You might be concerned that your degree won’t mean as much because you’ve learned online, been assessed differently or missed some exams – or that they themselves will be of less value. You might be feeling a degree of ‘imposter syndrome,’ that you are not good enough or you haven’t proved yourself.
While this is entirely understandable, in truth there are many reasons why you do not need to be concerned. Studying for a degree right now requires flexibility, resourcefulness, discipline and resilience – all characteristics that good employers want in their staff. The challenge of studying during a pandemic, may, in fact, help you to develop skills and strengths that will benefit you in the future. If you can demonstrate how you have responded to these challenges, you will be a more desirable employee.
There are some steps you can take to help with this process. The key is how you engage with and think about your learning and your experience. Reflecting on your experiences, your learning and your development, can help to improve your academic performance and it can also help to boost your self-belief. This may not come naturally at first; reflective learning is a skill that many students have not yet had the chance to acquire. But it is something that you can practice and get good at.