We hope you enjoy this short interview with Gözde, a visiting scholar from Turkey (and) who became a new mother this September. She talked with CSU Writes intern, Emma Lynn, about balancing academic life with the love of family and research, and the support of a writing community at CSU.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Emma
Can you tell me a little bit about who you are and your background?
Gözde
I finished my BA in English Language and Literature in Turkey. During my studies, I’ve been to Boston for a semester at Boston University. I had an MA American history, but I wanted to further it, so in my PhD I’m analyzing American culture and British culture comparatively. I’m here actually accompanying my husband who is doing research and engineering. We are here for a year, and I gave birth to Can and it’s such a good experience. It’s challenging, but everyone in Fort Collins makes it easier for me to adapt to this new life as a new mom and also a researcher who is trying to juggle in between. I’m really happy that I have such a network of people.
Emma
That’s wonderful. What university is your PhD connected to?
Gözde
It’s in Turkey, Ege University. I am doing research about women travelers. I feel that women are underrepresented. In Turkey, I feel the difficulties women go through. Traveling makes women free. I wanted to look at how women made themselves free by traveling during the 18th and 19th centuries. I specifically wanted to look at British and American women travelers. I just wanted to integrate my research interest to my academic life. Also, CSU Writes is feeding me on my academic desires, and they help me just stay grounded in academic studies. I was stuck when I first came here, and I met them, and I kept going. I even submitted the second chapter to my advisor because of them. And then the next day I gave birth.
Emma
Wow, that is incredible! How did you discover CSU Writes as a resource?
Gözde
I knew that in Boston University there was a writing center, and I just thought that here there should be a writing center as well. I Googled it and I found them. One day I saw an announcement that they were [CSU Writes] having a workshop. I immediately called Annie and…she said, “Well, we are open to everyone, so please come and join us.” I started to attend the workshops and Kristina told me about this noncredit course and I immediately got registered. In the third week, I gave birth, but still, I’m going on with Can. And it’s fun actually! Because you want to do something for yourself while you’re raising a kid. You shouldn’t forget yourself, your desires, your pursuits, so I’m trying to do all of them.
Emma
That’s such a wonderful sentiment. How has CSU Writes helped with your writing?
Gözde
I attended workshops and they helped me realize I was perfectionist and that’s why I couldn’t start at some point. They told me all the things that you should have in mind while you’re writing a thesis, and you should start at some point and go back and just correct it and not come up with the perfect thing at the first sitting. This mentality, this mindset, has helped me a lot. And also, the people that attended this workshop, they also addressed their own problems, and I had the same problems. It helped me to gain self-awareness as a writer. They even had a session about procrastination. Just the whole session was about how to overcome it. It was like psychological guidance for academic procrastinators.
Emma
That’s wonderful. I’m glad that you were able to find something like that. How does your family participate in CSU Writes?
Gözde
My son is just watching the online courses and he’s getting familiar with the English language. And my husband also tries to watch the lessons because he’s doing research and he needs that know how. We are trying as a family under the lessons of and guidance of CSU Writes.
Emma
I love that. How would you describe your approach to writing?
Gözde
It’s a kind of self-expression. Making sense out of the world and making sense out of yourself. I really think that it helps you to reflect on your experience while you are taking a look at others’ experience, so you thrive both as an individual and as an academic. I would like to continue writing forever, as long as the life permits me to do it, because it’s not just academic, but it’s psychological, sociological, and philosophical sometimes. I’m trying to understand myself while trying to understand others, because writing involves reading, thinking, producing something. All of these make me happy and I’m in pursuit of happiness.