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My Journey to Believing I Belong in College

Throughout adversities and challenges in the four years of college, one becomes stronger and learns from it. Imposter syndrome is defined as a deeply personal and overwhelming experience that many people face at some point in their lives. Students may feel the academic pressure or social comparison through college, and it’s very real!

Throughout my time at Thiel College, I have definitely experienced this, the pressure from family to succeed and the newfound responsibilities can be quite overwhelming. The first way to overcome these challenges is to address it and realize that everyone is going through something similar. It is also always great to have a support system to have your back, which could include coaches, professors, and/or friends! My best advice to give to college students is to focus on the small accomplishments and celebrate those victories, along with having compassion for yourself and knowing that everything is a work in progress.

About Evan Cessna ’25

Cessna is a first-generation student from Kittanning, Pa. He is a health systems and neuroscience double major. He has had several different roles on campus, which included being a campus ambassador as a member of the Office of Admission Thiel Team. He is a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and president of the Student Government Association.