If you’re nervous about how you’ll cope in the big wide world beyond Bermuda’s 21 square miles, you’re not alone.
Impostor syndrome is something that affects many people, no matter where they’re from.
Some of the most famous, well-deserving, brilliant people have felt that they were not so.
Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “The exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler.”
Nobel Laureate Maya Angelou often felt like a fraud, stating, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’”
Tom Hanks confessed, “No matter what we’ve done, there comes a point where you think, ‘How did I get here? When are they going to discover that I am, in fact, a fraud and take everything away from me?’”
The observation made by Bertrand Russell that “fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts” is what we call impostor syndrome now. While some of us are still faking it till we make it, there are students who never seem to make it past the “fake it” stage.
That feeling of self-doubt, that we’re not smart enough, that everyone is better than us, and we don’t belong where we find ourselves – all this despite proof of success or evidence to the contrary – is not unusual.
As a student heading into college, the irony is that many of your peers also feel this pressure, constantly comparing themselves to others, and aiming for perfection. Those feelings of inadequacy, incompetence, and/or fraudulence are far more common than many realise.
But how can you guard against it?
Some common triggers of impostor syndrome include always measuring yourself against peers, thinking everyone else succeeds without effort, transferring to a more challenging academic environment, and feeling isolated in your new space.
These triggers can cause you to experience anxiety or depressive thoughts about your ability to keep pace with your peers.
Here are some of the most easily identifiable ones:
- Being convinced that your good grades or admission status was just pure luck.
- Fearing that people will find out you are a fraud.
- Working extremely hard and dreading even a small mistake.
- Refusing to take breaks to prevent failure.
- Not sharing ideas or keeping quiet in class out of fear of sounding unintelligent.
- Putting off work because you’re afraid it won’t be perfect.
So how do you deal with this? Here are some top tips from RG Scholarship Winners:
- Use whatever resources are available to you, such as professors’ office hours, mental health support or study groups. Using them is a sign of strength.
- Repeat the realisation that making mistakes is a part of life and learning: it’s not a sign of failure.
- Track your wins by writing down daily successes, however small, to remind yourself of your actual skills or progress.
- Take breaks from social media and stop comparing yourself to others.
- Share your concerns with close friends, persons in your class, academic advisors, and/or mental health professionals.
- Give yourself a break – you’re only human. Place value in your efforts rather than striving for perfection.
Remember this: you are here because you belong here. What you have to offer can enrich the lives of others. Let your voice be heard.
