Expert Psychological Counselor Özgür Akoğlan stated that the month of Ramadan, ahead of the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) to be held on June 20-21, 2026, is not a crisis for students but a great opportunity when planned correctly. He called it “not a pause, but a turbo opportunity,” urging candidates to utilize the ‘golden hours’ after Sahur and transform the period into willpower training.
Addressing concerns that Ramadan might decrease exam performance during the YKS marathon, Özgür Akoğlan pointed out that this period can be turned into an advantage with the right strategy.
Expert Psychological Counselor Özgür Akoğlan, Director of Educational Institutions and Guidance Services at Uskudar University, shared important messages with candidates entering the month of Ramadan before the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) to be held on June 20-21, 2026.
“Ramadan is not a pause, but a turbo opportunity”
Özgür Akoğlan stated that similar anxieties arise in students' minds as the YKS marathon nears its end: “Anxious questions like ‘Can I focus when I'm hungry?’, ‘Will my scores drop if my sleep pattern is disturbed?’, ‘Should I just coast through this month?’ are constantly circulating in most students' minds. If you're thinking this way, you're missing the bigger picture. Because Ramadan is not an excuse for a student preparing for exams; it's the biggest ‘acceleration (turbo)’ opportunity of the year.”
End the lethargy of fullness, transition to mental clarity
Highlighting the biological effects of fasting, Özgür Akoğlan said, “Normally, three meals a day and snacks in between create constant fluctuations in our blood sugar. That feeling of heaviness (lethargy) that settles after every meal is the biggest reason we get up from our desks. However, a fasting body reaches an incredible mental clarity after the first few days of adaptation. With an empty stomach, the body sends the energy it would normally spend on digestion to the brain. Without worrying about ‘What should I eat?’ or ‘Should I make tea?’, uninterrupted blocks of time emerge for focused work.”
Hours after Sahur are golden
Stating that one of Ramadan's biggest advantages is time management, Özgür Akoğlan said, “On a normal day, getting up at 5:00 AM to study can seem very difficult. But during Ramadan, you're already awake! That quiet, 2-hour period after the Sahur meal, when phones aren't ringing and the city is asleep, is the most productive ‘Golden Hours’ of the day. During these hours, the mind is not yet polluted by the day's stress. For a student who doesn't sleep after Sahur but sits down to study, those 2 hours are worth 5 hours of normal time. You can tackle your most challenging and complex subjects in this silence.”
Ramadan offers an opportunity for social detox
Özgür Akoğlan noted that Ramadan naturally slows down social life: “Ramadan is a kind of ‘social life diet.’ Wasting time in cafes, cinema outings, or unnecessary socializing are minimized. Everyone withdraws into their homes, into their shells. This means that distractions are naturally eliminated for you. You won't find a better environment to channel your energy not outwards, but towards your desk and your goals.”
Willpower muscles are strengthening
Emphasizing that exams require not only knowledge but also psychological resilience, Özgür Akoğlan said, “An exam is not just about knowledge; it's also a psychological endurance test. Your willpower muscles, which endure hunger and thirst, become ‘steel-like’ against difficult questions and exam stress. A student who learns to manage their desires and willpower during Ramadan also learns to manage their stress in front of the exam booklet.”
The steering wheel is in your hands
Finally, Özgür Akoğlan called out to students, saying, “Now you must make a decision. Will you spend this month by saying ‘I'm tired, I'm hungry,’ moving to the right lane and slowing down, or will you seize the opportunity of your competitors slowing down and move to the ‘left lane’? Remember; someone who walks while everyone else stands still is considered to have run. Let this Ramadan be your ‘Turbo,’ not your excuse.”