Head of the Fish 2024

October 2024

Come on, you can’t tell me you don’t adore the goofy fish logo for this year’s regatta—it’s like Halloween’s unofficial mascot with freaky teeth!

This year’s regatta ran October 26th and 27th, drawing a huge crowd as one of the season’s top fall races. We had 127 teams—mostly clubs—and a whopping 1633 race entries. Why throw around numbers? They help show just how competitive things got out on the water.

Representing our high school team, we raced in singles on Saturday and in larger boats on Sunday. And for once, the weather was on our side! A big step up from last year’s soggy, bone-chilling experience. Mornings were brisk while we rigged, but we warmed up with some trusty hot chocolate. By noon, it hit the 50s or low 60s—perfect racing weather, if you ignore the headwinds which couldn’t help but make things interesting.

I had my turn over the race course 3 times. Once on a single, once in a quad (4-person boat), and lastly in an eight. All in the U19 Varsity category, which makes me both proud and slightly disadvantaged, since I am actually still 16 years old.

Another weekend, another race…

October 2024

September and October are always busy months for our rowing team. We train intensively to sharpen our skills and regain our strength after the summer break. Coaches test us both on the erg and on the water, searching for the best combinations of teams and boats.

Most weekends during this time are filled with races, and on the rare free weekends, we have extra practices.

This weekend is the Head of the Charles in Boston, and I’m packed for a two-day trip. With three AP classes, two dual enrollment courses, and other electives, I have a lot of homework to tackle, so my laptop and notebooks are coming along.

In short, it’s another weekend filled with adventure and fun with my teammates, while squeezing in study sessions whenever possible. It’s all about carefully balancing and juggling everything I need to get done.

Head of the Quinobequin 2024

October 2024

Did you know that Quinobequin is the Native American name for the Charles River?

This year marked the 11th Head of Quinobequin, or “Head of Q” for short, organized by the Cambridge Boat Club along the Charles River in Boston. It’s an event exclusively for single rowers.

The race spans 3,000 meters upstream against the current, making it a challenging course.

This year’s race took place on a cold day, though luckily the rain held off until the race was finished. The course itself is difficult, with sharp curves forming S shapes, and the narrow width adds an extra layer of complexity. On top of that, it’s a head race, where boats start one after another with only brief intervals, requiring rowers to be mindful of passing rules and give way to faster boats.

Overall, rowing on an unfamiliar course, navigating tight spaces, and managing the crowded conditions threw me off, and I didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped. However, I took away valuable lessons on race strategy.

Mohawk Fall Classic 2024

September 2024

The Mohawk Fall Classic Regatta is another staple of the fall rowing season, organized by our neighboring club, Burnt Hills Rowing Club.

In the fall, Burnt Hills teams up with the Shenendehowa High School crew, competing under the name Erie Canal. The combined strength of both teams gives them a competitive edge, and I must mention that their superior boathouse, equipment, and larger coaching staff give them additional advantages.

In terms of location, this regatta is one of the best. It takes place at Jumpin’ Jacks Drive-In at Freedom Park in Scotia, right along the scenic Mohawk River. Since the drive-in is closed for the season, the entire parking lot becomes a staging area for trailers and teams, offering plenty of space to set up.

This year’s event was held on September 29th, featuring 27 clubs and 213 entries. I competed in two races.

The day began early once again, with a 5 a.m. wake-up and arriving at the venue by 6 a.m. It was another warm, sunny fall day—perfect conditions for rowing.

Results:

  • Boys’ Junior 8+ – 3rd
  • Boys’ Junior 4x – 1st

A slice of home – juicy details of joints

September 2024

This year, I’m taking a Civil Engineering & Architecture class—a dual enrollment course offered by my high school. I’ve been eager to dive into these topics, inspired by both my mom and grandfather, who are Civil Engineers.

Above is my cross-sectional mockup of a one-story house, showcasing the various joints and materials from foundation to roof. It’s been the perfect hands-on way to understand the materials and connections that keep structures stable and secure.

Head of the Hudson 2024

September 2024

The fall season always starts with the Head of the Hudson, organized by the Albany Rowing Club, where we race on the Hudson River. According to the event site, this year’s competition featured 36 clubs and 221 boats.

The day began with a crisp 55 degrees, warming up to a pleasant 70 by afternoon. It was a sunny autumn day—ideal for rowing.

We were picked up from high school at 6:45 a.m., and after arriving at the venue, we quickly rigged our boats. We spent the morning cheering on our teammates and waiting for our turns on the water.

I competed in both a quad and an eight, winning medals in both races.

Results:

  • Men’s Junior 8+ – 3rd
  • Men’s Junior 4x – 3rd

Driving a manual car :)

Having Turkish parents and traveling frequently means I need to learn how to drive a manual car.

The difference between manual and automatic transmissions is like night and day. The real challenge with manual cars is getting them moving—balancing the clutch, shifting into gear, and then accelerating.

I recently came across an image that made me laugh, because it perfectly captured the experience of another driver navigating the same learning curve as me. I sometimes feel bad for the people behind me and wish I could drive like the car was an automatic, but I’m slowly getting better.

How to make stuffed grape leaves – Dolma

Summers mean Turkish cuisine. My grandmother is the master chef in our family. Everything she cooks is delicious. Dolma or Stuffed Grape Leaves is one of her specialties. We – me and my cousins – wanted her to teach us how to make it.

According to her it is as easy as 1-2-3. Although it is more like 1-2-3-4-5, with a few extra steps in between.

First, you prepare the filling – meat, rice, spices and salt.

Then, you start rolling the dolma: you flatten the leaf on a plate, trim the tough parts and the stem, place the filling in the middle, fold the sides in, and roll. To make sure it’s the right shape you also have to hold the dolma inside your palm and squeeze gently before placing in the pan. Rinse and repeat these steps.

When you are done, place a plate on top of the Dolmas inside the pan to apply pressure, put the lid on, and slow cook.

While I’ve become quite the expert at rolling dolma, I’m still clueless about the exact ingredients and measurements. My grandmother eyeballs everything, so her instructions were like: “A little of this. A pinch of that. Pour some. Cook till its done.”

In the end she just said, “it’s fine, come to Turkey whenever you want some.”