Introduction to Algorithmic Design II took all of the challenged I had with the previous course, and amplified all of them. The material became significantly more difficult due to a shift to a more theoretical and conceptual class, rather than the more straightforward type of class Algorithmic Design I was. You can see this in the snippet of code i provided in my artifact. In order to keep up, I spend many hours analyzing and rewriting nearly every single assignment I was given, frequently asking for extensions on homework assignments. Even with all of the time I spent on my work, I still only barely managed to scrape by in the class. This class was a rude awakening to me. It left my confidence shaken about my ability to continue on in my chosen field of study. I was left wondering for the entire semester if I had the skills necessary to succeed in this major, or if I should start looking into back-up options. It wasn’t until near the end of the year that I had finally steeled myself and was ready to continue along my chosen path. I realized that if I gave in this early on, that there was no way that I would succeed. Despite the hardships and the challenges I will face along the way, I cannot afford to give in. This class taught me that no matter how seemingly difficult something may be, that you will only fail if you tell yourself that you will.