 The lasts!
What must it feel like to face final exams, assignments and lectures, especially for those seniors who will leave the days full of hurry and stress behind? Well, we're all coming close to the end of a long (or was it short?) spring semester. For me it felt like it has gone by in the blink of an eye, and at times it has been quite horrible to live through. But summer is almost here and it's time to be free of constraints and anxieties. After a month or so, however, I will miss the sleepless nights and the running from one exam to another... Really! For me it's enough to have three or four weeks of rest and then I want to start the rush all over again.
For some seniors, a new life is stretching out in front of them. The lucky few have it all mapped out in perfect detail, but for most, it isn't that simple; especially if they are like me and as changeable as the British weather! My ambitions, desires, and decisions may change completely from one day to another. It's disturbing since I am always asking “What if?” Graduates must face the possibilities lying before them. The number of choices they suddenly have to make must seem bewildering. Should one go for a master's degree, or go directly to pursuing a PhD, either in Turkey, or in a foreign country? Or, should they seek employment? So, what lies ahead for me when I have to face this choice?
As far as I have observed, academics consists of teaching, doing research in a specific area and writing publications. Students are often only aware of how the education part works. But, if I choose to become an academic, would I satisfy the requirements needed to do research? Am I patient and determined enough? It seems to be a good option, as there would be no one directing me. I would be free to do whatever I wanted, though it probably isn't quite that easy. The number of hours needed to complete the tasks in these three areas varies between one academic to another, and time has to be carefully managed.
On the other side lies business life which starts so early in big and crowded cities like Istanbul - as early as five or six in the morning. Even though I am an early riser, it was torture to get up at these hours when I did my internship. Moreover, a manager is the one giving out tasks to complete, and these jobs may not always require much intelligence. However, there is no work to take home at night. Of course, having one's own company seems to be a perfect option. However, there are many steps to take to get to that point, except for in a few lucky cases.
It appears that a new rush is on the way. Critical decisions must be made since happiness/sadness is the gift/punishment.
Good luck with your exams and may you have a wonderful sun filled holiday! Make sure that even if the sun doesn't shine, you have sun in your soul that is there even on cloudy days. Perhaps that will give you more warmth than the other. Maybe it will be powerful enough to help the real sun rise? Remember what Jeanette Winterson says in her April column: “There's a lot of happiness to be had from simple things.” You can read it at http://www.jeanettewinterson.com if you like.
Farewell…
Müge Tekin (IE/III)
tekin_e@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
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