I’m not at all trying to brag, but I’m sure I’m going to be accused of that anyway.

So I’ve been doing regions band and orchestra for 3 years, and I just had my audition for this years yesterday. I am one of the more qualified of my instrument, and I was able to get the second overall in last year’s regions. However, when I did the audition this year, I noticed that my own band director was one of the judges. As a result, I made a few stupid mistakes, which I really should have been able to play correctly. I left the audition unhappy.

This morning, my private instructor, having the reach that he does, was able to get the results very early. I found that I got second overall again, but this time under a different person, a junior. I’m a senior.

I’m upset for not playing to the best of my abilities, and as a result my placement suffered, but I still got into a high placement, second out of six spots available. Am I an asshole or being upset?