As an ordinary genius

Years passed, and Ethan settled into the rhythm of university life. It wasn't glamorous or extraordinary, but it was steady, consistent. He wasn't a top scorer in his classes, nor did he aim to be. Instead, he focused on doing his best, working hard to stay ahead of deadlines, and pushing through the challenges.

By the time his final year rolled around, Ethan found himself comfortably in the upper middle of the academic pack. Not the smartest, not the fastest—but better than average.

The campus was bustling as Ethan walked into the lecture hall for Software Engineering Principles. He found his usual spot in the middle row and unpacked his laptop.

"Morning," Nathan said, sliding into the seat next to him.

"Morning," Ethan replied, sipping his coffee.

The professor, Dr. Carter, entered and began writing on the board. "Today, we'll discuss modular programming. Open your notes."

Ethan focused, typing along as the lecture progressed. He didn't always grasp the concepts immediately, but he had learned to ask questions and revisit the material later.

After class, Aria caught up with him in the hallway. "Hey, Ethan. You get what she meant by functional cohesion?"

"Not entirely," Ethan admitted. "Want to hit the library later and figure it out?"

"Sounds like a plan," she said with a grin.

Ethan's days were a balancing act. Between classes, projects, and part-time work at a local tech firm, his schedule was always packed.

Evenings were spent in the library, where he and his friends worked on assignments.

"Ethan, your code's a mess," Aria said one night, pointing at his screen.

"It works, doesn't it?" he shot back, grinning.

"Barely," she teased. "Let me show you how to clean it up."

These moments reminded Ethan of how far he'd come. He wasn't the best, but he was learning, improving, and holding his own.

Midway through his final year, Ethan received his results for the latest semester. As he scanned the scores, a smile broke across his face.

"Upper middle tier," he muttered, nodding to himself. "Not bad."

Raj noticed the grin as they sat in the cafeteria later. "You seem happy. Good results?"

"Decent," Ethan said. "I'm not topping the charts or anything, but I'm doing better than I thought I would."

"That's what matters," Raj said, raising his coffee cup. "To surviving university."

"To surviving," Ethan echoed, clinking his cup with Raj's.

One night, Ethan sat by the window in his dorm, staring out at the campus lights. He pulled out the black notebook from his internship days and flipped through the pages.

"Almost there," he thought.

Ethan wasn't a prodigy. He wasn't destined for greatness. But he was okay with that. He had carved out a space for himself—a place where he could thrive through sheer determination and effort.

And as he looked toward the future, he knew he'd take those same principles with him wherever he went.