Graduate school is usually referred to as such where people grow and explore and intentionally challenge themselves. However, underneath the impressive titles and the long hours to research, there is a depressing war that many students must encounter alone, that is the imposter syndrome.

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter Syndrome is the chronic feeling of being the underdog, lacking the ability and being at risk of being unveiled as an incompetent and a fraud. It is the voice in your head that tells you not to belong here. They will realize that you are not as smart as they imagine. Thai can be quite overwhelming to graduate researchers who have to experience demandingly complex projects, multiple deadlines and relentless performance requirements.

As compared to undergraduate work, graduate work requires a high degree of independence and originality. Students feel that they are meant to come up with novel information in their field and this happens to be mostly done through comparisons with the peers, the supervisors, as well as with people who have already published the information. This endless comparison is an ideal breeding ground of self-doubts.

Most people in graduate programs believe that they are the only ones experiencing this sense. The fact on the ground is just the opposite. It is indicated that as many as 70% of all individuals have at one thing during their academic life to feel imposter syndrome. The issue is that not many people discuss it freely. Instead, students will keep quiet and fear confessing self-doubts as they will be regarded as weaker.

Impotent of affecting a cure, the results of impostor syndrome may be extreme. It may be debilitating because it saps morale, adds stress, and helps to cause burnout. It may prevent the students from seeking assistance or expressing their ideas because they do not want to be viewed as incompetent. In the long run, this may push students away not only to their classmates but also to their supervisors and this may develop a vicious circle of suspicion and detachment.

What then is the way to approach this silent struggle?

To begin with, one should note that the feelings of being an imposter are not true. It is possible to have impostor syndrome and continue doing high-quality work. Being honest with your peers can make you normalize these feelings; most probably you will find out that other people too share your feelings. A lot of graduate schools currently present special workshops and counseling on how to deal with academic stress and self-doubt.

Another important role is played by mentorship. The supervisors and senior researchers are able to share their experiences with self-doubts, and it becomes obvious that self-doubt is not a weakness but one of the stages of becoming an independent scholar.

Concrete measures are useful as well. Tracking your achievements, small victories, positive response, and published works will help you keep in mind how much you have actually achieved when you feel a sabotaging thought. It is also useful to learn to take constructive criticism as a sign of improvement instead of thinking that you are a failure.

Lastly, in case your mental health or your working capacity is impaired because of the feelings of fraudulence, do not be afraid to seek professional help. You do not need to go through this alone.

The imposter syndrome thrives on silence. We should make it no taboo, we should mutually support each other, and we should realize our accomplishments and we will be able to break its grip. Graduate studies are challenging enough, you do not need to feel uncertain about the skills that allowed you to enter it, in the first place.