Dear younger me: Trust your curiosity, it will lead you to a wild journey!

Dear younger me, 

Right now, you’re driven by a restless curiosity about biology, the kind that makes you keep asking questions all the time. What you don’t realize yet is that this curiosity will grow, deepen, and eventually pull you toward something even more fascinating: the brain. That quiet sense of wonder you feel? Hold onto it because it’s going to be a wild journey! 

You might feel out of place sometimes, though. Being a first-generation academic means you’ll be full of doubts and fears. That’s normal, as no one ever told you how careers unfold... But once you decide you’ll become a (neuro)scientist, your determination will help you learn how ideas turn into experiments, how labs function and how you can make sense of the world through science. 

Your curiosity for the brain will consume you. That passion will shape your work and eventually lead you to meet amazing people who will help you become the scientist you aspire to be. Along the way, you’ll receive support not only for your research but also for communicating it. You’ll find joy in starting new projects, discussing ideas, making knowledge accessible and, importantly, connecting with like-minded people. 

Yet, at every stage, a lingering feeling will follow you: impostor syndrome. Even as you progress, and achievements accumulate, it will keep whispering that you’ve just been lucky, that you don’t belong. But over time, you’ll come to understand something important: that perfectionism-driven self-doubt is only there to remind you to stay humble and to keep moving forward. 

Your curiosity and energy will “push” you into juggling ideas, projects and interests. You will often wonder if you should slow down because, at times, it will feel chaotic! But you’ll realize that you don’t have to become someone who fits neatly into one box. You’ll gradually learn how to channel that passion without losing sight of what really matters. 

After some rollercoaster years as a scientist, your career then hits a turning point when you receive a postdoctoral MSCA grant. It will not only validate the hard work you’ve put in so far, but it will also give you the confidence to trust your own ideas and pursue them. 

So, remember: 1) you don’t need to have everything figured out; most people are figuring things out as they go. And 2) it’s ok to be ambitious, but you don’t need to push yourself so hard. Trust your instincts, they’ve been guiding you all along. And… have fun while you’re at it! Science is not just about results, publications, or recognition. It’s about the joy of discovering something new and sharing that knowledge. Let that be your driving force. If you can hold onto that, everything else will follow. 

You’ve got this!

Rui Rodrigues, your future self