the advocate

After the mindset altering trip to Tokyo and Osaka last week, I was welcomed with the Finals week in my university.

I hit Monday running for all my final examinations were scheduled last Tuesday. Well, what better time to put into practice what I've observed in the land of the rising sun - move. Now.

After the rush last Tuesday, I am now on the final legs of computing grades. I facilitated learning for 5 classes and I am done with grade computation for 4 of them.

And then, the advocate came. Texted.

To the students who use brokers/agents to turn failing grades to passing grades, let me be clear on this, do not even try. It will not work. Not because I do not respect the advocates you use but because your future is more important than the relationship I have with your advocate.

And let me clear about this too, because I do not know what your advocate told you on what transpired between your advocate and me, so I will tell you here. You deserve to know the truth.

Your advocate texted me last night if I can lower my passing grade to suit you because you apparently failed two courses already and you might be kicked out of the university.

To that I replied, "...then maybe, this student needs to have this experience this early in this person's life. A situation where a rethinking on how this person is handling life. This is important to any human being. The student was given all the chances. I returned all the quizzes on time. The students knew where they stood in my class every time. (Your advocate's name), you have my respects."

That was the conversation I had with your advocate. If your advocate told anything less or more, then your advocate lies to you.

That's the problem with using advocates, not unless someone tells you, you really do not know what really transpired :)

Dear Student, have you truly given up on life that you truly accept that you will always need other people to do the significant life battles for you?

Will you be forever dependent on other people? Do you like to be in this situation? Forever? Do you enjoy being a 'slave' to the whims of your advocate?

If you're using money now to buy, not earn, your diploma, save it. The Mapua diploma does not mean anything without self-respect. Without the truth that you earned it.

How will you compete, in the future, with the Japanese, Indians, Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, Singaporeans, Thais, Malaysians, Indonesians, Mongolians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans and Vietnamese who earned their diploma when you know in your heart of hearts that yours is actually fake?

How can you compete with that?

My dear student, use this time to think. To pause. To reflect. Your life is still ahead of you. And even if you're in this situation, know that your future is still bright. Do not fall into temptation that you need to barter, exchange or even throw away your self-respect for a fake passing grade.

Believe me, your future is still bright. And it is brighter if you have your self-respect intact.

"Why think like mere men?"