Prioritising what matters

NUSWhispers - Posts

"Many years ago, one of my modules’ lab exam was rescheduled to an evening session which clashed with my gf’s birthday (we booked a special dinner). An added complication was that it was her first birthday in Singapore without any family members around. It was either I celebrate her birthday with her and get a reduced grade or she ‘celebrates’ alone while I may get a higher grade.

I was very inclined towards attending the lab session and she also said she’s ok to spend dinnertime alone. However, I decided to heck it and yolo by skipping the lab session and going for dinner with her instead. She was shocked and asked why. I told her, “In 10 years’ time, my grade won’t matter. You will.”

Needless to say, I got a poorer grade for that module for skipping a lab exam without valid excuse. But boy, did it feel saccharine.

Fast forward 5 years later, we broke up.

Fast forward another 5 years (i.e. now), here I am clutching the rejection letter from a prestigious masters course and they cited my inadequate grades and pointed that module out in particular (it was a foundational module).

Fml."