Everyone struggles!! The earlier we normalize this, the quicker we get over things and the fact that we are perfect beings because we are not. We struggle over the simplest details. For example, starting this article was a big struggle for me. Why? I wanted a good and perfect intro, but the moment I let go and just began writing, it all started coming together.
Like learning how to ride a bicycle or how to swim. When we first pick this up, it seems impossible to learn, but as we progress, it is a whole lot easier than we had imagined it to be. This is so similar to my internship experience. I recall when I was given my first task, I struggled with a lot of things during the first few days, trying to figure them out myself and failing to do so. The imposter syndrome kicks in: do I deserve to be here? I am undeserving of this. But what we do not understand is that everyone goes through this, and it isn't all about you. You will realize that just a little guide from a mentor or a friend throws more light into the concept, and it becomes easier to do. This describes my first week in Ersilia. I had a lot of information to look through to successfully incorporate a model. Some of which involved going through their publication, looking at source codes, studying the packages used to build the model, and understanding Ersilia's code base. I put an expectation on myself to deliver and deliver perfectly within a short frame of time. Hence, I tried getting all the information I needed quickly. The moment, however, I let go and took each task as it came, reaching out when stuck, it all became easier. Like learning to ride a bicycle, after my first incorporation, my second and later tasks became a whole lot easier to do.
We all get the urge to deliver exceptionally well, or the nerves on the first day at a job, which makes us struggle. However, the moment we learn to normalize that you're not the first and take each stage in bits, it becomes a whole lot easier. As usual, catch me later on as I share bits of my progress during this internship. Till then, Adieus.
Top comments (1)
Excelently said! Thanks for sharing the blog
I'm an aspiring Outreachy intern and a beginner to Open Source. I would greatly appreciate any general advice you could offer.