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!
Let's be real; application season is a tough time. What follows after the seemingly never-ending application essays, interviews, and schoolwork is the exciting yet nerve-wracking decision process. Once the dust settles after all the decisions are announced, the tough question remains: Where to commit?
Some people are lucky enough to get into their dream school. Some people suddenly start second guessing their decisions. Everyone's journey is a little different but the underlying worries and hopes are similar. Once you have a range of offers to choose from, prestige and rankings start to matter way less than you might have thought they would. You try to picture yourself actually walking around the campus, taking classes, or paying college bills… In short, you start rethinking which college is the right fit for you.
You got in! Now what? Maybe you are considering whether Dartmouth is for you. I cannot know what you look for in a college, but here are a few things that finally made me commit to Dartmouth.
Affordability
One of the reasons why I waited to apply regular decision was to get a chance to compare different financial aid packages from different colleges. Dartmouth was one of the colleges that offered me the most generous financial aid package. Not only was I no longer worried about tuition and room expenses, but I also felt like Dartmouth had put in a lot of effort into making the campus experience affordable for students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. I have written about being an international student on financial aid on my blog before; feel free to take a look at it here.
Undergraduate Focus
Dartmouth's biggest draw for me was definitely the undergraduate focus. I was one of these kids who only applied to small liberal arts colleges because I could picture myself thriving in small classes that would give me plenty of opportunities to bond with my peers and get to know my professors. Dartmouth not only has the undergraduate focus of a small liberal arts college, but also the resources a research university has. At Dartmouth, I have met amazing professors who were willing to connect with students by learning about their experiences, interests and expectations. Though I am still a freshman, I also had the opportunity to intern at a psychology lab through the WISP program. You can read more about ithere.
Dartmouth Community
Because I am a chronically indecisive person, I had a really tough time finally deciding to commit to Dartmouth. What finally convinced me that Dartmouth was the right place for me were the Dartmouth students and graduates I have talked with. Their enthusiasm in sharing their love for Dartmouth, honest criticisms of its shortcomings, and genuine care for me made me realize I wanted to go to college surrounded by such amazing people. My peers so far have never ceased to amaze me. They are not only immensely talented and smart, but also kind and passionate.
You can read more about my college decision process here. I hope you end up wherever is the right fit for you!
At Dartmouth, there is an undergraduate requirement for language; after all, it is the liberal arts! Fulfilling this requirement looks different for various people and I will focus on my experience.
I have written about being a student worker plenty of times in the past, but I have yet to talk about one of my favorite jobs ever: ticket selling at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a phenomenal total solar eclipse occurred — and we happened to be within the path of totality. As a result, Dartmouth hosted a variety of eclipse-related events on- and off-campus. Find out how I spent the eclipse!
