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!
After 10 days in quarantine, I am finally back in society. Luckily, my release from confinement coincided with the weather finally warming up and spring arriving in full bloom. Here is what I have been up to in the past two weeks.
With the return of sun to Hanover, the Ledyard Canoe Club finally has been opened for business, where students can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards to float through the Connecticut River. Back in the fall, all rentals were free for a week for all Dartmouth students. We wanted to use that opportunity to go canoeing for the first time, which resulted with me and my friend going in circles for a good hour. Still, it was a fun time. Though I have not yet gone canoeing this term, we went on a mini-hike with my friend on a trail(ish) near the river to find a silent spot and enjoy the spring weather. I am looking forward to dipping in the Connecticut River and trying kayaking in the following days!
Being out of quarantine finally allowed me to be more involved with the clubs I am a part of. This term, I started writing for Spare Rib, which is an intersectional feminist magazine that not only publishes a termly online magazine but also organizes events for political involvement as well as community-building. In my first week out of isolation, I attended Spare Rib's termly teach-in about material feminism and a bracelet-making session at the Donald Claflin Jewelry Studio. I am so, so lucky to finally be more involved in such a community on campus. Everyone I have met in Spare Rib is not only immensely talented and inspiring but also incredibly welcoming and warm.
Speaking of talented people, I have also seen Lizzie: The Musical, which was a student production of the story of Lizzie Bourdon who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe. Cheerful stuff, right? The musical imagines the motivations Lizzie might have had and the result is a punk rock score sung by incredibly talented students. I wish I could have seen more student productions at the Hop this term. I can never have enough of the Hop!
It was also great attending classes in person. Last week, Professor Crouch, who teaches Writing and Reading Fiction, took our class to Left Bank Books, which is the second-hand bookstore in Hanover, and Still North Books to learn more about the publishing industry. I love how learning is never restricted to the classroom at Dartmouth.
Stay tuned for more as I keep making up for the time I spent in quarantine!
In addition to blogging, I work as a Fellow for the Tucker Center, which focuses on promoting spiritual and ethical life on campus. As part of this role, I'm leading the Interfaith Alternative Spring Break Trip. Read on to learn more about my work!
