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!
Okay, this one is not quite underrated, since the Jewel of India is one of the most popular restaurants in Hanover. Before eating at The Jewel of India, I had never tried Indian food because we have few Indian restaurants in Turkey, but Indian food quickly became one of my comfort foods after eating at the Jewel. Plus, you get a lot of food for a great price.
Duende
This is one of the lesser known restaurants in Hanover, at least among the student population. At first, Deuende may be hard to find, as it is tucked behind Main Street, but I like that it is out of sight because it feels like I am not in Hanover when I am dining there. The small lounge is super cozy, which adds to the sense of comfort the place brings. Not to mention the delicious food! Duende serves small Spanish plates, which allows you to try a bunch of different tastes. My favorite has been the honey eggplant. I am definitely going back to try the Spanish plates I have not tried yet!
Still North Books & Bar
I have written about Still North plenty of times in the past, as it is one of the few places that remind me of home in Hanover. Bookstores/coffee shops were where I spent a lot of my time in high school back in Istanbul, so going to Still North feels like a warm embrace. Plus, their sandwiches are to die for. The only problem is that I end up spending too much money on books whenever I drop by there, but, hey, you have got to support your local bookstores!
Trail Break Tacos
We discovered Trail Break Tacos this summer, while we were looking for a place to eat in White River Junction, a small town in Vermont that is a 15-minute drive away from campus. The restaurant has a very quirky design with ski and outdoor equipment used as decoration alongside colorful tables and walls. The place was quite lively even late at night, so it was a nice change of pace from quiet Hanover evenings. Not to mention that their tacos were quite tasty. My partner insists that their raw tuna tacos were among the best tacos he ever had and the best dish he had at Trail Break.
Open Hearth Pizza
Okay, here is me cheating a bit because I have actually never been to Open Hearth Pizza, but I have had their pizza plenty of times when they have done catering for campus events. The last time I had Open Hearth Pizza was during Allen House's Spring Fest and it was the best pizza I had on campus. The delicious free food is certainly my favorite thing about housing community events at Dartmouth.
Tuckerbox
I'd be a shame if I did not put Tuckerbox on the list, since they are, to my knowledge, the only Turkish restaurant in the Upper Valley. When I first visited Tuckerbox, I was skeptical. How authentic can a Turkish restaurant in Hanover be? But to my surprise, it was among the best Turkish food I ever had in the US. Not only that, but the atmosphere of the restaurant also replicated the feeling of home without overdoing it. I will most definitely keep going back to Tuckerbox to find a taste of home.
Through Dartmouth's Guarini Institute for International Study, I am getting to take classes and experience life at Wellesley College, an all-women's school!
