Hi, my name is Brandon and I'm a '25 from just outside of Chicago. I study Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies, and am involved with multimedia journalism and videography on campus. I am passionate about documentary filmmaking and using film as a tool to present lived human experiences in subjective visual, aesthetic, and sonic terms. In my free time, I love to spend time with my cat, follow the Chicago Bulls, and study Arabic. Please enjoy these snapshots of my life in Hanover!
This was definitely my favorite class of fall term—the readings were heavy, but they all felt incredibly relevant to the coursework. For each class, we read both Jewish and Arab perspectives throughout history. Moreover, Professor Avishai has a vast network of connections with important members of Israeli government, and even figures who we read about in the history books (including former prime ministers!). Overall, that class was a lot of work but very effective in helping me understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Professor Smolin's lectures were always something for me to look forward to. In this intro class, a wide variety of subjects regarding the Arab world were covered. Topics such as culture, Islam, literature, poetry, politics, and history were covered from the pre-Islamic period to the more recent Arab Spring. The readings were fascinating, and the professor also incorporated a wide variety of video resources to accompany the readings. I loved this class!
I found myself regularly engrossed in Professor Fishere's lectures in Arab Political Thought. Tracking the development of political ideologies from the 1800s until today was fascinating, the discussion-based classes helped me get to know tons of my peers.
While in Morocco this summer, I had the chance to take intensive Arabic 21 and Arabic 22. Working with a local teacher, Ilham, I had the chance to study both standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic .My favorite part of the class was the opportunity to engage with the language in cafes and shops.
Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy was definitely a class that took me out of my comfort zone. Having never taken a class on philosophy, I had lots of fun studying readings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Furthermore, I liked that the class focused heavily on group-work, with weekly group meetings and write-ups being a critical component of the class.
This class made me think critically about how we use different media, and how different media use us. I always considered media and technology as tools we use to navigate life, but never thought about the ways that media influence us and perceptions of the self. Taking this course inspired me to be involved more with digital humanities in order to think critically about how different media can alter the meaning of a message.
I had a great spring term living in Kuwait while interning at the American University of Kuwait! Working as an intern with the Oral History Project and International Relations departments, I met many amazing friends and gained experience with oral history and digital humanities. As someone who wants to continue doing research on the Arab Gulf, this experience was incredibly valuable.
Filmmaking & Visual Culture was about the intersection of filmmaking and anthropology, and I really enjoyed the course. The course looked at film through a post-colonial lens, thinking about how it can be used as a tool to tell stories, empower communities, and challenge structural violence. As a final project, we were required to make our own films with the broad requirement that they had to tell some kind of story or narrative. Having this sort of creative freedom was lots of fun: I did a short film project about a farmer in the Upper Valley.
This was the first science course that I had ever taken at Dartmouth, and I actually really enjoyed it. The course was focused on being able to identity the names and functions of the bones and muscles in the human body: we covered a lot of ground in a short 10-week term. In addition to studying human anatomy, we also studied the anatomy of monkeys and chimps, comparing their evolutionary trends to those of humans. We also had the chance to visit the Geisel School of Medicine cadaver lab on multiple occasions to review for exams, which was definitely a unique experience. Overall, I'm glad I took the opportunity to go outside of my comfort zone a little bit with this class!
I love to make and watch documentaries, so taking ethnographic film was a great way to look at filmmaking in academic, anthropological terms. We watched and analyzed many documentary films throughout the course, considering factors like documentary ethics, filmmaking style, and multi-media approaches. We also did a lot of critical media analysis, looking at how the medium of a piece of work impacts the message it is trying to convey. Additionally, we were able to work on and submit our own short documentary films as final projects for the course.
After about two weeks into Dartmouth's winter break, I'm reminded why I love the way that the quarter system and D-Plan are set up. The 6-week break that stretches from before Thanksgiving until after the New Year is incredibly convenient. Most of my friends who go to other colleges had to return home after the Thanksgiving break, or didn't fly home at all – being able to keep finals, assignments, and projects out of my mind during the holiday season is something I'm incredibly grateful for. Winterim (winter + interim!) gives me a great opportunity to focus on resting and doing things I enjoy, allowing me to reset after Dartmouth's fast-paced quarters.
Over break, I've been spending lots of time going to the gym, eating good food with friends and family, and spending lots of time with my cat. This is my first time since last winterim being able to relax with any upcoming deadlines or burning responsibilities, so I've definitely made it a priority to take advantage of this time to rest and recuperate. It's very easy to get caught up in a cycle of work and center your life around the next job that has to be done – I know that I can easily get wound up in stressing about internships, research, grades, and life after graduation. However, it's important to maintain a well-rounded lifestyle, which is something I've especially learned during the last year or so. At Dartmouth, I am pretty strict about not doing any work after 8pm - this ensures that I'll have at least 3-4 hours of free time to do whatever I'd like without having to worry about classes or responsibilities. In addition, it actually forces me to manage my time better so that I don't fall behind in any of my work or projects.
My cat has also prioritized getting good rest during the winterim!
Cultivating a work/school-life balance has made me more effective in my work while also helping me balance the rest of my life and interests. Things like cultivating relationships and practicing self-care are non-negotiables for anyone who wants to live a fulfilling life, which is why I think it's critically important for people to work hard to find this balance. While it's definitely not easy, my quality of life has improved considerably since I've better learned to manage my time, priorities, and responsibilities. Having all this time to rest during the winterim is incredibly valuable and lets me reflect on how far I've come so far – in addition, it'll be a great way to recharge before I return back to Hanover for a busy winter term!
Most students have to go back to college after Thanksgiving to take their finals, but not at Dartmouth! We have a six-week winter break, known as "winterim!" Let me tell you how I spent my winterim!
As a second-year at Dartmouth, I've embraced leadership roles that foster community, creativity, and support! Here's a look at how each role has shaped my journey.
