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 try to take good care of my physical health throughout the term, especially before finals, as I'm aware that added stress can really take a toll on my body. The first step to health is good food! This term, I've been discovering new favorite food places and meals on campus, even as a junior at Dartmouth. My recent favorite is the newly added yogurt bar at Courtyard Cafe with fresh berries! I also enjoy their salad station: they have plenty of pre-prepared salad options to choose from, and you can also create your own salad! I've also found an underrated gem among the dining options on campus: the soups at Collis Cafe! There are four soup options to pick from on any given day, but my favorite is definitely the peanut chicken noodle soup.
In addition to taking care of my physical health, I try to find avenues to de-stress, which isn't all that difficult, especially because many campus organizations plan wellness events in the weeks leading up to finals. For instance, in my living-learning community, our live-in advisor, Gary, brought coloring books and pencils for our weekly snack and chats in the dorm. It was a great opportunity to chat with my fellow residents while doing some mindful coloring. Additionally, the Student Wellness Center just hosted a student worker appreciation event, where we could take away fresh fruit in lunch boxes that had a note of gratitude from the SWC staff. Not to mention the delicious hot chocolate they offered us!
The days leading up to finals can be an isolating time as everyone is studying to get their work in order, so I do my best to keep in touch with my social connections. This weekend, my friends and I went to see "Poor Things" at the Hopkins Center for the Arts and played video games at Triangle House to stay connected and distract ourselves from academics for a few hours.
In short, there's a lot you can do to stay well and healthy even during the busiest time of the term at Dartmouth!
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!
