I guess what I’m acknowledging—and what you identified—is the struggle between staying within your comfort zone and stretching yourself, and my feeling I didn’t stretch enough.

There were others in the class whom I think did not believe there pieces to be that strong. But they attempted things that had a higher risk of failure. While they may not have pulled off what they hoped, I admire their effort.

In the school environment, I don’t think it’s about who has the best piece. I say that in direct odds with what half of me thinks, since I always want to be the best. That’s another struggle, I suppose: risking failure in an effort to stretch myself while dropping the idea of competition.

Aside from that, stretching yourself and not making safe choices is a process that you’ll fight for two years–and really, the rest of your life, if you are like me.

I think the poster looks pretty good.