Overcoming imposter syndrome

There is an imposter among us…

Ok, let me preface by apologising for starting off this post with a cringey reference but my TikTok 'for you' page has been plagued with random 'Among Us' memes for no reason despite me having only played it once in 2020. Who knew that such a meme would light a bulb in my head to talk about overcoming imposter syndrome! Yes, that is an actual thing that people go through and no, I swear it’s not another Among Us reference.

According to an article in Times magazine, imposter syndrome is ‘the idea that you have only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications’. I first came to know of this word last year when I was catching up with my friends about settling into university but I never fully understood it until I read Sally Rooney’s 'Normal People'. In the book, the narrator talks about how Connell feels as though he has “upgraded himself accidently to an intellectual level far above his own” when he attended his first class at Trinity College despite being the smartest student in high school. A line in a book has never depicted my thoughts so clearly as this one did when I first started law school – I felt dumb, incompetent and undeserving. I’m in my second year now but I’m still learning how to feel enough about myself and overcome this syndrome. Here’s how I’m doing it.

Removing Doubts About Yourself

I’m guilty of telling myself that I’m not worthy of doing this degree, that someone else who is smarter than me and who could probably understand the concept of 'Indefeasible Property' faster than I am, would be better suited in my position. I realise that this is an unfair misconception to make about oneself because clearly, if you’re attending your classes now, then you are no more deserving than the rest of the students here. It takes time to unlearn these thoughts, and I know how easy it is to fall back into this headspace, but I think it’s good to start your day by affirming positive thoughts and telling yourself that you’re worthy of getting an education. I also like to write about my little ‘wins’ that I’ve gained throughout classes in my journal sometimes – successfully understanding the facts of a case or even getting a simple question right in class – to remind myself that I am capable of doing this degree!

Participating in Class

And I mean, actually try to participate in class. I find that when I do try to answer my lecturers and tutors, I feel a surge of confidence and any doubts I had about myself learning this course reduce like “Hey, I actually understand this!”. Of course, I can’t deny that sometimes it is scary to throw in your two cents and ask questions for fear of being wrong or afraid that people might think you’re asking a dumb question. Whenever I find myself getting anxious about participating in class, I gently remind myself that everyone here is on the same journey as I am and that we’re all learning the same thing, so perhaps the questions that I ask are also the ones lingering in their minds. Take it slow, don’t rush into it but try even if it’s just nodding or shaking your head in response to a question.

Making Friends with Fellow Classmates

We know that surrounding yourself with the community helps you assimilate with the group. Just like making new friends in a new school or socialising with your new neighbours, being friends with people in your course helps you learn about the collective feelings and hardships that they go through. Having friends in law school has helped me realise that I’m not a lone traveller on this voyage to obtaining a degree. A lot of my other friends also find it difficult sometimes to grasp a concept or attempt an essay which assures me that I am not the only duckling struggling to keep herself afloat – we all hit a bump in our classes sometimes and that’s okay. Besides, having friends in your classes enables you to help each other overcome those difficulties and push through your degrees!

It's a process!

As I’ve mentioned, overcoming imposter syndrome is a process. It’s not as easy as pressing a button and magically fitting in, it’s more like when I used to break in a new pair of Docs – it’s uncomfortable at first but in no time, I was walking around with the coolest pair of boots. Take it slow and constantly remind yourself that you are worthy and deserving of your achievements. We’re all in this journey together!