Postdocs often navigate a unique set of challenges: unclear employment status, limited access to benefits, intense research expectations, and the emotional pressures of short-term contracts and high uncertainty. These challenges can affect well-being, productivity, and long-term career progression. This panel will address the realities of the postdoc experience, including mental health, work-life balance, adapting to new work cultures, and understanding how to professionally advocate for yourself. It will also explore how to communicate your role to employers who may not understand what a postdoc is.