Feeling like you do not belong is not a foreign feeling to most people, but when the label of “Imposter Syndrome” gets thrown around, people deny that it could apply to them. In the workplace, or even the classroom, it can be easy to feel like you are the only person that does not know what is happening, especially as we enter higher levels of education. There is no set way to “fix” this feeling but there certainly is a label: “Imposter Syndrome”. The first words that come to mind with this phrase are often words describing people in large corporations and important jobs but actually it can be used to describe any situation. Feeling like a “faker” can over take our minds and cause us to quit before we even give the obstacle a try. How can we admit that we are experiencing this and from that how can we change our mindsets?
Entering higher level college classes can be intimidating for everyone, especially when you are in a competitive field, such as STEM courses. There is more pressure to understand the topics and engage in intellectual dialogue about the information. Students often feel overwhelmed and in over their heads if they do not take a step back. What I believe to be the root of this problem is not talking about the way someone feels with other students. It can be scary opening up that you are confused, but more often than not, the other student is just as confused as you. I think we all want to believe it is a problem with us, when in reality, it’s just a hard course with professors who are experts in their fields. Creating connections with other students in our classes creates a small community in which you are suffering the same course. These connections may just be school related but sometimes they grow into genuine friendships. Also if all else fails, they can just be networking opportunities in the future.
Imposter Syndrome sadly does not end when we graduate; it is a common phenomenon in the workplace. Talking to many of the adults I know about their jobs, it seems as though everyone has a perfect grasp on what they are doing. This could be a variety of jobs but the overarching theme I saw was one of confidence in their career and themselves. Sometimes when I dive a little deeper into conversations with these people, I find that the answers get less definitive. Instead of the same confidence they had before, there is suddenly more hesitation with their answers and sometimes even “I’m not sure… I’ll get back to you.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with this and I bring it up to normalize the fact that even people who have worked in their jobs for years do not have all the answers. I think that with careers it can be scary to think that you will be the expert with all the answers at all times, but this is definitely not the case. We are all humans and there is nothing we can do or understand perfectly. Admitting that we need to get back to someone with the correct answer or researching more into a topic is a perfectly acceptable response.
There is no quick fix to get over the feeling of Imposter Syndrome; it would definitely make life a little easier if just taking an Advil was the solution. I think the most important step in getting over this feeling is to realize everyone feels the same way. In classes it might seem like you are the only one confused about a lesson, when in reality your classmates may have felt the same confusion about the last chapter. The shift that has to occur in our minds is realizing that no one is perfect. Everyone appears to have their life together, but in reality we are all just figuring it out as we go along.