Getting Over the Impostor Syndrome

Hey guys — I just finished my first year at Carleton and I am extremely happy. Over the past nine months I’ve grown so much. When I committed to Carleton I expected that I would be supported, but I was still nervous about fitting in.

This feeling continued well into my first term at Carleton. I thought this was something I had to get over myself, but I was very wrong. Over the first couple weeks of Fall Term I learned it was called impostor syndrome, and I wasn’t the only one experiencing it.

I’m not going to write all about imposter syndrome, but I’ll talk about how my Carleton Community help me get over it.

Profs and Staff

My professors opened the conversation about impostor syndrome. It was in my A&I (Argument and Inquiry) class that we talked about impostor syndrome. This was the first time I heard about this. Hearing them talk about it and share their experiences with impostor syndrome made me feel like it’s normal to feel this way.

Organizations

Organizations like TRiO, OIIL, and FOCUS give student the support they need to feel like they belong here. TRiO hosts events like comfort food Fridays, Panel discussions, and Class Act to start a conversation with students from underrepresented backgrounds. FOCUS provides resources to help underrepresented students in STEM flourish at Carleton.

Friends

Getting to build genuine friendships allowed me to feel like I was a part of the campus community. My friends helped me to relax when I was overwhelmed with work, supported me when I was homesick, and spent time with me when I was having bad days.

Jevon is a first-year student from the Big Apple. Other than defending that he is an authentic New Yorker (he’s from Long Island), Jevon spends his time immersing himself into Carleton’s vibrant student social atmosphere. He is considering majoring in Biology or Chemistry; either way, Jevon has plenty of time to decide. Meet the Other Bloggers!