Hey all! I'm Batu. I'm a '26 from Istanbul, Turkey, and I am passionate about the cognitive science of design, developmental psychology, aesthetics research, postcolonial literature, and social media marketing! Be sure to reach out with questions about exploring the liberal arts, learning a new language at Dartmouth, cafes in town (one of my favorite blog series dare I say), study abroad programs, and research on campus!
Writing 5 is one of the courses that count towards the first-year writing requirement. The course covered content relating to the self, transformation, and social dynamics relating to majority and minority. Dr. Godley is simply phenomenal. Her instruction was extremely accessible even though she covered intense topics. I could not have enjoyed my Writing 5 more!
Design Thinking was above and beyond my expectations. The course is structured around weekly projects, where we apply different cognitive strategies to cover topics like design principles, human need-finding, brainstorming, scenario building, and visual thinking.
Introduction to Cognitive Science covers a variety of fields including psychology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy to provide insight into cognitive processes. This course helped me develop an understanding of all facets of cognitive science and which ones I would be interested in further pursuing as part of my major.
SummerIstanbul, Turkey
I was home during my first summer! A non-exhaustive list of things I've done includes sunbathing, coding my personal blog, and going on runs. #rest #relaxation
Psychology 10 is a deep dive into almost everything you might need to become well-versed in conducting research, analyzing data, and interpreting findings in a statistically sound manner. Professor Pfister is the most approachable professor I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. Statistics isn't exactly my forté, but I now feel confident in my stats foundation!
I loved taking this class with Madame Alverde, a professor from Université Toulouse ; Jean Jaures was an incredible experience. She made sure to correct our mistakes on the spot and improve them eloquently.
This course allowed me to explore the intersection of aesthetics and digital media, focusing on how digital environments reshape traditional concepts like materiality and form. I particularly enjoyed comparing human and AI-generated analyses of art and examining the frameworks that shape contemporary digital studies, from visual culture to design philosophy.
SummerHanover, NH
I was on campus pursuing full-time research in the Cognitive Science department. My research focuses on children's capacity to imagine and reason about possibilities!
Taught by Professor Andrew Simon, this course explored histories of the Middle East and North Africa through film, media, and supporting texts. From French Algeria to the Armenian Genocide and the Egyptian Revolution, each week centered on critical engagement with audiovisual material and primary sources. Through reflections, discussions, and a final research project, students examined how media shapes collective memory and questions of voice, power, and resistance. Thoughtful, rigorous, and deeply transformative, this course reshaped how I think about both history and storytelling.
This course offered a dynamic exploration of Paris’s art and architecture, grounding students in the city’s cultural and historical foundations. Weekly lectures established a theoretical framework spanning Paris’s origins, key art movements, and the evolution of its monuments. Our Wednesday site visits made this course truly unforgettable, where we stood before the very landmarks we studied, turning theory into lived experience.
Junior fall is not the most conventional term to be on campus since many students take this time to study abroad or enjoy an off-term, given our unique D-Plan. For me, though, staying on campus felt like the right choice. My sophomore summer was technically my "off-term," so junior fall offered an opportunity to fully immerse myself in Dartmouth life once again.
Here are my reflections on being on campus for junior fall and how the term went overall.
First, most of my closest friends were either off-campus or abroad, and I missed them dearly. Staying in touch helped ease that, but their absence made me think deeply about how to maintain meaningful connections when D-Plans don't align. I'm hoping to explore those thoughts further in a future post.
My junior fall term felt like a time of personal growth and intention-setting. With more than half my time at Dartmouth behind me, I've started to think seriously about my aspirations while staying grounded in the present. It took me a long time to narrow down my goals, not because I lack ideas, but because I want to pursue so many things that can't all happen at once. I've been applying for internships that align with my cognitive science degree and my natural curiosity, aiming to balance my broad interests with actionable steps forward.
For the first time at Dartmouth, I felt like I had struck a good routine. I managed to balance academics, social life, and mental and physical health in a way that felt sustainable. I stayed on top of my coursework, stuck to a gym routine, prioritized sleep, and embraced creative pursuits.
Speaking of creativity, I continued working with Aegis, Dartmouth's yearbook and used their excellent cameras to experiment with light and space in my photography. Inspired by some friends, I even started playing with a DJ board, exploring sounds and discovering a whole new side of myself.
Practice makes perfect. DJ Batu in the works.
Junior fall was all about balance, reflection, and fruitful outcomes. As I headed into winter break and prepared for my study abroad program in Paris, I was excited to carry this momentum forward. My junior fall may not have been conventional, but it was uniquely mine.
Dartmouth is no stranger to a variety of student-run full-year performance groups in dance, a cappella, improv, and comedy. Sophomore summer is particularly special, as most of these groups allow sophomores to audition and join just for the summer.
In one of my previous posts, I mentioned how I joined a sorority earlier this fall by going through the recruitment process. I've come a long way since then. In fact, I am living in my sorority house for my sophomore summer!
Dartmouth is not just a college. With world-renowned graduate schools, why would we choose to call ourselves a college instead of a university? The story behind that decision dates back to a significant Supreme Court ruling.
On a quiet spring Saturday in Hanover, I traded the usual campus buzz for Monet in the morning and archery in the afternoon—a reminder that Dartmouth weekends can be just as meaningful when they're slow, reflective, and a little unexpected.
During my sophomore spring quarter, I took on the challenge of four STEM courses, and while it has been intense, the unexpected connections across subjects and the joy of learning have made it one of my most rewarding academic experiences yet.
