Congratulations, you’re officially a Golden Bear! You walk across Sproul Plaza toward your first discussion section of the semester, envious of the confidence that seems to radiate from all those surrounding you. After taking two wrong turns in Dwinelle Hall, you finally stumble upon your classroom and slide into a desk in the back.

Your GSI is reviewing yesterday’s lecture, but nothing they say jogs your memory. Zoned out, you finally snap back to reality when you hear your GSI tell the class to split up into small groups.

For a moment, you’re relieved, hopeful that your classmates are in the same boat of perplexity as you. That is, until you’re the only one who has remained silent in the group discussion while your peers are talking about the material as they learned it in high school. That’s when you realize — you might be the only person in the whole class who has no clue what’s going on.

When that dreadful, dragging hour of section comes to an end, you’re engulfed with a single, frightening thought: maybe you don’t belong here.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This feeling, also known as imposter syndrome, is a pattern of thinking in which someone doubts their abilities, accomplishments or intelligence, living with a fear of being exposed as an “imposter” despite being genuinely qualified and deserving of where they are.

It’s easy to feel like an imposter at the No. 1 public university in the nation. Here’s the first thing you should know: You are deservedly and intentionally a Golden Bear. That admissions letter you got wasn’t a fluke — your accomplishments got you here, and you should be incredibly proud of yourself. Now that that’s settled, here’s how to actually get through the moments when it doesn’t feel that way.

Stop defining your worth by academic achievement

If your sense of self is determined by every exam grade, every quiz question you got wrong or discussion section where you felt behind, you’re setting yourself up to feel like an imposter on a weekly basis. Find something that has nothing to do with your grades, whether that be an intramural sport, a fitness class or a new creative hobby. Choose an activity to do because it’s fun and fulfilling, not because it’s resume-worthy. Pair that with people who feel good to be around, not people who leave you feeling out of place. An uplifting community is one of the best buffers against imposter syndrome there is.

Explore Berkeley beyond the classroom

Building a life here that isn’t only about academic achievements reminds you that Berkeley is much more than a place you’re graded in; it’s a place that’s your home. Find time outside of studying to try one of Berkeley’s great restaurants or go on a beautiful hike. Explore this unique city that you live in while you can, outside the walls of Doe Library or Main Stacks, because you’re allowed to enjoy this place — not just survive it.

Stop comparing yourself to others

The version of your peers you’re comparing yourself to is the version of themselves that they choose to show. We’re all moving through our academics and careers at different speeds, shaped by factors that have nothing to do with how capable we are. You can trick yourself into thinking that everyone else has it figured out, whether you’re scrolling through LinkedIn or struggling to keep up with that one all-knowing classmate. Your worth should not be determined by how you measure up to another’s highlight reel.

Schedule downtime into your calendar

Some of us may even perceive how busy we are as an indicator of our success. When your calendar being completely full feels like proof that you’re doing enough, rest starts to feel like you’re falling behind. Make downtime a scheduled event in your calendar by blocking it off the same way you’d block off a lecture or meeting — don’t treat it as something that needs to be earned. The goal isn’t to do less, but to prove to yourself that you’re deserving of rest and your worth isn’t tied to how busy you are.

Know that you’re not the only one

Experiencing feelings of self-doubt doesn’t make you an outlier — it actually means you’re in the majority. Imposter syndrome is incredibly common at UC Berkeley, a top school that brings together so many high-achieving students from such different backgrounds. Many of us were at the top of our class, but when you’re here, you realize everyone else was too. That realization can leave you wondering if you’re truly as accomplished as the people around you. It’s a quiet thought, but an extremely common one. It’s why so many of us end up feeling like we don’t belong, but surely we can’t all be imposters.

It’s OK to not have it all figured out — not now, and maybe not for a while. Imposter syndrome will try to convince you it means something more, but uncertainty doesn’t mean you don’t belong. You’re a Golden Bear, and you’ve earned the right to be proud of that.