Profile

Meet Gerardo

Gerardo

Graduate Student

Biology

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Challenge Areas:

Struggling with Self-Doubt

When he first started graduate school at MIT, Gerardo was excited and felt comfortable about his academics. Eventually, however, certain events made him start to question whether he belonged and if he could succeed academically. A conversation with his professor helped Gerardo realize that he’s not as alone as he thinks. This started his journey of self-love. Rather than thinking of himself as incompetent, he’s realized that he brings a different perspective and can use this time as a student to learn and grow rather than compare himself with others.

It has taken sometime to truly delve into this topic of self-love and my ability as a student, but it has really forced me to think of my studies not as a competition, but instead as a time for me to grow and learn as much as possible.”

Gerardo, Graduate Student

Gerardo’s Strategies

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Gerardo: Cultivating Gratitude

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Gerardo: Time to Reflect

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Gerardo: Noting Positive Moments

Another Point of View

Listen to other students relating to this same struggle and what helped them cope.

Video Story

Struggling with Self-Doubt

Facing the quals challenge really made me feel like I was not necessarily going to be competent enough to do it. I might not even be capable of doing it.”

Meet Mary,

Graduate Student

Video Story

Struggling with Self-Doubt

I was not able to identify an interesting problem to work on after so much effort. Like, am I even competent? Am I fit to do research if I'm not able to do this very simple task?”

Meet Pradeep,

Graduate Student

Video Story

Struggling with Self-Doubt

If I quit now, there are stereotypes waiting to get confirmed, something like, what do you expect from a foster kid? So quitting was not an option.”

Meet Neki,

Visiting Graduate Student