Battling with Imposter Syndrome in College

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While in college, one of the most difficult challenges I have had to confront is not believing in myself and my abilities. Leaving home and moving into a new environment that offers so many opportunities, I no longer felt comfortable. I was joining clubs, organizations, and workplaces where I was surrounded by others who had more experience, knowledge, or maybe even passion than me. Topics and fields that I had always thought I was interested in or desired to be a part of, now felt foreign to me because I had felt nowhere near as able as the other students. But I really wanted it.

I continued to tell myself that I was the youngest one in these clubs, being an eighteen-year-old. I tried comforting myself by having my internal monologue repeat: “It’s okay. You are just starting out. You are still learning.” Yet, I still found myself in spirals of anxiety and frustration when I could not keep up in a political conversation or, when I struggled to pitch a headline. I found myself in one too many situations where I was looking around the room and asking myself, “What am I doing here?”

Imposter syndrome had become a resident in my mind when approaching any opportunity. Because of these feelings of self-doubt, I kept reaching out to older colleagues and having them as mentors within those fields. I was gaining opportunities and instead of immediately feeling proud of myself, I was convinced that I took the phrase, “Fake it ‘till you make it,” a little too far. The fear of being an imposter overwhelmed me. I was too anxious to complete assignments, take leadership roles, or apply for additional opportunities; I isolated myself.

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Here are the three pieces of advice that have helped my battle with imposter syndrome:

1. If you weren’t ready, then you wouldn’t have the opportunity.

2. You need to let go of the idea of perfectionism. As a student in your 20s, you are continuously learning and still have a long journey you need to experience.

3. Accept your failures when they happen, but also keep reflecting on all of the accomplishments you have been able to achieve with your abilities.

I had been using the act of comparison as a method of self-sabotage when I needed to be using it as a tool. I began taking note of the things about the other person I had admired and wanted myself to adopt, and then learned from them. This had become a much healthier mindset, instead of comparing myself and dwelling on how far I was from attaining my idea of perfect. I had to work on not letting the distance between where I was and where I wanted to be in the future push me into a cycle of anxiousness and self-doubt.

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Your time in college may feel like it’s moving too fast, but it’s also okay to stop yourself and make time to appreciate how much you deserve to be where you are. Just because you experience mistakes and rejection, does not mean you are an imposter. It really is a part of learning and being a young student. Don’t let your negative monologue create further doubt and stop yourself from growing in college.

Strike Out,

Writer: Natalie Willis

Editor: Jayna O

Tallahassee