Although I was an honors student in high school, I didn’t plan on going to college. Instead, I meant to follow in my mother’s and my sister’s footsteps, and along with my AP English and French classes, I studied secretarial science in my school’s vocational program. After I landed a summer secretarial job, however, I quickly realized that I would not be happy in this occupation; so, during my senior year, I scrambled to look into going to college. My family, while supportive of me as a person, did not understand my desire to go to college, but I became determined to pursue a job – a career – that I would find fulfilling. So, with the guidance of my teachers, I took the required standardized tests, I applied for and was accepted into a state college, I won a number of scholarships, and I became a first-generation college student.
You might think that once I made it to college, I would be on my way… But, no. I was barely 18, I was on my own and away from my family for the first time in my life, I was lonely, and I was terrified. All of the other students in my dorm and in my classes seemed so relaxed and so confident that I started asking myself, “What am I doing here? Did I just get lucky with grades and scholarships in high school? Am I really just some kind of fraud?” In other words, I was suffering from a classic case of Impostor Syndrome: The feeling that your past achievements were a matter of luck or actually no big deal, and that you don’t deserve to be where you are — that you don’t belong here.
Not surprisingly, this is also an all-too-common affliction for first-generation college students. But ironically, studies show that Impostor Syndrome particularly tends to strike college students who are among the highest achievers and the most academically well-prepared. It’s clear that being in a new and challenging situation, on our own, and not being able to rely on our usual support systems, simply brings out our deepest insecurities.
So, how do we keep Impostor Syndrome from holding us back from achieving what we want in life? The first thing is to recognize that, when you doubt yourself, when you feel like a fraud, or when you feel like you don’t belong, this is normal. Many college students–and especially high achievers–feel this way!
Beyond that realization, different strategies for coping with Impostor Syndrome work for different people, but I can share with you what worked for me:
- First, find some good mentors, both where you are and from your past: Contact trusted high school teachers and talk with them. Talk to your college academic advisor and/or your major advisor. Talk with a supportive professor in your major, in your minor, or in a class that you find interesting. These mentors will be invaluable in helping you to navigate your way through college—and beyond.
- Look for friends among people with similar interests; join a club or a group. Chances are that this will be a very good investment of your time, as you’ll make friendships and also start developing another support system.
- Remember that struggle is an important and natural part of real learning. If you mess up, give yourself some time and cut yourself some slack. Don’t doubt for a second that everyone struggles! Working your way through things is a normal part of the learning process.
- Find small ways to reward yourself when you struggle through things, when you make a breakthrough, and when you do well. Do something you love—go for a short walk, take a hot shower, treat yourself to a cup of coffee at a cafe—whatever feels like a small celebration.
- For me, the last important thing was simply to HOLD ON. Thomas Edison said it well when he stated, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” In other words, if you persevere long enough, you give yourself the chance to prove that you can do this!
Dr. Billie Follensbee
Professor, Department of Art and Design
Museum Studies Program Coordinator