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!
When I first arrived at Dartmouth, one of the biggest adjustments I faced was simply being away from home. I moved from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where I had lived since the age of five. Although I traveled frequently growing up, I had never been apart from Malaysia or my family for more than a month at a time. Suddenly, I was living on the other side of the world, in a place where everything felt unfamiliar.
Navigating that distance was tricky at first. I felt disoriented and uncomfortable, almost like I had been dropped into a world that looked nothing like the one I knew. The time difference made it even harder to feel connected. Calling my parents wasn't as easy as fitting in a quick chat between classes; sometimes the only overlap was early in the morning or late at night, when one of us was exhausted. And unlike friends who lived a few hours' drive away, there was no option for me to "pop home" for a weekend visit—that physical separation made me miss home even more.
But little by little, I found ways to make the transition feel less overwhelming. One of the most important things I did was avoid bottling up those feelings. Instead of pretending I was fine, I opened up to my friends. To my surprise, many of them were going through the same thing. Even if they had grown up much closer to campus, the shift from home life to college life left them feeling homesick, too. We started talking about the little things we missed, like family meals, favorite local spots, small daily routines, and in sharing those stories, I learned so much more about their lives. What began as conversations about homesickness turned into connections that made me feel less alone.
Spending time laughing with friends!
Cooking also became a source of comfort. Back home, it was something I did often with my family, so bringing that part of my routine into college helped me feel grounded. I cooked foods from my culture, like Japanese curry and Nasi Ayam, not only because they reminded me of home but also because they gave me a way to share that piece of myself with friends. Sitting together over a meal I had made felt like building a new version of home, one that traveled with me.
Malaysian Nasi Ayam that I made for my friends!
Over time, I realized that missing home is a universal part of moving to college. Whether you are coming from the other side of the world or just a few states away, change can feel unsettling, and that's okay. It doesn't mean you're not ready, or that you won't eventually settle in; it just means you're human.
So if you're about to make a move like this, don't be scared to take the leap. And don't be scared to feel a little melancholy at times, either. Being away from home can be tough, but it can also bring new friendships, resilience, and unexpected ways of carrying home with you.
I expected Japan to be unlike anything I'd ever known—and in many ways, it was. But, somewhere between sipping matcha in Kyoto and wandering temple gardens in Tokyo, I realized something strange: I kept finding little pieces of Dartmouth.
If you're like I was—staring at your closet wondering what "essentials" actually means—here is what I packed, what I'm grateful I brought, and what I now know you can leave behind.
