I wasn't taking advanced courses because of the challenge or the merit that came with it. I got them because I liked learning. I always felt that regular classes at school did a very poor job of giving me a well-rounded experience. The advanced courses, however, did a great job of understanding all the concepts and ideas. My friends back then weren't so carefree. They took these lessons too seriously. Going so far as to stay after school, buy extra books, and take practice tests just to guarantee their "A." I got A's and B's in most of those courses, and it wasn't because of extra help or hands-on work. It was because I had an honest interest in the topics. Even during the last year of our friendship, when I “doubled down” on AP US History and AP European History. The teacher of these two courses was considered the most difficult teacher in our school. My friends criticized me, telling me I had no chance of getting a 5 on AP exams and that I simply wouldn't have time for work. I ended up getting excellent grades in both courses, did exceptionally well on my exams, and even made friends with the teacher, who I now consider my greatest academic mentor. This is because I was more interested in expanding my knowledge on the topics rather than crunching numbers. I was also often criticized for how easygoing and relaxed I was about my upbringing. It was always "Chris, you need to take things more seriously" or "Chris, your lack of motivation makes us feel uncomfortable." Although the scolding I would receive was terribly annoying, it was much more bearable than the other factors that would lead to my dramatics