FACULTY OF

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Dear fellow students,

My name is Daniel Stelter, and currently I am a doctoral researcher in computer science. Throughout my past studies, I was generally able to keep up with the educational material. However, my biggest challenge was to allow myself to make mistakes – to overcome my own perfectionism.

Academically, the rigorous coursework, assignments, and exams sometimes felt overwhelming. The constant fear of failure, even to being unable to answer a single question, led to increased anxiety, making it difficult to find any healthy work-life balance. This was especially the case when I was working on my Bachelor's thesis. For most of the time I worked every day, often starting in the morning, finishing in the evening and doing mostly rests without actually resting as I was just not able to stop my brain thinking.

Although this pressure drove me to achieve good results, it also resulted in the inability to enjoy any free time. More than once this resulted in early burnout symptoms.

To overcome these challenges, I learned to prioritize my mental and emotional well-being alongside my academic responsibilities. I embraced self-care by making time for activities that brought me joy and relaxation. Engaging in hobbies, spending time with loved ones, and incorporating physical exercise into my routine helped me recharge and maintain a healthier mindset.

For this it was especially important to separate parts of the day which I wanted to use for my education as well as for free time. For the latter, I reminded myself to keep my mind completely clear from my university duties. Coming to this solution was a process which took much time.

One key for recognizing this was talking about my fears and anxieties with family and close friends. They provided me with their own perspectives and were able to take some of the self-imposed pressure I felt. Therefore, this may be the most important part I can advise: Talk with people who know you, be open to receive feedback and to change your habits.

Concluding this, I want to give the following recommendations to students who also struggle with perfectionism: prioritize self-care, set realistic expectations and seek support from friends and family. Remember that life is not about always achieving the best possible results or fulfilling expectations of other people, but about being happy with yourself and what you do. Developing a successful career may be a part of your own happiness, but it should certainly not control the rest of your life.