PG Lifestyle
Faking It
Wrong
Imagine this: You could have an instant Master’s or PhD qualification with just a few thousand ringgit or less, with no tuition fees required or any classes to attend. Would you do it?
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n 2017, a syndicate producing fake academic scrolls was discovered in Puchong. The syndicate claimed that the certificates would come from public and private universities, complete with transcripts, seals of the institutions and signatures of the chancellors. In 2018, another syndicate with similar modus operandi was busted in Petaling Jaya. There are websites in the deep web offering certificates from prestigious universities worldwide, albeit with higher prices. But the most shocking thing about these discoveries is not the fact that the forged documents look almost identical to the original ones – it’s the fact that these marketing tactics are so honest and straightforward towards their target audience. These services urge young adults to buy the certificates through them and skip the enrolling and studying part, saving the time and money it takes to actually get a real degree. What makes these degree mills so brazen in their marketing?
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How to deal with it? Even if it sounds like an unavoidable condition, there are ways to lessen the severity of impostor syndrome. Sharing the misery of facing it with someone can be one way of dealing with it as it helps you to distinguish between your perception with the reality of the situation. Documenting every achievement and celebrating every success no matter how small or big they are can help you to stop discrediting your own hard work, and they work as reminders that you deserve every little achievement that you made. The most important thing in dealing with this state of mind, though, is to learn how to be prepared whenever those dreaded moments are coming. Surely, comparing yourself to others’ achievements has become a hobby to you, especially when you are faced with roadblocks in your professional pathway. You should stop doing that, and accept that every person faces different challenges every day. Remember that you have come far from the starting line, and every step made is a growing experience.
