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!
Class Spotlight: Introduction to Disability Studies
This past term, I had the chance to take a course in an area of academia I had absolutely no prior experience in: Disability Studies. Offered as a new course in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department, Intro to Disability Studies quickly became one of the highlights of my term. From the very first lecture, I was struck by how fresh and forward-thinking the material was, and how much it challenged me to rethink assumptions I didn't even realize I had about ability, society, and identity.
One of the things that immediately drew me in was the syllabus. It was impossible not to be excited by a course that combined memoirs, fiction, literary theory, and film with critical discussions about societal structures, accessibility, and representation. We explored groundbreaking concepts like "deaf-gain", which reframes deafness not as a loss but as a form of unique contribution to society, and examined the different models used to understand disability, from medical to social to cultural frameworks. Each reading and assignment pushed me to think critically about how disabilities are constructed and understood, both historically and in contemporary society.
A few of the books from the syllabus!
We didn't just read about disability; we experienced it through multiple lenses. Memoirs gave us intimate insights into lived experiences, literary texts challenged us to interpret identity and embodiment in complex ways, and films opened up discussions about representation and stereotypes in popular culture. One of my absolute favorite units was the "Disabled Detectives" project. Each student gave a presentation on a detective in film or television who has some form of disability. The range of examples was incredible: Sherlock Holmes, Monk, and even Dr. Gregory House as a "medical detective." It was fascinating to explore how these characters navigate their abilities and how their disabilities intersect with their intelligence, insight, and problem-solving. This unit made me think critically about the ways popular culture portrays, and sometimes misrepresents, disability.
My "Disabled Detectives" Presentation!
For my final project, I focused on the groundbreaking novel The Member of the Wedding and its two film adaptations. Analyzing the text and its cinematic interpretations allowed me to trace how disability and other forms of difference are represented over time and across media, and to reflect on the broader cultural narratives that surround these representations. It was a challenging but deeply rewarding experience that tied together many of the concepts we had explored throughout the course.
Overall, this class was an eye-opening and transformative experience. It introduced me to an entirely new field of study, offered incredibly engaging material, and encouraged critical thinking in ways I hadn't expected. I left the course with a deeper understanding of disability as a societal, cultural, and personal phenomenon, as well as a new appreciation for the innovative scholarship happening in this field. I've recommended it to so many of my friends and will carry the insights I gained into every area of my academic and personal life.
Curious about how declaring a major works at Dartmouth? Concerned about getting trapped studying something you don't like? No need to worry. Come explore with me how majors and minors work at Dartmouth!
Learn about my first internship at Dartmouth, DSCI's ImpACT Winterim Initiative, and more about internship opportunities, DCSI, and pursuing hands-on experiences at Dartmouth!
My final week in Saigon was nothing short of adventure. Bittersweet, but still jam-packed with activities, come with me as I conclude my time in Vietnam
