"You'll Never, Ever Experience Doing a Book Report in Your MBA"

During the last day of our class in Investment Analysis (one of my elective class as part of completion for my specialization), we had our final exam in a multiple choice format. During this time, my core friends in MBA and my former classmates from previous subjects are done with their Strategic Management class and were participating in their Integrative Action Research workshop.

During the exam, I happened to stumble upon two questions that are Strategic Management-related concepts such as Porter's Five forces. I just took a picture of those questionnaire and did not post it on social media until all exams are done since I was planning to make a joke that we're also taking up Strategic Management - albeit during the final exam.

After the examination, I indeed post the said questionnaires with the caption "Sinong may sabi na kayo lang may Strama [Strategic Management], kami din noh? Sa final exam nga lang." Some of my former classmates took a laugh on it based on their reactions of the said post. Meanwhile one of my former classmates somewhat took a shot on it commenting on my post that nothing beats doing a Strategic Management paper. It was utterly true that nothing beats doing a Strategic Management paper as the paper was really hard to do, but I think all of those who reacted on it knew that it was just humor. Since I took up an additional electives in pursuit of my specialization in Financial Management, I replied to his comment as "True, but you'll never, ever experience doing a book report in your MBA." One of my classmates who also pursued specialization saw my comment and he was like, I did a great job replying at that post because it made sense.

While the quote seemed to be that childish as that graduate students should not supposed to be doing book reports as it was supposed to be done during elementary or at most college days. However, the book report is not just a book. We're talking about The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb and The Return of Depression Economics by Paul Krugman. Those are quite sophisticated books - way beyond what we normally read such as novels or even articles.

Those that were ahead of us may have the bragging rights in terms of experiencing something that would make other people like us somewhat jealous of their accomplishments. However, the desire to experience everything first might fail them to miss on other things that were also worth experiencing. One could post that he/she could finish the program at a faster pace, while people who chose specialization like me can brag that at least we get to have an extension of our degrees like MBA-FIN or MBA-MKT by the time we graduate. They may never get that chance again as they chose to do things at a faster pace even if one thinks it's such an unnecessary thing to do.

Dear Friend

Dear MBA friend,

Once you came back from your trip in some part of North Asia, you would probably know that I would not make past the endorsement for our Integrative Action Research (IAR) defense on my own volition. I had made up my mind for the past few weeks, but couldn't tell it in our group chat that I plan to defer as I know that you would be quite upset about this as you all wanted our group to graduate together this coming June.

In our group, perhaps I was the second one who chose to be left behind as you all chose the typical route in the MBA program. I know that I would be left behind until three of our friends in MBA decided not to enroll thesis writing and you were the only one left going through the IAR writing alone. It was a determined way of you to do that and I admire you for it. How could I wish that I could be as determined as you despite having a lot on your plate whether it's about school, work, family, etc. Heck, you actually passed the writing and defense in one shot despite all the setbacks you've encountered during the defense.

I know that you weren't able to march with some of the students who also passed the defense during that term for personal reasons, which actually kept our hopes alive that we could march in June together. While you are waiting for us, I can join our other friends in the thesis writing as I was done with my last formal class.

But then, two weeks ago, I started to reflect back as I was doing my Chapter 2 for IAR writing around 3 to 4 in the morning thinking if pushing it through was actually worth it in exchange for my health. I am aware that I'm not the most immune of all. Lessons during my college days taught me how to actually take care of my body and not to abuse it anymore. I would not want to repeat major subjects (or in this case thesis writing or defense) just because I got hospitalized two weeks before the semester ended. I guess knowing that one of our friends in the group firmly decided to stay behind to further hone her paper made it an easier decision thinking that I can join her as we all cheer the rest of you to your June graduation.

While making this one last push would mean that I could finally get free from the school duties and finally becoming an MBA-FIN, at the same time being able to march with all of you so that we could embark on our far away travels should there be one. However, I think this is the battle that I chose not to fight thoroughly or desperately with. I know some of our classmates were quite startled that I was quite relaxed as the endorsement date approaches, but lots of factors came into play like nothing is really at stake for me in terms of planning for a career change or a change in life role. Perhaps my mentor giving me very minor feedback concerns me as I was not used to those kinds of feedback which might haunt me during IAR defense. The times that our group have gone through would be enough for me to cherish even if it would mean that I would be marching with our other friend at least one term behind.

What's more important is that we'll both make it at the end of our MBA journey- albeit not on the same pace. Again, congratulations as you're going to march this June!