BY ŞEBNEM TÜRE (PSYC/II) sebnem.ture@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
I’ve been writing here since the time when I’d just gotten used to college life. Graduating now, I see that in my columns for Bilkent News, I was making notes about many things that happened during my university years. And so, through the pieces I wrote, I’m able to present you a story lived at Bilkent “in the ’20s.” Maybe you’ll find something of yourself there.
Why am I writing?
The end of this piece will try to give an answer to that.
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A Satisficer or a Maximizer: Which One Are You? – October 22, 2018
We pass our college years trying to have fun in between doing assignments and making career plans. My perfectionist efforts to maximize things didn’t stop. However, as I got to know myself and many more people at college, I found more and more to be satisfied about.
Here’s To Getting Older, Plainer, Saner – November 5, 2018
This was one of my first columns here. I was questioning the transition from high school to college. Was I getting old, to be losing the sense of “insanity” I had enjoyed? I see now that maybe the transitions never end. We think we’ve reached somewhere when we graduate, but we’re still just transitioning.
“Vakıfbank S.K. Win 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship” – February 5, 2019
We’re living through so many events in Turkey that attract our attention, and being young (and educated) can give us more energy to think critically about them. Some may remember İ.M. Gökçek’s departure after the 2019 local elections, the imposition of a fee for plastic bags, or the earthquakes we experienced. I had the opportunity to think through all these events by writing. They say creativity comes from outside as well as from within.
Hello, Uncertainty, My Old Friend – May 12, 2020
One of the most unfortunate events that could have happened during our college years was undoubtedly the pandemic. The uncertainties we already faced increased. We didn’t know if we would actually be able to do the internships we had lined up. The people we had hoped and expected to see dropped out of sight. The occasional articles I wrote about festivals and plays came to an end.
For Those Who Desire the Unattainable – October 20, 2020
We want a lot during the last year of university. For one thing, we keep trying to plan our “next life,” and at the same time ascertain to what extent our plans will mesh with those of others around us. This was a piece I wrote while I was applying to graduate schools in the US. I also felt like most 20-somethings do during a stressful period. Busy, in love, and frustrated.
Why Do We “Click”? The Psychology of Instant Connection – February 16, 2021
Over the years, I wrote many columns that concerned matters of everyday life. One time I wrote about “Hygge” and another time about “Minimalism,” to see whether I fit (or if I should fit) into a particular lifestyle. I gave advice about how to get through a semester; in “How Not to Deal With It,” I questioned the value of any type of advice. However, one of the best things I observed in my personal development was that I was increasingly embracing the field of psychology. This became evident in my pieces, which increasingly referred to the psychology of everyday experiences and dilemmas. Following in the footsteps of many others, it will soon be my turn to jump into a profession. Maybe, just maybe, I am more ready than I think.
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The Psychology of Farewell
This is the hardest thing to discuss because, unlike the topics mentioned above, I’ve never written a column about it. I’d planned it to be the subject of this last piece, but then I chose to focus on the journey and not the farewell.
A journey starts when you go after what you love and don’t care a lot about the destination. Volunteering, following passions matters when we’re young, and I often tried to prioritize that during college. Writing for Bilkent News, for me, meant loving to write without expecting anything in return.
Even though I’m ending this final piece now, whatever was the essence of my work here will continue with me. No matter what stage of university or life you’re in, let me wish you endless journeys that have no farewells.