College Experiences That Helped a Self-Published Author Succeed
Erik's success in college stemmed from working diligently, forming connections with professors, and embracing challenges. Most notably, the career professional overcame "imposter syndrome" with the help of a professor, realizing that feeling challenged meant being in the right place, which later empowered them to take on significant opportunities like speaking to "700,000 people live in India".
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, Mentorship, Academic Excellence, Self-Belief, Taking Initiative
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Erik Seversen
Author, Business Owner
Innovative Educational Services; Thin Leaf Press; Self-Publishing Center
UCLA
Anthropology, University of Virginia, MA
Anthropology, Sociology
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Education
Consulting
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Taking advantage of office hours and building relationships with professors can lead to invaluable mentorship and opportunities, like the professor who helped him overcome imposter syndrome and excel in undergraduate research.
2. Working hard and loving his classes, along with taking notes for students with disabilities, broadened his knowledge base and provided a unique learning experience.
3. Overcoming imposter syndrome is crucial for success, as it allows individuals to push themselves and excel in challenging environments, ultimately enabling them to achieve remarkable accomplishments, like speaking to a large audience in India.
Transcript
What did you do in college to set you up for success in your career?
I worked really hard in college and I loved it. I told you I went to Green River for undergrad, and for my first two years at community college, I did really well because I applied myself.
I took advantage of office hours with teachers and got to know them, even on a friendship level. Then, when I got to UCLA, I was accepted into an honors program. One day, I was sitting in an honors class, an independent research course. There were eight students, myself and the professor.
I didn't think I belonged there; I thought everyone else was smarter and better than I was. I think the professor, Peter Hammond, recognized that. He started talking to me after class and invited me to lunch. We had lunch again, and he showed me that I not only belonged there, but that I could excel. That was my junior year.
My senior year, I won best undergraduate research under him at UCLA. That was outside of my academic pursuits, which I loved. On top of my classes, my job was to take notes for people who were blind or quadriplegic. They couldn't take notes for themselves, so I would take their notes and give them to them.
So, not only did I get all my classes, but I got tons of other people's classes. I loved the classes. The biggest thing I got out of undergrad was learning that having imposter syndrome isn't a bad thing. It means you're exactly where you should be, in a room with people who make you feel excited and push you.
Luckily, Dr. Hammond helped me realize I shouldn't be limited by that, but I can excel through it. That’s one of the biggest things that allowed me to do all these unusual things. My biggest speaking engagement was to 700,000 people live in India. I couldn't have done that if I didn't learn this idea about overcoming fear and imposter syndrome from one of the professors at UCLA.