President of Üsküdar University psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan met with high school students as part of the Motivation Meetings organized by the Ümraniye Municipality Youth Council. During the talk, which was also attended by Ümraniye Mayor İsmet Yıldırım, Tarhan stated that he sees Generation Z, known for being open to innovation and change, as a generation capable of quickly attaining wisdom. He advised young people to think in 360 degrees and emphasized that outcome-focused thinking is the main cause of exam stress. Tarhan added, “Telling someone not to stress is actually an invitation to stress,” and shared important tips for students preparing for university entrance exams.
The event was held at the Ümraniye Martyr District Governor Muhammet Fatih Safitürk Cultural Center.
The event, which was also attended by Ümraniye Mayor İsmet Yıldırım, was met with great interest by the students.
İsmet Yıldırım: "We gain youth energy from our young people"
Speaking at the event, Ümraniye Mayor İsmet Yıldırım made the following remarks: “As Ümraniye Municipality, we have held 113 motivation meetings. We regularly meet with our high school students and will continue to do so. We gain youth energy from them. We are with children almost every day. Everything in Ümraniye has changed. For example, we now host afternoon tea gatherings in neighborhood parks, where citizens can ask questions and we provide answers on the spot. If there is a need, we immediately direct it to the relevant department. We even do this in parks. People don’t need monologues; they need dialogue. In fact, we all need dialogue. The ability to talk and understand each other is extremely important.”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “I see Generation Z as a generation that can easily gain wisdom”
In his speech attended by university-bound students, psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized the bright future of Generation Z and made the following remarks: “Generation X is the radio generation, Generation Y is the television generation, and Generation Z is the digital generation. Those in the digital age are fortunate, and they are in a very advantageous position. Generation Z’s biggest strength is their openness to innovation and change. They have strong expectations of innocence and justice. This is a very positive thing and vital for Turkey’s future. Being open to change while remaining committed to truth and justice is extremely valuable. I see this generation as one that can easily attain wisdom.”
“The combination of these three traits is called the 'tray of reason'”
Emphasizing the importance of balancing idealism, realism, and activism, Tarhan stated the following remarks: “Generational conflict is universal, and it has always existed. As Imam Ali said, ‘Raise your children not according to the times you live in, but according to the times they will live in.’ That is why today’s youth are ahead of us and more advanced in many ways. They can foresee what the future might bring. They want a better, more beautiful world than the one we lived in. Their questioning and critical thinking is a natural part of youth and should not be perceived as a threat. There should be a balance between idealism and realism, that is, idealism detached from reality is not sustainable. Think of Rumi’s compass metaphor: one leg fixed on the ground, the other in the ideals. And then there is activism, but not just dreaming but taking action. It is not enough to just talk; however, action must follow. The integration of idealism, realism, and activism is called the ‘tray of reason.’ When these three are in balance, the tray stays upright. If young people can maintain this balance, a bright future awaits them.”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “A profession is a means to a goal”
Highlighting that concerns about the future are normal, President of Üsküdar University and Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan expressed that “It is expected for young people to feel anxious about the future. That is why they often tend to choose ‘safe’ professions. This tendency becomes prominent during university selection processes. While financial concerns are important for short-term goals, if a person does not love what they do, it will not be sustainable. It is essential that they enjoy their work. Is a profession like clothing, or like skin? You can change clothes, but you cannot change your skin. If we treat our profession like our skin, which is part of our identity and personality, it can have a negative impact on us. A profession is merely a tool to achieve a goal. Just as there are material goals, there are also abstract ones. ‘How do you want to be remembered at the end of your life? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What kind of story do you want to write?’ These are abstract goals. Concrete goals include having a house, a car, and a comfortable life. These are short-term thoughts. However, those who think long-term combine abstract and concrete goals. We are now seeing more of this synthesis.” He continued his remarks as follows: “Today’s youth are affected by global concerns. They may remain under the influence of these worries, but economic anxieties are sinusoidal, and they fluctuate. If we look back 100 years, the material welfare of humanity has not declined, it has actually improved. So, excessive financial worry is not very realistic.”
“Young people should think in 360 degrees”
Emphasizing the importance of having a multidimensional perspective, Prof. Tarhan said that “Young people should think in 360 degrees. The biggest cause of error is having a narrow viewpoint, like wearing blinders. In our culture, there’s a concept called ‘feraset’, that is, insight. A horse’s vision is 360 degrees, whereas human vision is not. That is why blinders are placed on horses to avoid distraction. When analyzing an issue, we use the cube analogy. A cube has a front, back, top, bottom, left, and right. Being able to see all six sides is what we call 360-degree thinking. If young people assess their current position this way, they’ll realize there are many difficult circumstances, and this understandably causes anxiety. Fear of the future and uncertainty are real. However, as Anatolian people, we are used to storms; therefore, this geography is one that thrives on struggle. So, they should not focus solely on the negatives. What they possess now is powerful and capable enough to fix problems. Life does not move in a straight line. Unless there’s a war, there is nothing to fear. Every problem has a solution.”
“Success does not come from the comfort zone”
Explaining the origin of success, Tarhan added that “People succeed when they immerse themselves in what they are doing. Just look at Nobel Prize winners, and they practically live in their laboratories. If you have a purpose to work for, success follows. However, success does not come from the comfort zone. If you want to succeed, step out of it. When someone once said to Confucius, ‘You work so hard,’ he replied, ‘I am not working, but I am doing what I love.’”
“Artificial intelligence is a tool that makes life easier”
Prof. Tarhan also shared his views on artificial intelligence and continued his remarks as follows: “AI has made our lives incredibly easier. Just as the invention of the printing press or electricity transformed human history, AI is doing the same. By itself, AI is neutral. If you use it for good, accurate, and beautiful purposes, it leads you to incredible knowledge. It saves you from scanning endless academic literature. However, the information it provides can be inaccurate, so it must be read and verified. AI mostly gathers associative and inspirational sources. It’s a tool that makes life easier and helps achieve goals more efficiently, but only for those who have a purpose. For someone with an ego ideal, AI can significantly accelerate the path to their goals.”
Outcome-oriented thinking triggers exam anxiety
President of Üsküdar University and psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan shared valuable insights with prospective students on managing exam stress and made the following remarks: “The biggest factor that causes exam stress is outcome-oriented thinking. What’s needed is process-oriented thinking. For example, students say, ‘What if I fail the exam? What will people think of me?’ In fact, the biggest jury in the world is the jury of ‘what others will say.’ When you start worrying about what others will think, anxiety increases. Instead, focus on the process. Saying, ‘I’ll solve 100 practice questions a day,’ is process-oriented. They should abandon outcome-focused thinking. Set your goals aside, make your plan, and focus on the steps of the process. Think about the small steps in that process. There are people who say things like, ‘I’ve failed, I’m ruined, I’ll be embarrassed, I can’t succeed.’ Then they go and score higher than everyone else on the exam. Don’t be influenced by them. They are negative, always complaining. Even if you placed them in paradise, they would complain that it is too beautiful. Such people exist. Don’t take them as role models. We should focus on how to make the most of the next month and a half. In the end, we are only responsible for doing our best. We are not responsible for the result. Anxiety occurs when you think about things you cannot control. However, if you think about things you can control, the anxiety decreases. We can control the process, not the result.”
“Telling someone not to stress is an invitation to stress”
Emphasizing the importance of responsibility awareness in youth, Tarhan added that “Telling someone ‘Do not stress it’ is actually inviting them to stress. This phrase has a clearly negative impact. One of the most common mistakes parents make is saying things like, ‘My son, my daughter, you are important, never mind school, don’t worry about studying.’ If the child or teen has a strong sense of responsibility, such statements affect them negatively. A young person with a high sense of responsibility will naturally also experience high exam anxiety. Telling them, ‘It doesn’t matter if you fail the exam, you are still important’ only increases their anxiety. Because in their mind, failure is not an acceptable option. What they need to hear is: ‘You are responsible for doing your best, but the outcome is not your responsibility.’ Also, constantly asking ‘How was the exam?’, turning every breakfast into a press conference, and bringing up school the moment you see the child if parents do this, the anxiety will never end.”
“Others are like advanced high schools”
Speaking about what modern universities must do to keep up with the times, Tarhan explained that “Today, what we call ‘good universities’ around the world are third-generation universities. A university has four main functions. The first is to provide vocational education, this is the most well-known function, but it is only one part. The second is conducting research and R&D, creating and developing projects. But even that isn’t enough. The third pillar is informing society, sharing knowledge with the public and contributing to the advancement of ideas. The fourth is the industrialization of knowledge, building university-industry collaborations. Universities that fulfill all four functions are the ones that are keeping up with the modern age. The rest are like glorified high schools. Regardless of the university, its role in making someone successful in their career is only 20–30 percent. The remaining 70–80 percent comes down to the individual’s own effort and their self-development and filling in their own gaps.”
Book signing for students
At the end of the session, which drew strong interest from students, Prof. Tarhan signed copies of his book “Being a Conscious Youth” for high school attendees.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)