores I want to see.
I've been to the biggest bookstore in Europe, the huge Waterstones in Piccadilly. The unique bookstore in a boat, the Word on Water. A radical bookseller, Housmans. Not to mention the London Review Bookstore that also has a lovely cake shop inside.
My personal favorites, however, have been Gays the Word, and Skoob Books, which I've been to thanks to the wise advice of our Dartmouth professor traveling with us, Alexander Chee. Gays the Word is a small, indie bookstore that sells, as the name suggests, queer books by queer authors. The tiny bookstore is always bustling with people and the joy that the shop brings is contagious. Not to mention that Pride (2014) has been filmed there!
Skoob Books (yep, that's books spelled backward), is a second-hand bookstore that has London's broadest selection of secondhand books. The books I've bought from there are in perfect condition and they have a generous student discount. Skoob is like heaven on earth.
Galleriesandbeyond
Outside London's many galleries, there is also plenty of marvelous street art to look at. My friend and I visited a street art exhibition, called the Colours Festival, in Camden, which has always been famous for its urban art.
I've yet to see the National Gallery and Tate Modern, which are free to enter, so stay tuned!
Academics can be challenging at Dartmouth. But there are lots of groups across campus here to support you through your academic journey. Read on for my experience asking for help and a few organizations that might be helpful to you!
Every Dartmouth student is required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Here's my experience navigating the language requirement!
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!
