AS the road draws near to the finish line of my studies, I can’t help but think that I am not prepared to transition from a student to a professional. Me? An academic professional? At just the age of 20? Am I a fraud? Am I competent to become a professional in my line of work? These and many more are questions that I constantly ask myself. In a month, I’ll be completing the University of Guyana and will obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. The title sounds great, but the responsibilities are heavy on my mind. On paper, I will be qualified, but my brain is playing mind games by making me believe that I am “fooling” others about my practicality.

I kept on wondering what could be wrong with me. At first, I thought it was self-doubt, but deep down inside I knew that classification was wrong. After some extensive research on good ole’ Google, I found out that I was plagued with “Imposter Syndrome.” The name might be unfamiliar because it isn’t clinically recognised as a psychological/mental disorder—the puzzles suddenly came together and it all made sense now. This syndrome is felt amongst many. Many might not have been able to put a name to this feeling, but do believe me when I say that I am not the only one who feels this way and neither are you. In fact, 70 percent of people will experience this at least once in their lifetimes.

It can affect any and everyone. It has no specific demographic. Whether you’re a straight-A student like myself or a successful attorney-at-law,anyone can be vulnerable to feel and think this way. You question yourself and your competence. You wonder if your achievements happened by “luck” or “chance.” You may feel anxious that one day, you won’t be able to “fool” people anymore and you’d be seen as the so-called fraudster that you are. Perhaps, the most frightening symptom of all for me would be that you seek validation from authoritative figures and/or people who are in the same or similar line of work as you are.

Our emotions and thoughts are so complex, it is nearly impossible to control and navigate every single thing we feel or say. I can understand that, but if you’re experiencing Imposter Syndrome, I’d like you to keep in mind that at the end of the day, you should have the last say about your identity, success and self-image. It wouldn’t hurt to show yourself a bit of compassion. You ought to reflect on who you truly are. Learn to embrace your achievements and successes in life. If you’ve worked hard for what you have, there’s no need to disregard and invalidate it. Learn how to rationalise your thoughts.

Before going into “imposter mode” after you’ve received a compliment from a lecturer for acing a test or you’ve been awarded the title “employee of the month” at your place of work,you can re-examine why you’ve accomplished such to begin with. By doing logical re-examination, you’ll be able to validate fact from fiction. In a society that celebrates individualistic accomplishments, we are bound to feel pressured, even if we’re on top of the ladder of what society defines as “success.” Personally, I am working day by day to overcome this dreaded syndrome. Again, we may not be able to control these thoughts and feelings at all times, but all I ask is to please be kind to yourself.