I am writing this from somewhere in between. Between being a student and being a professional, between knowing a lot and feeling like I know nothing, between being excited about what is coming and being genuinely terrified of it. It is a strange place to be, but I think a lot of people reading this might recognise it.
Starting my thesis in an industry R&D environment has been one of the most rewarding things I have done during my studies. Seeing how methods and techniques I learned in courses actually work in practice, in a real lab with real goals, has made everything feel more meaningful. It has also made me realise how much I want this. Working in life science, contributing to something that matters. That part has only become clearer.
Not feeling like enough
What nobody really prepares you for is the feeling of not being sufficient. You have spent five years learning, you have done the lab work, you understand the theory. And still, when you start looking at job listings or walk into a professional setting for the first time, there is this voice that asks whether you are actually qualified enough to be there.
I think that feeling is more common than people admit. Most of us just do not talk about it. But I want to, because I think it is important to say out loud: feeling uncertain does not mean you are not capable. It often just means you care about doing a good job.
What we bring that experience cannot replace
Here is what I keep reminding myself. As a junior, as someone newly graduated and still finding their footing, there are things I bring that are genuinely valuable. Not in spite of being new, but because of it.
I am curious. I ask questions, even when it feels embarrassing to ask them. I am not yet tired of the basics, and I find real interest in understanding why things are done the way they are. I am motivated to learn quickly and to do good work because I have something to prove, to myself more than anyone else. I am adaptable in a way that is hard to hold onto once you have been doing the same thing for years.
These things have value. I genuinely believe that, even on the days when it is hard to feel it.
Learning from mistakes instead of turning them against yourself
Something else I have been thinking about is how we handle the moments when things go wrong. And they will go wrong. That is not a failure of preparation, it is just part of doing real work.
I have made mistakes during my thesis. Small ones, mostly, but they still sting. What I am trying to practise is treating those moments as information rather than evidence that I should not be here. A mistake tells you something. It shows you where your understanding had a gap, where you moved too fast, where you need to pay closer attention next time. That is useful. Spending energy on feeling bad about it is not.
It sounds simple when written like that. It is harder in practice. But I think it is worth trying.
To anyone who feels the same way
If you are a junior, a recent graduate, or a student getting close to the end, and you recognise any of this, I hope it helps a little to know that someone else is in it too. I started this blog partly because I wanted a place to be honest about this transition, and partly because I hope it reaches people who need to hear that their uncertainty is not a sign that they are in the wrong place.
You are allowed to not know everything yet. You are allowed to ask questions. You are allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. And you are allowed to be both scared and excited at the same time. I think that might be exactly the right way to feel.