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 med 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 :)
Academic Program
Intended WGSS on the Pre-Health track
Favorite Thing Right Now
Decorating my dorm to make it more homey! Also the FOCO ice cream bar :)
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!
This Winter term, I'm enrolled in a class called Love, Romance, Intimacy, and Dating. It's a class that is cross-listed in both Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies andSociology and explores the social aspects of relationships and intimacy. We recently had a brief discussion about the new movie Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn. As a female-directed film that depicts female power in relationships, the film provides evidence of certain types of intimacy that can be found in society. As I had never seen the movie, I left that class curious to see how the theories and concepts I studied in class could be applied and demonstrated in a "real-life" situation. So I picked up my phone and quickly typed the words "babygirl nugget theatre," and just my luck, the Nugget Theatre right down on Main Street was showing it that evening.
A couple of hours later, I found myself waltzing down Main Street while my best friend Maeve—who immediately responded "YES" after I asked if she would come with me—talked me through which candies we should buy at the counter. We walked into the lobby and were immediately hit with that buttery smell of popcorn that can truly only be achieved at the movies. The Nugget is the quintessential small-town cinema with vintage posters, red carpeting, and a little ticket counter with one singular window. We bought our $7.50 tickets and moved on to the concession stand where we bought one HUGE bucket of popcorn, a lovely Dr. Pepper, Milk Duds, and Dots, all of which resulted in what Maeve called "The classic American movie combo," and we were off to our hall. The Nugget houses four cozy little halls that each show a different movie for a set duration. We took our seats and munched on our snacks while we waited for the movie to start.
The film certainly offered a unique take on relationships, and I have already used it as a talking point in a few of my class responses. I'm super lucky to have a resource like brand-new movies, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from my classes. It also serves as a fun and exciting activity that my friends and I can do after classes. The Nugget is definitely one of my favorite places in town!
Winter at Dartmouth has many special traditions, but my favorite winter activities so far have been the "little things": the random, spontaneous adventures Dartmouth students experience daily. Read to learn about my encounter with the "Winter S's"!
Oftentimes, life can be stressful. Though it's easy for me to feel anxious, I have found that identifying the things I am grateful for can be rather helpful. Read on to hear about what I appreciate.
Whether you're braving the cold on your way to class or participating in classic winter activities, there are plenty of ways to make the most of a Dartmouth winter!
I am a lucky member of the Dartmouth Decibelles, the oldest all-female acapella group on campus, and my first term with them was filled with so many fun moments.
