Dear younger me: You will find your place, somehow, somewhere

Who knew this is where you'd be in 2026? Who knows where you will be in 2031? This academia thing is a mess, but here we are. PhD, check. So many postdocs, check. First major grant (the MSCA!), check. Permanent job, nowhere to be found.

Somehow inexplicably you ended up back in Germany - in the 10 years living abroad, you learned that the Dutch have figured out how to do mobility (#bikes), that the Brits know nothing about building wind-proof houses but have the kindest neighborhoods, and that for Swedes, there is no bad weather for a barbecue.

You will treasure all these little gems collected along the way and having the most amazing, kind and curious colleagues of all ages and backgrounds. Even though they are scattered across different countries and time zones, the digital world keeps them close, always ready to spring into action!

Right now, you are full of ideas but have zero time. You might feel like you just have to be faster. But remember one mentor's advice that there is no need to sprint all the time - everything will still be okay if you take the time to slow down and even pause. Saying this is easy, of course, but I want to give you a head start. Here are three tips:

1. Dare to ask. The worst-case scenario is a no, but if you don't ask, you cannot get a yes! After all, asking to join your internship mentor on a field trip to Bali brought you where you are today; asking the expert to mentor your MSCA application got you the grant… so just dare to ask!

2. Do something you care about. There is no right thing to study or smart idea to pursue. Just trust that your curiosity leads you right… Because when you find something you are interested in, you will shine and inspire others!

3. It's okay to be yourself. Everyone is different and that's okay. There is no need to grow in a straight line, conform to a norm - even if they tell you to! You will find your place, somehow, somewhere. Great ideas do not grow in boxes we already have; we need to create new spaces for them!

The future will always be uncertain, but if you just ask the right people, they will remind you that the stuff you do is unique and actually pretty cool. And who knows what is waiting around the next corner… Maybe in a couple of years, our ERC self will be writing to both of us?

So much love,

Hannah