AS STARTS

Ela had been locked in her room on the phone for almost two hours. When her mom finally called out, 

“Dinner’s getting cold, can you hang up and come eat?” 

Ela smiled and said, “I’ll call you back later, bestie,” but shot her mom a sharp glare at the same time.

Her mom, surprised she could do both at once, chose not to argue and went back to the kitchen quietly. Ela followed, grumbling: 

“Why are you treating me like a little kid, Mom? I’m breaking up with my best friend, but of course you don’t care!”

Her mom answered calmly: “Didn’t you two go to the same school? What changed her mind? I thought you were inseparable.”

Ela snapped back as if it were her mom’s fault: Her family decided her to attend another school program, just like all my other friends!”

Ela was starting her last year of high school. Most seniors were transferring depending on their college plans. She and her best friend Buse had enrolled together, but when Buse saw how bad the conditions were, she begged her parents to pull her out and sign her up for another program at a private school. That meant no classes, but automatic straight A’s.

Ela burned with anger, though she didn’t even know who or what it was really aimed at. Was it her family’s lack of money? Buse? Or the pressure of the exam? Or at her mom’s calmness while she felt so stuck? Deep down, she knew her mom wasn’t the problem, yet she still dumped all her frustration on her.

 “It’s all your fault, Mom! Everything!”

She stormed out: “I’m going for a walk.” 

Whenever she felt like this—lost and restless—she would just walk. Long, long walks. Just like her dad…
The truth was, Ela didn’t even know what she was feeling. She was in pain, but also knew she had to do something. She was stuck. It was time to choose: keep sulking and raging, or make some tea and start fresh.

At the park, she circled the walking path twice, jogged a bit, even hopped and shadowboxed before slowing down again. Finally, she collapsed onto her usual bench under the plane tree. Out of breath, but calmer. The late afternoon sun glowed red, like a blooming rose. Then she noticed her dad.

“What’s wrong, kiddo?”
“Dad, don’t call me that…”

He exaggerated playfully: “As you wish, princess,” then grew serious. “So, are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
“Nothing, Dad.”
“You’re here, breathless from walking. Something’s wrong. But okay—we’ll see.”
They sat in silence as the sun went down, watching people pass.
“Dad, I don’t know what to do. I feel so alone. I don’t even know where to start with this exam. I can’t breathe. The only thing I know is that I don’t know anything. I feel lost.”
“Sweetheart, are you the only one taking this test? Is this the only exam year?”
“No.”
“Didn’t you go through the high school entrance exam the same way?”
“But this isn’t the same…”

“I know. It’s harder. But you’re trying to go through it pretending nothing has changed—just to push through. You keep thinking about the work, the stress, the sleepless nights. That’s why you’re delaying the start, right?”

“Maybe… But Dad, starting something is really challenging. Where do I even begin?”
“Maybe by stopping the complaints and just opening your books,” he said gently. “Come on, your mom’s waiting.”

On the way home, they bumped into Çınar, who had taken the university exam the year before.
Her dad asked, “So, how’s life, son? How’s college? Did you visit the campus?”

“It’s good,” Çınar replied. “Yeah, I did. Alhamdulillah, I’m happy. Last year was tough, but it was worth it. Over the break, I rested and traveled a bit.”
“Wonderful.” Then, after a pause, he added, “Ela’s taking the exam this year too. Maybe you could give her some advice?” He noticed Ela’s flushed cheeks and stopped there.

Back home, Ela went straight to her room. She spread out her books on the desk, then flopped onto her bed. Running into Çınar had lifted her spirits, making it all feel more real—like an actual path ahead. She grabbed her phone and texted him:
“Hi Çınar. I wanted to ask how I should study for the exam—are you free?”
He called right away. Ela blushed.
“Hi. How are you? How can I help?”
“Hi… I’m okay. As you know, I’m taking the exam this year. I know I need to study, but I don’t know how. I feel lost.”
“That stuck feeling… What major do you want?”
“Law.”
“What subject are you best at?”
“History. Why?”
“Because you can’t start the journey without starting somewhere. To get moving, start with the easy part. Begin with history, then keep going.”
“You think so?”

“Yes. Definitely. And most importantly—stay calm and just start. Don’t delay, don’t panic.”
His words made Ela feel stronger.
“Call me anytime. Remember, this shall pass.”
Even after they hung up, she held her phone a while longer. Then she grabbed a sticky note and wrote down his advice:

Start with the easy part — Stay calm — Don’t delay!!!
She repeated the words over and over in her head all night. Suddenly the exam year didn’t feel like a suffocating storm cloud anymore—it looked like a clear path. The law school she dreamed of no longer seemed so far away.
Excited, she leapt from her bed, sat at her desk, and started flipping through her history book.

Since the beginning of humanity, Our greatest friend and enemy has remained the same: The person in the mirror...

"Experiential Design Teaching" is dedicated to help humans discover their true purpose. It guides people toward open consciousness to make better decisions and choices. It offers strategies for real solutions to real problems.

The programs that begin with “Who’s Who,” followed by “Mastery in Relationships” and “The Psychology of Success,” aim to help people become happier and more successful compared to their past selves.