By İrem Naz Duymuş (AMER/III) & Eda Emekoğlu (AMER/III)
nazduymus@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
eda.emekoglu@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
Welcome back to our lovely home, dearest reader, after an essential break from our beloved university. I hope you made the most out of it, even though the weather seemed like a seasonal depression and the rain felt like a cold shower every single day. Oh, and I also hope you got the most out of “bayram” in regards to both nutrition and finance. I know it is traditionally not OK to give out harçlık to university students but come on. I think we deserve and need it now more than we did when we were 12. I know I do. Anyways, as we are also starting the last month of classes, I want to take a moment and think about how fast time has passed. There must be some sort of sorcery behind this time-bending notion because otherwise, I have no words to explain how we ended up here.
As we slowly snap back into reality (unfortunately), it is only fair that we make the most out of what is left of this semester; not just academically, but socially, emotionally and, if possible, financially. Adjust your schedules because this is the month in which we are letting go of our martenickas and embracing spring with wide arms and big hugs. The start of spring looks promising as we have up-and-coming concerts. The month kicks off with a subtle hint of slow-burning love stories and heartburns with Cem Adrian on the very first day of spring. It continues with performances by Yaşar and Berkay on the 10th and 11th, respectively. Alongside concerts, there are a few options to choose from when it comes to theatre. “Bulaşıkçılar,” written by Morris Panych, is set to be performed on the 29th and is very anticipated by the theatre-loving community. It is about the backstage of a big-shot, fancy restaurant, and it depicts what goes on inside a system of the rich, literally eating rich. It is a dark comedy with a sprinkle of tragedy, a great recipe for a sight worthy of time! There is also the play “Jekyll & Hyde,” with infamous names like Hayko Cepkin and Pelin Akil, though it is expensive. Bearing these limited options, I come with an alternative: I suggest packing your backpack with a few essentials and getting out of the city. Keep that Ankara appreciation energy for the last weeks of April, and get out for a one or two-day trip. You can travel to Eskişehir and explore Odunpazarı whilst getting a delicious and very hot portion of çiğköfte, which is surprisingly not that greasy if you eat it the original way. While you are babbling about how you are so full and have no room for other Eskişehir delicacies, I think you are going to come across a regional type of helva which is amazing. On the other hand, if you have explored Eskişehir, I suggest you take a single day trip to Safranbolu. It is a simple and easy bus ride but a long adventure. Bring some cash with you and discover the rush and anxiety of figuring out the minibus schedule. I am talking from from pure experience. Discover the old houses while grabbing their infamous “kel simit,” a delicacy which feels weird yet warm and tastes delicious. Have some tea stops when you are tired, and walk freely. Also check out local stands where a lot of versatile accessories and medicinal shops are distally placed inside the city. I think it is a great place for a single day trip without having to pay for the night, but I suggest you get the 8 p.m. return tickets because the city falls asleep around then.
Here I have laid out some little excursions for your liking, dearest readers. As I hope for some warmth and heat for this month, I also hope that your bank accounts stretch miraculously just a bit longer. If not, we’ll just have to rely on vibes, denial and maybe one last harçlık miracle.
