slowly learning how to be friends with photoshop

my teacher told my class today that everyone will have improved dramatically by the 6-7 week of class.
i sure hope so T___T
about these two pieces, he told me that they need to be stronger. they're supposed to represent unforgiving and grounded, but he said these two look like they're friends in high school. apparently the black one looks like the stereotypical angsty teenager HAHAhA.
i interpret that to mean that there needs to be more confidence in my decision.
why does everything come back to confidence.
i loved looking at other people's work, though. there were a couple great styles. wahh~