By İrem Naz Duymuş (AMER/III) & Eda Emekoğlu (AMER/III)
nazduymus@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
eda.emekoglu@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
Holly jolly Christmas is awakening, my dear friends—certain songs are defrosting, decorations are being pulled from dusty basements and students are heading back home. Of course, there is us, the lovely Bilkenters who remain far from our homes for the excruciating finals week because it literally goes through New Year’s. I guess we’ll have to gather in the dining hall for another day of mediocre meals for the start of the year, but no need to turn on the waterworks yet—we have a couple of exciting activities and events to attend first.
To improve the quality of the year, December pulls out its final moves to entertain us here in Ankara. There are many New Year festivities coming up, from concerts throughout the month to various art walks in galleries. If you love art and adore Tunalı Hilmi like me, you’ll enjoy these.
I don’t think there are many options when it comes to theater, but the ones we do have are strong. Our very own friends in the Department of Performing Arts have their graduation projects on the 11th and 18th at 8 p.m. this month. There is also the one-man adaptation of Nikolay Gogol’s “The Overcoat” on the 12th. The adaptation has been well liked throughout the years and won various awards and lasts about an hour in total. So, if you’re thinking, “No, I don’t have any time to do anything besides study,” let this be your reminder that you can go watch a show for just an hour and enjoy your spare time.
Although the month is, theater-wise, a bit weak, there are lots of films coming out. One of our own prominent directors, Çağan Irmak, is returning with a biographical movie about Adile Naşit: a breeze of the past that ensures nostalgia and warmth. Speaking of familiar names in Turkish cinema, there is also Fatih Akın, the director of “Amrum,” a film that caught the attention of the Cannes Film Festival.
On the other hand, one of the legendary worlds of science fiction, “Avatar,” is returning with its third movie on the 19th. “Avatar: Ash and Fire” is expected to show the fierceness and violence of the Ash People, as James Cameron has hinted. Let’s see whether he made a good decision splitting the second and third films—and how he plans to mesmerize audiences again with special effects and CGI. Or better yet, will he? We’ll be the judge of that.
Anyways, this is pretty much what is available to the people of Bilkent before the final season of the year. It’s not the most packed season in terms of entertainment, but it’s better than nothing, right? Also, don’t forget, this is the month of wrapping things up. Whether it’s a fight or a present, make sure to do what’s on your mind instead of avoiding it until next year, because time is ticking.
