Kalpitha S

There is a particular kind of silence that comes with being the youngest person in the room.

You notice the years of experience around you. You notice how confidently people speak about things you are still learning. And sometimes, without anyone saying a word, you begin asking yourself a question: Do I really belong here? I have asked myself that question more than you can ever imagine.

I had to learn how to make decisions about my education and career largely by figuring things out as I went. Every opportunity felt exciting, but it also came with uncertainty because I did not always know what the "right" next step was supposed to look like.

And sometimes, even now, I still feel like I know nothing.

My journey into cybersecurity began with an accelerated three-year bachelor's degree in Information Security. Today, I am a 21-year-old pursuing my master's degree in Cybersecurity and Networks, and I will be graduating with a master's degree in cybersecurity by the time I turn 22. On paper, these milestones may look like a straightforward path. In reality, they have been filled with moments of uncertainty, learning, mistakes, growth, and the constant realization that there is still so much I do not know.

And I have learned that is okay.

Growing Up a Little Faster

When I look at those milestones together, they sound impressive.

But behind them is a much more personal story.

There were moments when I had to choose between simply enjoying being young and thinking about what I needed to do next.

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to worry a little less.

To enjoy the moment without constantly thinking about what comes next.

To make mistakes without feeling like every decision was going to determine my future.

But I also know that those sacrifices helped shape me.

They taught me discipline. They taught me independence. Most importantly, they taught me that sometimes you have to build the road while you are walking on it.

There Was No Blueprint

Being the first person in my family to figure out this kind of journey has meant learning things through experience.

I had to learn how to advocate for myself.

I had to learn how to ask questions when I didn't understand something.

I had to learn how to make decisions even when I was afraid of making the wrong one.

And I had to become comfortable with the possibility that nobody was going to have all the answers for me.

Moving forward meant trusting myself before I completely trusted my own abilities.

That was not easy.

There were times when I wished I had someone who had already done exactly what I was trying to do. Someone who could tell me, "This is what you do next. Don't worry, you're going to be okay."

Instead, I became that person for myself.

And I think there is something powerful about that.

Not because I figured everything out perfectly-I didn't.

But because I kept figuring it out.

You Don't Have to Know Everything

One of the biggest misconceptions I have encountered as a young person entering cybersecurity is that you need to know everything before you can consider yourself capable.

You don't.

Cybersecurity is an industry that changes constantly. New technologies emerge, vulnerabilities are discovered, threats evolve, and organizations have to continuously adapt. No matter how experienced someone is, there will always be something they have not encountered before.

That realization changed how I look at my own learning.

Instead of seeing what I don't know as proof that I am not qualified, I have started seeing it as an invitation to learn. Asking questions is not a weakness. Not knowing the answer immediately does not make you less capable. Being willing to listen, learn, and try again is part of becoming good at what you do.

My experiences in IT and networking have reinforced this for me. During my internship, I was able to gain practical exposure, and those experiences taught me something that a classroom alone cannot: confidence often comes after doing, not before.

You take the opportunity. You ask the question. You make the mistake. You learn how to solve the problem. And slowly, the unfamiliar becomes familiar.

Being Young Can Be an Asset

Being young in a professional environment can sometimes feel intimidating. But I have also learned that being young gives you something valuable: the freedom to remain curious.

You bring a different perspective. You are often more willing to question assumptions and approach problems from a different angle. You may have less experience, but you also have the opportunity to build that experience without being afraid to start.

My dad once gave me advice that has stayed with me throughout my journey:

"Being the youngest person in the room is a privilege, stay curious and keep learning."

I think about those words whenever I find myself questioning whether I belong.

Being the youngest person in the room does not mean you have less to contribute. It means you have the opportunity to learn from the people around you while also bringing something that only you can bring: your own perspective.

To All the Young Women

If I could give one piece of advice to young women entering cybersecurity, it would be this:

Do not let being a woman-or being young-make you question whether you belong.

You do not have to be the most experienced person in the room to have something valuable to contribute. You do not have to have your entire career mapped out. And you certainly do not have to wait until you feel completely ready.

• Take the opportunity.
• Ask the question.
• Learn from the person sitting beside you.
• Speak when you have something to say.
• And if you make a mistake, learn from it and keep moving.

There will be moments when you feel like an outsider. There will be moments when you compare yourself to people who seem years ahead of you. There will be moments when you wonder whether you are good enough.

When those moments come, remember that being in the room is already part of becoming the person who belongs there.

The Journey Is Still Beginning

I am still at the beginning of my cybersecurity journey. I am still learning, still figuring out the path. I still encounter things I don't understand. I still have moments where I doubt myself. Maybe it is a sign that I care. I care about becoming good at what I do. I care about making the most of the opportunities I have been given. I care about making my family proud. I care about becoming someone who can eventually make the path easier for the people who come after me.

Because being the first does not only mean walking a path alone.

It also means leaving something behind.

But I no longer believe that confidence means having every answer.

To me, confidence means being willing to say, "I don't know yet, but I am willing to learn."

Cybersecurity needs people who are technically capable, but it also needs people who are curious, ethical, adaptable, thoughtful, and willing to keep learning. It needs different perspectives and voices.

I don't know exactly where my career will take me. But I know I want to keep learning, keep challenging myself, and keep walking into rooms where I may not yet feel completely comfortable.

Because maybe the goal isn't to wait until you feel like you belong.

Maybe the goal is to walk in, bring your perspective, stay curious, keep learning-and realize that you belonged there all along.

A Dedication to Where It All Began

Before I end this story, I want to dedicate it to the people who made it possible for me to become the person I am still becoming.

To myself: for every time I kept going when I was unsure, for the things I gave up along the way, for the younger version of me who had dreams without knowing how to reach them, and for choosing to keep believing in myself even on the days when I didn't feel like I was enough.

To my parents: thank you for believing in me before I knew how to believe in myself. Thank you for every sacrifice, every conversation, every moment of encouragement, and every time you reminded me that I could go further than I thought I could.

Whatever I accomplish in the future will never be mine alone.

There are pieces of my parents in every milestone I reach, just as there are pieces of the younger version of me in every step I take forward.

This is for me, for my parents, and for every step that brought us here.