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!
Hate to break it to you, but college is not all sunshine and rainbows. Fortunately, multiple organizations on campus address some of the hardships of being a full-time college student at a rigorous institution like Dartmouth, where social, extracurricular, and academic life can present unique challenges. Among such organizations, peer support groups hold a special place in my heart because they show how much the Dartmouth student community is willing to create a supportive environment. During fall and winter terms, I have been training as a peer supporter for two of such organizations: the Mental Health Union, and Sexual Assault Peer Alliance.
Dartmouth Mental Health Student Union
The mission of the Mental Health Union (MHU) is to promote a campus culture where mental health is openly discussed and improved. They provide mental health resources, organize events and programs, such as the 15-Day Wellness Challenge, Winterim Pen Pals, and run a student blog called Mind the Gap. They have an ambassador program where students are trained to share mental health resources with the communities and the organizations they are involved with. As part of MHU, I am training to be a peer supporter. We have been undergoing training with staff from Student Affairs offices, such as the Counseling Center, Student Wellness Center, and the Academics Skills Center. Peer supporters not only learn about the various on-campus mental health and student resources, but are also taught motivational interviewing skills to be effective, non-judgmental listeners. My peer support training has been incredibly helpful in times of crisis during the fall term. I am looking forward to completing my training and volunteering as a peer supporter in the following terms!
MHU table during finals week!
Sexual Assault Peer Alliance
Unfortunately, sexual assault is a major issue on US college campuses. Dartmouth addresses this issue in various ways. For instance, the Sexual Violence Prevention Project (SVPP) is a four-year prevention curriculum run by the Student Wellness Center that each Dartmouth student has to complete. Students can get involved with the curriculum in other ways, such as working as a student facilitator in the First-Year Experience or joining the Student Advisory Board, which is a Think Tank working on the ongoing development of SVPP. There is also the Student Presidential Community on Sexual Assault that serves as an intermediary between students and the larger Dartmouth community, including the administration. Involvement in such opportunities shows how committed the Dartmouth student community is in building a safer and more inclusive campus environment. Sexual Assault Peer Alliance (SAPA) is a student group that completes a 34-hour comprehensive training program facilitated by counselors at the Counseling Center. Students are trained in gender-based violence, campus resources, how to best respond to survivor needs, and more. SAPA is a survivor-centered resource that focuses on providing empowerment-based support. I am learning a lot during my SAPA training, and am grateful for all the great people I have met through SAPA!
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!
