Do I deserve this?: Impostor syndrome at the University of Bristol

By Olivia Howard, Third Year, Geography

Imagine walking into a room where everyone seems smarter, more confident, and just a bit more capable than you. Your shoulders tense; your inner critic has you convinced that sooner or later, someone will ‘unmask’ you as a fraud. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, this is the psychological phenomenon known as Impostor Syndrome (IS). 

IS is characterised by ‘a belief that one is not actually intelligent or accomplished, despite objective evidence of success, but rather has fooled others and is therefore vulnerable to discovery as a fraud.’ For many, university life can amplify these feelings. Stepping into a new environment, facing high academic expectations, and trying to carve a place among high-achieving peers can make impostor syndrome feel unavoidable. It can feel particularly intense at Russell Group universities, where the competition and prestige create a perfect storm for self-doubt.  

Often, students arrive fresh from schools where they were the star pupil, the one who worked hardest, or the one teachers praised for discipline and diligence. In these universities, however, being a high achiever is no longer unique. Your exceptional work ethic, the trait that might have set you apart, is now standard practice.  It's easy to see how students can feel like impostors in an environment that makes their previous efforts feel less remarkable. 

The reality of life at a highly selective university can be a rude awakening for many. 

Psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who first coined the term ‘impostor syndrome’ in 1978, attributed this experience to the tendency of individuals to dismiss their accomplishments as luck rather than ability. When students believe they got into university by chance or because they ‘fooled’ someone into thinking they were smart, it creates an ongoing fear of exposure as an impostor. This is why addressing IS early, in schools and first-year university seminars, is so crucial: these pervasive feelings have a powerful impact on students’ well-being and ability to thrive in academic and social settings.

The reputation of Russell Group universities means they attract those looking for academic rigour and the opportunities this may unlock in the future. The students who strive to attend such universities are often motivated by the security, success, and networking it can give them in the future. But once you’re here, the reality can be overwhelming.

‘Everyone else seems to skate by with less stress and work’

To understand how these feelings manifest in real life, Epigram spoke to students across the university. Their stories reveal the many faces of IS and the unique ways it infiltrates their academic and social experiences. One student shared that coming from a state school background, he felt he had ‘earned’ his spot through sheer hard work, whereas many of his new peers from private schools seemed to achieve high grades effortlessly. He disclosed that he regularly questioned his place at Bristol, compared to the nonchalance, apparent ease, and confidence of those more ‘privileged’ than him.

Another student said that despite their passion for their course, their dyslexia made it more challenging. They shared how their IS worsened with every essay deadline, watching classmates breeze through assignments left them feeling inadequate, despite their deeper enthusiasm for the subject matter. A female student opened up about feeling as though her friends were sailing through university without the same struggles. ‘Everyone else seems to skate by with less stress and work,’ she confessed. However, talking to friends who felt the same helped her realise that these perceptions were often illusions – impostor syndrome was more widespread than she had imagined.

One of the only students from his school to get into a Russell Group university, another interviewee had arrived with high hopes, yet when he arrived, he found the culture to be more exclusionary than anticipated. Surrounded by people from backgrounds different from his, he felt out of place. He explained how he had to work hard, whilst others seemingly didn’t, meaning that any achievement he had gotten so far felt ‘lucky’ as the world seemed to be against him. 

These feelings are real, but so are the strategies for overcoming them. Many students find that talking to friends, parents, lecturers or counsellors reminds them that they are not alone. Additionally, keeping a record of their achievements – a ‘success journal’ – can serve as a tangible reminder that they are capable and deserving. Instead of comparing oneself to others, it is far healthier to focus on one’s own journey. Similarly, take criticism as constructive, and learn from others and your mistakes, this allows you to be a dynamic, flexible, and adaptable learner, bound to increase your future achievements. 

IS is inherently linked to confidence and our own definitions of ‘success’. One helpful method of reducing IS is the idea that confidence is not about walking into a room and thinking you are better than everyone, but not having to compare yourself at all to anyone. You do not need to have the best grade or the most friends, you need to be proud of the small steps every day you are taking to better yourself. The first step to rejecting impostor syndrome is to stop outsourcing validation and approval and praise yourself for how you are moving towards the goals you value. The pressures of academic and social expectations, combined with the constant need to prove oneself, can make this a challenging hurdle to clear. But understanding the psychology behind it – and recognizing that you’re not alone – is the first step toward reclaiming your confidence. 

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Finally, engaging in self-care, including taking time for hobbies, sports, or relaxation, can help balance the intensity of university life and put things in perspective. It is important to know that you couldn't have got where you are today with only ‘luck’ – be honest, open, and kind towards yourself. 

Featured Image: Epigram / Sofia Webster

What are your experiences with Impostor Syndrome?