Experience 6

I had so much imposter syndrome when I started school. As a Moroccan immigrant, I didn’t look or sound like a lot of the students I saw around me or in my classes. I was lucky enough to get an academic scholarship, but my background and being first-gen made me feel out of place. I was scared that other students would “find out” that I wasn’t like them. I was in my head about it and really struggled at first. Then one of my professors was talking and sounded like she had a background kind of like mine. I went to her office hours and asked her if I could talk to her about how I was feeling. It was scary asking her, but I’m glad I did because she told me her whole story and it gave me so much hope. She said she had worries like that when she went to college, but she found her people and learned that she belonged. It changed how I looked at the other students around me and I eventually started opening up to my friends. Turns out lots of us struggle with similar things when we start college and that doesn’t mean we don’t belong. I ended up loving college and even go back to visit when I can.

Aisha (they/them), Grinnell College

Next, you will learn about Priya’s experience in her writing class.