As an ordinary genius

Ethan's final individual project was his last chance to make an impression before graduation. It was daunting but also exhilarating. For the first time, there were no teammates to lean on—this was all on him.

The task was straightforward yet challenging: develop an innovative software solution that showcased everything he had learned during his time at university. Ethan knew this was the moment to prove to himself—and others—how far he had come.

In the weeks leading up to the project submission, Ethan sat in his dorm, brainstorming. He wanted something meaningful but also achievable within the given time.

"I could create a chatbot," Ethan muttered, scribbling on his notebook. "But no... too basic. Maybe a task organizer? No, that's been done a million times..."

After days of wracking his brain, inspiration struck. He decided to create a personalized study assistant—a program that analyzed a student's schedule, suggested study plans, and offered small quizzes based on upcoming exams.

"It's simple enough to finish," Ethan thought, "but unique enough to stand out."

Ethan spent weeks coding, often losing track of time as he fine-tuned every feature.

One evening, Raj walked into their dorm to find Ethan buried in code.

"Still at it?" Raj asked, setting down his bag.

"Yup," Ethan replied without looking up.

"What's the project?"

"A study assistant app," Ethan said, pausing to stretch his arms. "It creates custom study plans based on a student's input. I'm adding a quiz generator now."

"Sounds useful," Raj said. "I could've used that during exams."

Ethan grinned. "Well, let's hope the professors think so too."

The project wasn't smooth sailing.

One afternoon, Ethan's program crashed just as he was about to test a new feature.

"Why now?" he groaned, running his hands through his hair.

Aria, who was working nearby in the library, looked over. "What happened?"

"Program crashed. Again," Ethan said, frustrated.

"Let me take a look," Aria offered, leaning over his laptop. After a few minutes, she pointed at the screen. "Here. You're referencing the wrong variable in this function."

Ethan slapped his forehead. "Of course. Thanks, Aria."

"Anytime," she said with a smirk.

On the day of the project presentations, Ethan walked into the lecture hall, laptop in hand. His heart pounded as he connected his device to the projector.

"Whenever you're ready, Mr. Queen," Dr. Carter said.

Ethan took a deep breath and began.

"This is StudySmart," he said, clicking to display the app's interface. "It's a personalized study assistant designed to help students optimize their time and improve their focus."

He walked the panel through the app's features: how users could input their schedule, receive study recommendations, and take quick quizzes tailored to their upcoming exams.

When the demo concluded, there was a brief silence before Dr. Carter spoke.

"This is impressive, Ethan," she said, a note of genuine admiration in her voice. "Your program is functional, intuitive, and practical. It's clear you've put a lot of thought and effort into this."

Dr. Patel, another professor, nodded in agreement. "I especially like how user-friendly it is. Well done."

Ethan felt a swell of pride as he returned to his seat, his classmates giving him nods of approval.

A week later, the project grades were posted. Ethan stared at the screen, his heart racing.

Project Grade: A+

He couldn't believe it. After all the sleepless nights, the frustration, and the self-doubt, he had done it.

As he walked out of the lab, Dr. Carter stopped him in the hallway.

"Congratulations, Ethan," she said. "Your project was one of the best this semester. You've come a long way, and it shows."

"Thank you, Dr. Carter," Ethan said, smiling.

That evening, Ethan and his friends gathered in their favorite café.

"To Ethan, the A+ machine!" Nathan joked, raising his drink.

"Alright, alright," Ethan said, laughing. "Let's not get carried away. It's one project."

"One incredible project," Aria corrected. "Seriously, Ethan. You deserve this."

Ethan couldn't help but smile. For the first time in years, he felt like he was truly capable of standing on equal ground with his peers.