Elif is a 17-year-old high school senior. With only a few months left until the university entrance exam, she feels time slipping away. Sitting at her desk surrounded by textbooks, she grows more anxious each day. She tells herself, “I will start today,” but somehow, she never does.

Elif can no longer sleep at night and wakes up tired in the mornings. She often feels stomachaches and headaches. These unfamiliar symptoms are actually the physical effects of stress.

Her family, teachers, and surroundings always expect the best from her. Elif feels crushed under this pressure. Seeing how hard her friends are studying on social media, she begins to feel inadequate.

One evening, she collapses onto her bed and bursts into tears. “I can’t do this anymore!” she cries. Her mother tries to comfort her and they agree to make an appointment with the school counselor.

The school counselor listens to Elif carefully. She explains that stress is something everyone experiences and that it can be managed. Elif feels a bit more at ease.

Following the counselor’s suggestion, Elif makes a list of her stressors. She realizes that one of the biggest causes is comparing herself constantly to others.

She starts taking practical steps. She sets screen time limits on her phone, begins planning her days, and learns deep breathing techniques.

With short walks, timed study sessions, and breaks, balance slowly returns to her life. Her sleep improves, and the headaches decrease.