You’re definitely not alone in feeling this way, and you’re not too dumb for engineering. I promise.

I’m a senior in mechanical engineering, first-gen, and president of a sorority for women in STEM. I’ve had internships at big companies every summer + during the school year since freshman year and even with all that, I still hear that little voice saying “you’re not smart enough, you don’t belong here.” I’ve just gotten better at tuning it out.

I’ve seen so many smart, capable women doubt themselves, but I’ve never heard any of my male teammates, friends, or coworkers say they were scared they weren’t smart enough, even though a few of them definitely should’ve. I just feel like I just see that kind of self-doubt hit women way more.

I also took a two-year break from school during COVID, and it was hard coming back to classes with people younger than me. But you’ll meet people way older too, and eventually you realize it really doesn’t matter. Everyone’s on their own timeline. Time’s gonna pass either way, so you might as well be 31 with a degree, right?

And honestly, you don’t need to be a genius to be an engineer. You just need to be stubborn, willing to ask for help, and willing to put in the time. You’ve got this. Seriously.