Melisa Ezgi Güleryüz

TedxBLIS has been an ongoing project at Bilkent Laboratory International School for years. It is a project which students line up every year and get interviewed to be a part of. Not only is it challenging, but it also requires patience and dedication. It is one of the most important projects at our school, and each year, speakers from all over the country come to give speeches about valuable life lessons.

I'm very passionate about writing, especially about psychology and mystery. I do not know myself well enough to express myself verbally, however, I find it easy to express ideas through pen and paper or through the keyboard. I loved writing because it makes me feel free and limitless, as though I can write about anything and no one would see it. It is not that I am afraid of being judged, but by writing, I can understand my own ideas and feelings after rereading. I have a very vivid imagination that loves to create new universes or stories. In a way, I use writing as a coping mechanism and for entertainment purposes.

An idea worth sharing is that we should not fear boundaries. Whether it be to push against them or establish them, boundaries are important in life. Many people find it extremely hard to establish boundaries between themselves and others. People simply because in today's society, it is hard to not give consent. Some people feel pressured or do not know themselves enough to know what they want or do not want. To stay safe and explore limits, individuals get to know themselves and know when they're uncomfortable. Saying "no" should not be as uncomfortable or scary as it is in today's society. It should be a normalized concept that is accepted and respected by everybody. However, this process starts with the individual.

Management, Student

I grew up watching Ted Talks on youtube, however, I did not know we had our own Tedx organization at our school until I was in middle school. I found out about it through my older brother, and although he was never part of it, he had contributed to the project before. I attended my first conference in 2020. I was amazed at how perfectly everything was executed: from the stage decorations to the speakers, to the way everybody worked together to create such a wonderfully professional project, everything was perfect that night. I knew then that I wanted to take part in this project. Although everything was very aesthetically pleasing, I loved seeing the organizers working together so comfortably. The next year, I became a deputy. That year, we had to have our conference online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we were still able to have a great night despite the circumstances. Next year, I was one of the speaker's affairs. I loved this job and enjoyed it much more than being a deputy. I was able to contribute more and had more responsibility. This is, I'm much more engaged and educated about the conferences, and each year it's worth increases.

People generally do not know I'm good at time management and overthinking. Although I am typically very organized and I like to stay on top of my work, I am constantly afraid of falling behind or failing. One of my worst habits is doubting myself and determining my self-worth by numerical data such as my grades. However, while I do doubt myself, I am also a highly motivated person. I never back down from something I set my mind to. So once I decide on a new project or idea, I do everything in my power to organize myself in a way that guaranteed success and a learning experience.