When I finished my MSc studies, my supervisor asked me to present my results at a poster session during an international conference. As I don't like to leave things to the last minute, I immediately began my preparations. I had quite a few results, so it took me a while to choose the most important data to highlight. Having completed the poster's abstract, I sent it to the organizers.

Then the meeting's scientific committee asked me to present my findings orally instead. I was surprised, but I naturally agreed — it was a big honour for such an inexperienced and young scientist like me. Then I realized, with a sense of trepidation, that I would have to change my conference status from ‘student’ to ‘speaker’, and that the audience would include leaders in my field, not just colleagues my age. This terrified me even more in the run-up to my speech. As I approached the stage, my hands were trembling, I had a dry throat and I was afraid that I would manage only a mumble instead of talking.

Fortunately, everything was fine, and my first conference speech went well. But the experience was a good lesson in how stressful life in science can be. You need to be able control your emotions and hide or fight your nerves. I can now say that being a lecturer is not easier than being a student — even though I and most of my friends have thought that at least once in our lives.