Everything is Figureoutable

Especially during academic terms, I’ll get frustrated from a difficult assignment question or lab. It’s an uncomfortable feeling. One in which sometimes I question my intelligence or if I belong in this program in the first place.

Then I remember that we’ve never had a deliverable that nobody in our class could finish. What professor would assign something like that anyway? If everyone else in my class can finish it, why can’t I?

Then I remember that I’ve been here before. That confusion is an opportunity to learn, and frustration is a part of the learning process. Eventually, I do solve the problem, and the fact that I struggled through it made it that much more satisfying.

This is a mindset that I take with me outside of the classroom, and its one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from my undergrad. I don’t see any problem as impossible. The feeling of being lost, confused, and frustrated is normal. But keep trying things out, discuss with friends, ask the professor for help, and eventually I’ll figure it out.