Hi everyone! I'm Rika, a semi-international '28 from Japan, India, and Malaysia. I'm interested in studying women, gender, and sexuality studies, as well as public policy, global health, and biology while also being on the pre-health track! In my free time, I love to read books, cook and bake, play violin, spend time with animals, be sarcastic, and drink hot drinks (especially teas)! I'm so excited to share my exploration of Dartmouth with everyone :)
Sex, Gender, and Society is a class in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) department. It focuses on how gender and sexuality are represented in the media and explores different ways society shapes our perspectives. This discussion-based class features multiple group projects, which allowed me to meet and interact with many of my classmates, which was super helpful in my first term! Fun fact: this class taught me how to plan, film, and edit a podcast on campus!
In this class, we explored the different contemporary meanings of the 4 concepts; love, romance, intimacy and dating. What did they look like at Dartmouth? How were they represented or defined in scholarly research? Why are they important to the world and human interaction? Our classes consisted of thoughtful discussions, insightful lectures, and even primary research. The final project was a research paper that featured the data we collected as a class. It was a wonderful course that introduced me to the world of sociology and qualitative research!
This class was my first English/literature class and it was an absolute BLAST. Professor Jodi Kim provided us with so many interesting texts that explore the nuanced intersections of identity and sexuality, in various Asian American settings. Texts include M. Butterfly, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, and The Necessary Hunger. Our classroom discussions were lively, filled with new and contrasting interpretations of quotes. I highly recommend this class!
SummerBoston, Massachusetts
This summer term, I decided to stay with my parents, who moved to Boston at the end of May! I kicked things off by spending a few weeks training to become a certified nurse assistant (CNA), and after earning my license, I took some time to recharge. I reconnected with family, explored Boston’s best food spots, and went on a few spontaneous trips around the U.S. with friends! Definitely a refreshing and memorable summer!
This was one of the most eye-opening classes I've taken at Dartmouth so far. As the title suggests, it was an introduction to a sector of academia that I had absolutely no experience in. This class taught me more than just what literature exists about disabilities, but also taught me how to think through, see, and understand the world in completely different ways.
This was my very first Quantitative Social Science (QSS) class at Dartmouth, and it's safe to say it was incredible! We dove into all things data; how things are (un)protected, tracked, and several consequences of unsafe data collection on the human race. We had really interesting readings and projects, like our self-tracking and quantification project. I know I'll be using the lessons I learned in this class for the rest of my life!
Last winter I took a class called Data and Bodies, and it ended up being one of the most unexpectedly meaningful courses I have taken so far. It is cross-listed between Quantitative Social Science (QSS), Film and Media Studies, and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, which immediately stood out to me when I saw it. I had never taken a QSS or Film class before, but what really drew me in was the WGSS cross-listing. That pairing felt unusual in a good way, and I was curious how quantitative methods would intersect with questions of gender, embodiment, and power.
Very quickly, I realized the class was centered on a big, unsettling idea: data is not neutral when it comes to bodies. Instead, data has real power over how bodies are understood, regulated, and even constrained. We spent a lot of time thinking about bodily autonomy and how measurement systems can subtly shape what is considered normal, healthy, productive, or even visible. One of the key takeaways for me was that data does not just describe bodies, it actively participates in constructing them.
A highlight of the course was our exploration of the history of activity tracking. We started with early pedometers, which were not originally designed for personal wellness in the way we think of today. In some historical contexts, they were tied to measuring land and movement in ways that connected bodily motion to ownership and productivity. From there, we traced the evolution into modern wearable technology like Fitbit devices and the Oura Ring, which now market themselves as tools for sleep optimization, recovery, and self-knowledge. It was fascinating to see how something that feels so individual and personal today is actually embedded in a long history of surveillance, labor, and quantification. It changed the way I think about the "innocent" metrics I see every day on my phone or watch.
The most impactful part of the class, though, was a term-long self-quantification project. We each designed our own tracking system based on something we wanted to observe about ourselves. The range of projects in the class was wide. Some people tracked daily stress levels, others tracked workouts, sleep, or screen time. I chose to track the moments when I overrode my bodily cues. This included situations where I ignored hunger, pushed through exhaustion, or continued working when I knew I needed rest. I logged these moments over the course of the term and reflected on the patterns that emerged.
What surprised me most was how quickly the act of tracking changed my awareness of those moments. It was not just about collecting data, but about noticing behavior I would normally pass over without thinking. Over time, I started to see how often I prioritized external expectations over internal signals. The project became less about optimization and more about recognition. It also raised uncomfortable but important questions about why I tend to ignore those cues in the first place, and what systems or pressures make that feel normal.
For our final project, we were given a lot of creative freedom, which was something I had not really experienced in a traditional academic setting before. Instead of a standard paper or presentation, we were encouraged to make something tangible or art-like. I really enjoyed this shift. It felt like I could engage with the course material in a more embodied way, not just intellectually but physically.
I ended up creating a pseudo-diary that combined reflections from my tracking project with visual and textual elements. I spent time in the Book Arts Workshop, which is a really special resource in the library that I had not used before. You can do bookbinding, printing, collage, and even typewriting there, with support from incredibly helpful staff. Working there was one of my favorite parts of the class. It felt very different from my usual academic work, slower and more intentional in a way that matched the themes of the course.
The Letterpress Studio in Baker Library! (Source: Dartmouth Libraries)
Overall, Data and Bodies was a class that changed how I think about data in a very personal way. It made me more aware of what kinds of information are being collected about me, how those systems shape behavior, and what it means to have a body in a world increasingly mediated by measurement. At the same time, it gave me space to be creative and reflective in a way I do not often get in quantitative spaces. It was a rare combination of critical thinking and hands-on making, and it ended up being one of the most memorable classes I have taken.
True to the theme of a liberal arts education, Dartmouth requires students to take one or two classes each in several different subject matters, or distributives, in order to graduate.
This fall, I took INTS80.06: Multilateralism and US Leadership. The course was taught by visiting Professor DeLaurentis. We finished off the term with a trip to New York City to visit the UN and various UN Embassies.
Welcome back to Open Doors—your inside look at life in the Woods! This week, Sarah Getraer '26, a studio art major, showed me around her dorm room, where we discussed Dartmouth residence halls, classes, and campus life.
