In Imposter Syndrome by Cassie B, I felt like she had drawn the thoughts that are constantly buzzing in my head as a student. The figure in the artwork is dressed in a clown outfit, bright, exaggerated, impossible to ignore. On the surface, it looks confident and playful, but I cannot help seeing it as how I imagine others might see me: a performer, a joke, a “clown” pretending to belong. That voice in my mind, whispering “you are a fraud”,  feels even louder when I think about it. It sneaks in before presentations, exams, or even when turning in assignments, making me question if people will notice I do not actually know what I am doing.

What strikes me most is how still and poised the figure is despite the costume. Cassie B captures that tension so perfectly. Not through chaos, but in quiet hesitation. It mirrors how I navigate school, smiling, showing up, doing the work, while internally bracing for the moment everyone discovers I am faking it. The clown outfit and shopping card together symbolize the mask I wear and the mental confinement that comes with feeling like an imposter.

And yet, the piece also feels compassionate, as if the darkness of the mind is somehow being held, even made comforting. The figure is still present, still trying, still enduring. Seeing that reminds me that even when I feel like a “clown,” feeling like an imposter does not mean I am failing; it means I am stepping into spaces that challenge me. Sometimes, surviving the day while your mind whispers “you are a fraud” is its own kind of courage.

Contributing Writer: Kiana Chanté Gillings McArthur

Image Credit:

Body Image: Imposter Syndrome by Cassie B

Feature Image: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash