Self doubt, believing you are not worthy or good enough. This feeling is called imposter syndrome, and has become a regular is many students' lives. With the pandemic greatly affecting how our society works and develops, imposter syndrome seems be an issue that results from such a situation. A student in the article says that he feels uncomfortable and out of place when in crowds. The pandemic has shifted our views on what is comfortable and what is a large risk. With family and close friends being the only people we feel safe around can be attributed to who we know doesn't have the virus. People that we spend time with often seem to be crossed off as suspects making being around random people uncomfortable. Another students states that when he looks at the mirror the person staring back at him is not him. With quarantine restricting much of what we used to do, our characters may have shifted in order to conform to these restrictions. In the article, the question: "Is there upsides to imposter syndrome?" was asked. A student replied that impostor syndrome has no positives because even though someone may have had success, they feel that they do not deserve it or that they themselves haven't actually made that achievement.
I believe that impostor syndrome has grown in its number largely because of COVID and how the pandemic has shifted our norms. COVID has made many people uncomfortable when leaving their home because of the inherit risk of going outside.
Do you believe COVID-19 has been a large cause for many students to feel 'impostor syndrome?'
Do you believe there are any positives to 'impostor syndrome?'
Do you think this lack of trust in strangers should be normal?
I definitely believe that COVID-19 has contributed to this wave of 'imposter syndrome' that has been seen within many students lately. COVID-19 has forced practically everyone, not just students, to make significant changes in their lives. We have been presented with a shift in education, job opportunities, etc -- and all of this is at a distance. In a regular world, people already tend to have self-doubt regarding their abilities as students, workers, etc. Now with the added factor of COVID-19 and the unusual virtual opportunities it brings along with it, people are questioning if they are good enough for these roles more than ever.
ReplyDeleteI think that there could be some potential positives to 'impostor syndrome.' While it's not good to underscore oneself or decrease their self worth, depending on how one handles these emotions, it could have different effects. A beneficial way to respond would be to work harder and achieve the things that you believe might raise your worth. One could accomplish more when they hold themselves at a high standard. I think going through impostor syndrome, despite it in the moment being bad, can teach one to eventually except themselves and what they do to realize that they are worthy and enough.
ReplyDeleteI feel COVID definitely has been something that contributed to imposter syndrome. COVID where we live has forced many people to stay inside a lot of the time, and spend less time outside mingling with friends. This contributes to the symptoms of imposter syndrome, feeling out of place in crowds, because you are inside all day, and not feeling like yourself. I would have to say that it is, without a doubt, right now a big cause of imposter syndrome.
ReplyDeleteCOVID has contributed to the imposter syndrome for sure, because we are inside all day, doing the same repetitive tasks. I've seen videos online that people are more self-conscious of their appearance, thus turning off their camera because they afraid people are always looking at them. I've also seen a petition that would allow zoom to have a camera on feature only for the host, which would allow students to feel more protected and safe during class. I believe that you should never fully trust strangers, but it should never be to the point where you can't talk to them, like some students are feeling right now.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCovid has certainly taken away opportunities for many people to participate in their extra curriculars and have access to tools more affluent or exposed students have. It's become harder to feel valued in a field without other people giving immediate validation, or being online and not having access to physical tools and resources that others do. People have different life responsibilities, making it harder to accurately compare skills or experiences, leading to more imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome can be beneficial for sure because it makes me motivated to turn someone else's strengths into my own, and work harder. But on the other hand, it also makes people (myself included) that their work is invalid or not enough because someone else is doing more. It's a slippery slope. As for the people aspect, I always like reaching out and talking with people who give so much imposter syndrome because it gives a face and some humanity. We get to learn from each other too, and it allows me to learn from their mindset to achieve like they have.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that the virus has increased the amount of students that feel imposter syndrome. Staying motivated throughout online classes is hard for many, and I think it makes students feel like we’re not doing enough or trying hard enough, when in reality it’s just “COVID fatigue” setting in. In reference to the last question, I don’t think this distrust of strangers is normal, but unfortunately it is the reality and will be for a long time. Personally, I’ve noticed myself feeling uncomfortable around groups of people, such as when I’m in public or at a store. It’s exhausting because you have to constantly be aware of how many people there are and what you’ve touched. Even though this isn’t normal, I think it will be normal to many even after the number of cases has gone down. I’ve talked to people who say they will feel uncomfortable without a mask after the lockdowns end and it is safe to not wear one.
ReplyDeleteLike many other people, I definitely think that imposter syndrome is has become a huge problem for students today especially with COVID-19. While imposter syndrome is generally a bad thing including self confidence issues for teens, I do think that there can be possible upsides to this. I think what the article fails to mention is that imposter syndrome can push people outside their comfort zone and try to do things that they wouldn't otherwise experience. I think it's very important to push yourself in different areas as a person. While imposter syndrome is difficult to deal with for many teens to deal with on a daily basis. I think it's always important to make the best out of the situation. So next time you feel as if you don't belong, just remember that you are pushing yourself to try new things and bettering yourself by getting out of your comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really interesting connection-- I hadn't really thought about the relation between covid and imposter syndrome. There are definitely people who have been forced to lose touch with their skills and are not able to perform their jobs or extracurriculars like they normally would, and I can see why that could cause the feeling of being a fraudulent version of themselves. I think it's possible to argue that imposter syndrome pushes a person to work harder, but really self doubt doesn't go away no matter how much you achieve, and using insecurity as a driver for improvement probably doesn't yield all that much success in the long run. As for the last question regarding distrust around strangers: I don't think that's really a cause or effect of imposter syndrome. It certainly isn't "normal," but I think that it's just the sad truth that things are probably going to be like that for a while.
ReplyDeleteI think this Imposter syndrome was prevalent to some extent before covid-19 was a thing. Then when the pandemic came it added a multitude of new things while amplifying the problems that were already there. So yes the rise in imposter syndrome can definitely be attributed to covid-19. I don't think there are any clear cut benefits to imposter syndrome. However I think that there can be an argument made that developing stronger connections with your family and being more cautious around others can be a good thing? Really just depends how you look at that one. But other than that the rest of the effects I'd say are pretty negative. To bounce off this point, lack of trust in strangers is just a natural survival instinct. The world isn't the best place, therefore taking caution with strangers is completely normal.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Iva; I hadn't really thought about the connection between COVID lockdowns and imposter syndrome before. Imposter syndrome is definitely something I've been hearing about since before the pandemic began, but I can see how pauses in extracurriculars and struggles with online school could exacerbate the issue for many students. I do believe there are positives to imposter syndrome; I think its importance to have a healthy balance of self doubt and confidence. While an overwhelming feeling of imposter syndrome can be damaging for mental health, feeling inadequate can also be a powerful motivator to work harder and improve. As for the last question about "lack of trust in strangers," I feel that imposter syndrome is more about one's internal struggle. Social anxiety and feeling "out of place" due to imposter syndrome isn't really a result of distrust; rather, it comes from self doubt and worrying about others' opinions.
ReplyDeleteI personally dont understand or have witnessed a connection between imposter syndrome and covid. To be honest imposter syndrome is something that has is positives as well because it can boast someone to try harder if they think they are not worthy or good enough. It really is more about their internal struggle then not trusting strangers so I really do think that really affects that.
ReplyDeleteI do think that the pandemic has caused an increase in impostor syndrome. Generally speaking, feelings of self doubt and worthlessness are already strongly associated with mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Over the course of the pandemic, I have noticed an increase in people complaining about their mental health. In my personal experience, I have also had an increase in feelings of self doubt and worthlessness due to the isolation the pandemic has caused me to feel. I do not think impostor syndrome can be seen as positive, as it seems to be more of an excessive worrying concerning one's self. It is quite normal to have self doubt and feelings of worthlessness once in a while, but once it becomes a frequent pattern, it can become a symptom of depression or other mental illnesses. The distrust of strangers can often be a good thing, yet it depends on the situation. Having an utter lack of trust in any stranger can be attributed as a symptom of social anxiety, and can be irrational most of the time, although in some cases can be helpful if the stranger holds a dangerous motive.
ReplyDelete