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!