UNIVERSITY LIFE IS THE FIRST STEP TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD
It has been stated that university life was a transitioning period from adolescence to young adulthood and a time in which families got more worried and concerned. Prof. Dr. Yankı Yazgan met with students at “Anxiety, Learning, and Choices from Adolescence to Young Adulthood” titled conference co-organized by Izmir University of Economics (IUE) Faculty of Health Sciences and IUE Vocational School of Health Services.
Prof. Dr. Yazgan, a specialist experienced in children’s, adolescents’, and adults’ psychiatry, made recommendations to the youth and their parents by saying they should seek help from guidance teachers. Prof. Dr. Yazgan stated that it was important to know how the brain functioned for healthy thoughts. He said, “Curiosity, anxiety, worries start at home. There is no such thing as big or small choice in human brain. Parenting may be full of worries, complaints, and dissatisfactions. It is not possible for parents not to worry about the education of their children which has an impact on their future.”
‘Worries of parents’
Prof. Dr. Yazgan reported that worry meant seeing a small risk as a big one, and not one but multiple outcomes occurred as a result of making a choice. He said that university life was a transitioning period from adolescence to young adulthood and that included a major change. Prof. Dr. Yazgan said, “Where you are headed towards may be more important in youth. It includes a period of time when the cycle of separating, alienating, and coming back begins. This is a bit more complicated for parents. They experience the worry of ‘Where do I leave this kid to'. They ask 'will he/she be able to manage without me?’ Parents need to accept that their practical importance starts to decrease at this point.”
‘Who is your mentor?’
Prof. Dr. Yazgan indicated that parents need to get ready to send their children off, and 17-19 age range was appropriate time for separation. Prof. Dr. Yazgan stated the following:
“Mind constantly develops since human brain does not stop functioning. Even at the ages of 18-20, some parts in our brain continue to develop. Especially, the front part is not in full capacity. These are risk taking years. Risk taking is at its peak at 12 and 13. That age group needs guidance from an expert. That’s what guidance teachers are for. It is also important who is doing the guiding. Little stress may be useful. We cannot change the cards we are dealt; just how we play the game. Change is to learn from past choices. Life is all about taking a lesson. We are not only learning information at schools. Life is like a game, it runs away when you chase it. We may not be happy with our choices but there is always someone worse off than us. If we are a turtle, we are a turtle but we need to be a good turtle.”
