For many, the pandemic has been marked by feelings of isolation and loneliness, exacerbating the already prominent mental health issues among university students.Attending college during a pandemic demands that students commit the same amount of time and effort to school work without some of the social support systems available in a typical year.Students no longer share the collective experience of grappling with these challenges alongside their peers, whether it be in the classroom or in study groups. At a competitive university, the diminution or absence of community ties this year may intensify feelings of inadequacy and a lack of belonging.
As of 2021, Tufts University ranks within the top 30 universities nationally. According to the Class of 2024profile, of the 23,127 applicants, only 3,770 were accepted. Of theClass of 2020, 93% of students completed at least one internship while at Tufts. Of the same class, 94% was employed, enrolled in graduate school or participating in service or a fellowship within six months of graduation, with top employers including Google, Goldman Sachs and Microsoft. By all quantifiable accounts, Tufts is a competitive and high-achieving university. This environment of success and hard work often leads to students having feelings of inadequacy and fraudulence, described as “impostor syndrome.”First named by Dr. Pauline Clance in her clinical observations, it has been noted in the International Journal of Behavioral Science that “individuals with the Impostor Phenomenon experience intense feelings that their achievements are undeserved and worry that they are likely to be exposed as a fraud.”
In her book “The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women” (2011), Valerie Youngidentifies patterns in imposter feelings. Some of these patterns may resonate with students on this campus. “The Perfectionist” is someone who sets extremely high standards for themself and, even after accomplishing most of their goals, will lose all confidence in themself with one small mistake.“The Expert” feels like they must know everything and meet all qualifications before applying for a job or club and won’t ask a question or volunteer an answer in class for fear of sounding silly to their peers and professors.“The natural genius” is accustomed to skills and academics coming easily, associating struggle or adversity with not being good enough.A “soloist” feels as though they must accomplish everything on their own and that asking for help is a point of weakness and failure.
Attendance at a competitive university like Tufts may mark the first time some students are not the most successful or driven individuals within a given classroom.In a normal year, these revelations can lead a student to develop feelings of incompetence, though ease of access to community can mitigate these feelings and affirm that students are not alone in their challenges.However, the pandemic has left students in nearly complete isolation during their learning, without communal spaces to contextualize their shared challenges and solve problems together.Students often do not know who is in their virtual classes, as many turn their cameras off.This environment makes it increasingly difficult for students to form study groups and to learn from each other and grow together.Zoom eliminates the potential for spontaneous side conversations, as students no longer have the ability to turn to a fellow classmate to ask questions about course content or the professor’s expectations.
Furthermore, students have limited outlets to alleviate stress and cultivate new social connections.This further distances students from their peers, making school an individualistic activity rather than a collaborative experience.This level of isolation facilitates internal doubts and anxieties. Students are vulnerable to negative thoughts related to lack of self-worth or capability, with little to no realm of comparison for how other students are doing. Many students may simply live at Tufts without feeling like part of a community. Lacking a sense of belonging and opportunities to connect, it appears inevitable that students face impostor syndrome more prominently this year.
This issue can only be combated if it is addressed. The difference between those who experience impostor syndrome and those who do not is not a matter of competency, intelligence or ability,but a matter of outlook. To tackle the issue, we must first initiate conversations within our community to acknowledge it. Impostor syndrome is, in part, a byproduct of isolation. Although nerve-wracking, whenever feasible, students should turn their cameras on in class. This simple effort can bridge a small part of the gap between Zoom rooms and an authentic classroom experience, making it easier to recognize faces or even feel comfortable messaging someone about coursework. Furthermore, professors should offer virtual spaces for students to meet or post a sign-up sheet for students to form groups to communicate about school work and support each other throughout the course. After a year of isolation, it can be terrifying to take the first step of introducing oneself and, even more daunting, to openly talk about one’s experience of self-doubt. However, every student at Tufts is passionate and capable, and deserves to be reminded of their greatness daily.
