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!
All first-year students at Dartmouth are expected to fulfill the first-year writing and seminar requirements. Every year in June, incoming students complete the Directed Self-Placement (DSP), which involves completing a questionnaire, reading a few articles, and writing an essay. The aim of this process is to recommend students the first year writing course most suited to their level of writing and needs as a writer. Students are either recommended Writing 2-3, or Writing 5.
Writing 2-3 runs throughout fall and winter terms, in which students receive support from faculty and teaching assistants who meet with them in one-on-one meetings every week. One of the sections is for international students only, who may speak English fluently but want to gradually immerse themselves in academic writing in English.
Students who are recommended Writing 5 have a range of sections to choose from. Each section is organized around readings chosen by the instructor. Writing 5 courses range from education to ethics, from history to government. My Writing 5 course was called Reviewing Ourselves: Critical Values and Criticism, in which we discussed how we developed our own aesthetics, politics and identities while also learning how to be more effective writers.
Students can also apply for Humanities 1-2, which is an interdisciplinary writing and seminar sequence for students interested in intensive reading and discussion in the humanities. Students may choose not to take Humanities 2 and instead take another first-year seminar course to fulfill their requirement.
First-year seminar is structured around class discussions, writing and research. You once again have a range of seminars to choose from in a variety of disciplines such as biology, film studies, geography, and government. I took an English seminar called Tales of the Avant-Garde, which was about different avant-garde movements, from futurism to punk, that challenged the status-quo. It was my favorite class from winter term, partly because I loved almost all of the readings, and partly because Professor McCann made sure each class was super engaging with interesting discussion topics on unique works of art.
Even though I was a little cynical about the first year-writing requirement at first, because I just don't like the word 'requirement,' I still found myself enjoying both my writing and seminar classes. I appreciate how Dartmouth gives you the flexibility to choose your area of study even within requirements.
Through Dartmouth's Guarini Institute for International Study, I am getting to take classes and experience life at Wellesley College, an all-women's school!
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!
