Band 80-90: Please Press There

“The point is not how we use a tool, but how it uses us.” said Nick Joakvin to express his feelings about the detriments of technology and internet. As he said, it is often assumed by humankind that technology and internet (TI) are so constructive instead of thinking TI is being the owner of the world, of the people themselves. Thanks to technology(!) , on the internet everyone can share what they do, what they eat, where they go. However, people are not even aware of sharing their private life effortlessly without thinking over the significant results. Especially the youth is getting obsessed with TI more easily than the adults by overusing smart phones, smart TVs and some other deceitful tools. Not only TI is a threat for youth or adults, but also because of TI, there might be no life in the future in terms of wars and political issues. As is seen, TI is baneful for people in many ways which three of them are so remarkable; privacy and easiness, youth, wars & political issues.

First and foremost, it is a vital problem that people share their private life with the others in such a simple way. TI, which guarantees the inviolability of privacy, make people ask a reasonable question about how TI, itself, gets the information of people's private life.  If TI keeps sharing people’s private life, because of letting TI, soon there may not be right of defending our privacy. And also TI makes people consider that life is more easier on using tools but acutally people are getting lazier in virtue of TI. They do not worry or think about the problems because TI does instead of them. TI seems attractive by their easiness and privacy but in reality these two are essentially abominable.

Secondly, because of TI, youth is getting highly obsessed with technological devices. With unhealthy obsessions, in their daily life, time is being spent unnecessarily with TI; they are using mobiles, TVs, computers, laptops, headphones, wifi... There is almost no communication among teenages. The only thing that young people care about is a world of lie on the internet which made by technology. They cannot breath without Wi-Fi instead of not breathing without oxsygen. The other problem is that youth is not healthy because they do not need to move anymore. It has been thinking that everything is quite simple and available. For instance, young people do not want to climb up stairs, they use escelator. With a lot of examples like this situation that can be known nearly by everyone, might be thought as a threat of a dreadful obsession.

Thirdly, wars and political issues are the most critical effects of TI’s surrounding the world. Especially wars are not occuring like in the past centuries; weapons, people, thoughts... The weapons and even people & thoughts are developed by technology. Unfortunately these developments are so infinite and happening so fast that today these can be the reason of the end of the world. Wars that happening via TI can have an end if politicians let. However they think that as a country, if you have the weapon of TI, you have the power; If you do not, then you are not a country anymore. They want to feel powerful so they do not let the war end. If people let the war continue, TI also continue surrounding the world and the end can be dark.

All in all, besides it is thought that TI has a lot of profits, it also has curical and dreadful detriments. As mentioned before,  people should not let TI have the information of their own private life that easily. Conjointly, TI obviously make every tool slightly accesible, on the other hand, people are getting lazier by this situation. Conspicuously, the youth can be seen at the top of the laziness chart.  Moreover, not only youth are getting lazier, but also they are getting much more obsessed with TI day by day. Furthermore, wars and political issues that affect the world are the results of TI’s being the owner of the world. The most effective and healthy decision is to use TI sufficiently and effectively. As far as I am concerned, people are on the edge of a cliff and the more people let TI hold them, the less they may have the chance to live.

by Sümeyye Aydın 1st year ELT Student @ Erciyes University

band 80-90: DIAMOND OF 21ST CENTURY

        Vilifying the technology completely, ignoring the advantages or, praising it with individuals’ eyes closed is not appropriate thoroughly. The usage of technology determines whether it is useful or detrimental. Some people think that technology and internet makes our lives easier while the others say it makes us addicted and lethargy.  However, it is in our hands taking the positive sides of technology and internet by making good use of them or exposuring the harm effects of  them. Using the technology and internet is like choosing a friend. Because our friends are one of the most crucial part of our lives as the technology and internet and may affect us in so many situations. Technology and internet can ensure a lot of benefits to us, like a special companion,. However making our lives effortless, education and health are foremost ones.

        To begin with, one of the most influential advantages of using technology and internet can be viewed as making our lives effortless.. The first benefit can be identified with ‘’transpotation.’’ Looking back, people walked or got on some animals such as;horse,camel,ox to go to distant places. However, today people have a lot of transportation vehicles ranging from bus,train,car to plane. They go to somewhere even which is really remote as swift as they go to their neighbours  thanks to these vehicles. Furthermore, technology an internet are the most influential companions of people at their homes. People do things more quickly and efficiently under favour of their escorts. For instance; kitchen equipments,washing machines and hoovers are indispensable helpers for people because these stuff retrench the time and effort of people. Another point to add is that internet banking does the same thing. People do not have to go and bide in a long queue to pay their bills. Briefly stated, one of the most crucial advantages of technology and the internet can be thought as  making our lives easier.

       Second major factor that is related to advantages of using technology and internet can be regarded as the possibilities in education.Pupils have  innumerable facilities in terms of using technology and internet for their educational life. For instance, students use internet not just because they are  accustomed to using it for fun but they use internet as an assitant  for their homework. There are plenty of sites and online classes, owing to them pupils have a chance to see different types of questions and to learn new knowledge. Moreover, these classes and websites are practical for  the teachers,too. Instructors do not have to grade so many assignments  thanks to them.  Additionaly,  scholars can reach a great deal of information from online encyclopedia instead of gathering information from the books. With the help of this, they reach the information quicker than it used to be. In a word, education is one of the fields people can take advantages of internet and technology.

The third of the most considerable  advantages of using technology and internet might be health facilities. So many people suffering from diabets and high blood pressure have some achievabilities.To illustrate, these people are not obliged to go to any health care center or hospital, since they can easily  access  blood-pressure and blood- glucose  monitor at their homes. To boot, many diseases such as cancer  and allergic cases can be noticed and  cured early  thanks to health assistance  equipments.With the help of this, survival rates of the patients are increasing more and more. Furthermore, people  can handily get an appointment on the internet rather than going to hospital  too soon.  They do not have to bide wantonly at hospital owing to online appointment  system. In a nutshell, internet and technology contribute a lot of  opportunites in the fields of health and these opportunites are unignorable.

         On the whole, making our lives effortless, education and health are just three out of many other profitable advantages of technology and internet . The most influential advantages of using technology and the internet can be regarded as making our lives facile. Owing to this influence, individuals are accustomed to utilising them in every part in their lives. Education is one of the most widespread area which is made use of technology and the internet, as well. Another point is that health is impressed from technology an it has significant effect on the lives of humans. ‘’Technology and the internet are so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a complete alteration on human beings.’’

by Ayça Solsun 1st year ELT student @Erciyes University

Band 80-90: INTERACTION AMONG PEOPLE: FRIENDSHIP

“A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” says Lois Wyne. The scientific connection between a mother and a baby is an umbilicial cord but the emotional thing that they are connected is “friendship” between them. To tell the truth, the interaction among people is necessity for human being. Wherever you go all around the world, this interaction will find you because as even animals have an interaction among one another, how could not people have an interaction? Hence, this interaction starts with ‘encountering a friend’. For instance, when even a kid starts a primary school, s/he looks forward to finding a friend inasmuch as s/he does not want to be lonely. Yet, every human has an outlook about “friendship”. This may vary from a person to the other person. Considering all of these aspects like honest, supportive, and enjoyful can be three fundamental features that are regarded as a true friend while choosing a friend.

First of all, honesty representing loyalty and trust in one’s character is one of the most outstanding characteristic features for a friendship that has strong bond for being a long-term relationship. It does not bring more friends, on the other hand, it always provides to get loyal and trustworthy friends. For one thing, having loyal friends makes you feel confident. Hence, they do not tend to leave you alone, in contrast, they are always with you under any circumstances. This can be illustrated by the fact that a friend who has some dreadful behaviours such as using drugs, smoking, gambling will absolutely influence on you tremendously. On one hand, you try to give him/her up from these behaviours instead of neglecting him/her. That is to say, loyal friends make you withhold to mess with wicked habits. Another point to consider is that a friend should be a person you can trust. This friend is someone you can conveniently share you daily feelings. If you have a friend, s/he mainly must be honest and also trustworthy person who does not twist the truths and loyal person who makes you feel safe.

Secondly, a compliment, a smile or even a shoulder to cry can make a world of difference for a friend who needs your support. For one thing, a friend needs to hear your encouraging words when struggling with stress-filled situations. For instance, your friend copes with tough tasks and s/he does not put up with them and decides to give up them. In the midst of all this, you had better turn into a cheerleader of him/her and you had better support him/her with strong sides of your positiveness. Hence, both of you are at each other’s back. Moreover, a friend can intuit his/her emotions and s/he had better be an active listener to make them real. You should show that you understand his/her concerns by validating his/her feelings with phrases such as ‘I see that you are suffering…’ Thus, your friend will realize that when s/he needs a back, you are always somewhere here.

Thirdly, if you color your life, nothing beats having an entertaining friend. While your life is getting tedious, a friend comes and pulls you out this life. That is an enjoyful friend. For instance, you are abandoned by your beloved man at the wedding table and you are so heartbroken. Even in this case, you need to back your friend to life. Another point to consider is that in my opinion having a funny friend is unique because making somebody laugh is a mountain to climb. This person must have a good sense of humour. Hence, if you need to smile or want to get rid of troubles, this has a cure. Furthermore, while you are hanging out together, you notice that you have some similar interests such as going to cinema, swimming and so on. This kind of activities make you closer. Thus, the more you spend time together, the more you enjoy. As is obvious that you should find an enjoyful friend to breathe your life into something.

All in all, Thomas Aquinas says “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” Yet, these three characteristics features of a friend, like honest, supportive and enjoyful, are of the most significant. The foremost of all is honesty that is a crucial step  while making a friend. Maintaining this honesty requires a mega effort to tell the truth and keep your word. You can rely on and be loyal to one another in order to have an honest relationship. Moreover, being a supportive friend also forms a basis of camaraderie. A friend had better motivate his/her friend under any situations. Importantly, a genuine supportive step is to listen. Sometimes only listening is the best healer and also sometimes  having an enjoyful friend gives a meaning to you. This person is your life and soul of the party. Every moment you spend and eveything you achieve together is worthwhile for you. If you feel as if you are in a desert island, you should find a genuine friend promptly since s/he will bring out the best in you.


by Rümeysa Aktaş 1st year ELT Student @Erciyes University

Band 80-90

DANGER IN 21st CENTURY: POPULATION

         If the governments do not take any precautions straight away, people will witness some of biggest effects of population explosion quite soon. This means that in average, another two billions people will start to live in the world according to the latest research of NATO.” Another two billions people” means that much more basic needs and troublesome problems. Of course; the governments will not hold out and be effective about these problems. Even when they endeavor to find a way out, will encounter a whale of problems. Considering all of these aspects, educational problems, health problems and irregular urbanization can be three main troubles that will be observed.

         First of all, one of the most considerable problems of unstable population can be education. The more students are available, the less quality education is given in the countries. As everyone knows, most destroyed problems for our future because while quality of education declines. Increasing young population will have more demands for schools and job opportunities. Lack of job opportunies will bring about unemployment rates of Turkey increased from 8.8% to 12.1% in 2014 according to TUIK (Türkiye Istatistik Kurumu). That percentage, 12.1%, may be accepted as a normal grade around the world. However, it indicates a tremendous explosion, because almost all countries worldwide have these similar numbers and rates. It means that the governments and people will come across some results of unemployment like poverty, famine. When all of these datum of TUIK are considered, lack of education can be mainspring for bags of problems in the future.

         Second terrifying effect of unexpected population is health problem that will break out all around the world. Food and water are basic needs to continue life for people. So lack of these sources will affect the natural life gradually. It causes famine and poverty, are principal reasons of heaps of serious diseases. In addition, increasing population means consumption of different energy sources (like electricity, natural gas, coal, and petroleum). Therefore even today, many of nuclear power stations are founded all over the world. Even if people come across these types of illnesses, they will carry on destroying the nature, unfortunately. Although the nature is a plaster for us, any precautions or treatments cannot be occurred for disease.

         Irregular urbanization and some difficulties about transportation are third major troubles of rapid population explosion. The explosion can lead to heaps of problems, like unemployment, education, health. Because of these serious factors, people may need to migrate from their places to large cities. So people may call for extra settlement areas. The governments or people have to build innumerable houses, buildings or shanties to supply their needs. By the way irregular urbanization will start to arise steadily. This problem can bring another trouble related to traffic and transportation because the more people settle down in a city, the more demands may exist for transportation. For example, each person wants to possess their own car. According to TUIK datum, in Turkey almost 19 billion transports (just includes proprietary automobiles) are allowed to hit the roads in 2015.Even if that figure stirs up trouble for large cities, unfortunately the number goes on constantly. At the same time, people can perceive lack of public transportation due to increasing population. When we consider all of these aspects of troubles, population explosion will complicate the country life steadily.

         All in all, educational problems, health problems, irregular urbanization and transportation are just three troubles of unstable population. Except for these, people may encounter lots of different problems. It is absolute that the governments should take precautions to prevent this increased population and its tremendous effects in all over the world. These problems evolved due to high population rate of undeveloped countries in unexpected populated countries. So some beneficial lectures can be given to diminish the rate of population explosion in certain areas of the world. We can realize that, according to datum that are influential above, if we do not take any precautions about it, our children or grandchildren will not experience their lives as their wishes. Even, our basic needs may be luxurious for them.

Author: Beyzanur Çöpçü (1^st year ELT)