Episode 10: Imposter syndrome (Part III) - Learning Continuous Confidence from a College Grad
In this episode, Joseph explores Imposter Syndrome. What is it, and how does it relate to the experience of being a First-Gen? This is the third episode of a 3-part series following some First-Gen friends in their journeys before, during, and after college.
In this episode you will hear from:
German Benitez, an old friend from Rice working as a mechanical engineer in the petrochemical space in Houston. German’s experience with imposter syndrome started in high-school and still exists to this day, even as a mechanical engineer working for one of the biggest companies in the world. His experience has led him to know the importance of asking for help early, working hard to bridge any gaps, and knowing your own value of what you bring to the table. This is something we all need to remember every once in a while.
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What is Imposter Syndrome?
Imposter Syndrome is a feeling of not belonging, likely due to a lack of intelligence or skills compared to those around you. The name specifically comes from feeling like you’re an ‘imposter’ that’s going to be found out.
Some signs:
Comparing yourself to your peers unfavorably
Seeing them as adversaries than friends
This is especially bad for when you need to get help from your community, which is part of college and something First-Gens typically do
Some advice:
If you’re stressed, keep calm and take a breather to gather yourself
Remember your past achievements
Remember to stop comparing yourself to others
Remember that you might not get everything right on the first try and that’s ok
If you can, break down your problem into small chunks and focus on progress in the long-term; Rome wasn’t built in a day
Some reading:
Some notes:
“Those who had been attending were asked to explore imposter feelings, rating statements like “in class, I feel like people might find out I am not as capable as they think I am”
As anticipated, those who felt classes were competitive were far more likely to feel as if they were an imposter, unable to keep up with the demands of their course.
And compared to those with family members who had gone to university, first-generation students were more likely to experience feelings of imposter syndrome on a daily basis — but only in classes perceived to have high levels of competition. In non-competitive environments, imposter feelings were equal in both first-generation and continued generation students, suggesting that the atmosphere of the classroom really is a key driver.
By increasing their imposter feelings, the students’ perceptions of classroom competition also had a negative impact on their achievement, reducing engagement, attendance, and performance, and increasing dropout intentions. This effect was much greater among first-generation students
