Maybe I wasn't the highest-grading student in class or I didn't receive top marks, but maybe I wasn't meant to be. Going into this program, I was overly confident in myself. When my grades weren't as high as I expected, I lost confidence and began to doubt my ability to achieve success. But when my counselor said those words, it made me feel like he had faith in me. It pushed me to prove to myself that I can do better, and I did. It wasn't easy at first, but eventually my grades improved and I started to worry less. The work obviously remained difficult, but I learned to adapt. For some, this may be seen as a life lesson, but I consider it an academic achievement