The Perfect Academic Doesn’t Exist — So Stop Trying to Be One

There’s no perfect template for success — not in academia, not in life. Even people who look like you, think like you, or grew up with you will want different things. The truth is, you’re unique. And those academic metrics, rankings, or definitions? They don’t define who you are. You don’t need to belong to succeed. You just need to say, “Screw it — I’m doing OK.