Üsküdar Üniversitesi Education Institutions and Guidance Services Manager, Specialist Psychologist Counselor Ece Tözeniş and Journalist-TV Program Host Şaban Özdemir met with students and their families at the “Adaptation to the New” event, organized by Doğru Cevap Schools as part of the “Life Is a Choice” meetings.
Journalist Şaban Özdemir moderated the event, which was held online via Zoom. Doğru Cevap Anatolian High School Principal Müjgan Özdemir Kilit and Üsküdar Üniversitesi Specialist Psychologist Counselor Ece Tözeniş attended the program as speakers.
Understanding the situation is necessary to manage the process…
Müjgan Özdemir Kilit, discussing what needs to be done from the very beginning of adaptation to the new and the advantages the pandemic period has brought us, stated: “The initial period of the pandemic was difficult, but when we approach it with a solution-oriented mindset, it becomes easier to progress and achieve success. This is a problem, but we are here to solve it, and we will. We have done the necessary work. At this point, everyone needs to approach this process with the same sensitivity. The pandemic is a bad thing, but when asked, the pandemic brought many beautiful things into our lives. I think the most important thing is that our routines were broken. When I consider the process, we will start changing faster. The pandemic has brought us very beautiful gains, so we should not look at it too negatively. Understanding the situation is necessary to manage the process. When you understand this, there is a changing process as a school, teacher, student, parent, and society, and we will all understand this process in the best way possible. We will criticize, we will tell each other, but we will understand its foundation very well. I think everything comes down to understanding. As an institution, I believe we have understood this period. This will spread further. The routines of our lives have changed, the system has changed, and I don’t see these changes as too bad. The only bad thing is that it is an epidemic, that there are casualties, and that we are subjected to certain restrictions, but we need to stop and question.”
Dream and never stop dreaming
Specialist Psychologist Counselor Ece Tözeniş, addressing students' online education from home during the pandemic, and what needs to be done for correct career choice and accurate goals, said: “Since we switched to online education at home, parents inevitably had to take on the role of teachers, and thus teachers remained outside, meaning they were more distant. Unfortunately, conflicts also arose from this, but we always say that parents continue with their parental duties. Since we are here with younger students who are taking steps towards adulthood, and the next step is always exam and goal-oriented, I want to talk about these. Actually, we all make the same mistake, asking the same questions like, 'Which profession will you choose?' 'Which department will you study?' but we miss some things when setting goals. What do you dream of? What do you want? Students also need to do this. Setting a goal is not just about choosing a good department that everyone studies. That's why it's necessary to dream. Are you truly happy and enjoying yourself while doing these things? Once you establish these in a broad framework, you can then do your career research. The preference period is a very good time for this. Even after the exam, you have a little more time to research your desired goals, so dream and never stop dreaming. Dreaming, on the one hand, actually increases our dopamine levels, reduces our anxiety, and makes us work much better to achieve our goals.”
Talent and success prefer uncomfortable zones
Şaban Özdemir, discussing the technological benefits the pandemic has provided us and the effort we need to make to adapt to the current events, said: “He spoke about distance education, which has been implemented in the USA for twenty-five years on a global scale. In fact, this is not a scenario we are unfamiliar with. Yes, the pandemic turned distance education, which was a choice, into a necessity. There is such a trend in the world, and we should not miss this trend. Perhaps the pandemic made us cover the distance we would have taken twenty years to traverse in a short period like six or three months. Technology gained such usage capability. Therefore, this should not be seen as a risk. As a biological tendency, we don't particularly like uncomfortable zones. We don't easily abandon comfort. It should not be forgotten that development and creativity prefer uncomfortable zones more. If we can make sense of these, solve the problem, and analyze it, the issue of adaptation will automatically be resolved, but this requires effort. Effort needs to be shown. It also requires awareness. Adapting is not a bad thing either.”
News: Ebranur Özdemir