That morning, I ended the farewell meeting just 30 minutes before Student Portal published my exam result. The meeting was held in the pantry with my small team; people whose progress I had witnessed and whose growth I had seen as they become reliable and competent individuals. Two of them were leaving this month; separated by weeks. I began by expressing my gratitudes for their willingness to let me lead them since the day they joined us. After years of watching them challenge themselves, learn the ropes of banking operations, take on new responsibilities, and grow in confidence, I felt very proud of what they’d achieved. It was all their effort; I was only there to show the way. To the new joiner, I assure her that she would always have my support and that she should not feel discouraged by the departure of the two senior members. It was a little emotional, but I knew that in order to let people grow, we must also learn to let go.

I ended the meeting and excuse myself to get ready for my result. I wasn’t anxious, but I’ve learned that sometimes what we get is not what we want, despite the mountain of efforts we pour in. So I decided to take a moment to relax, breathe deeply and wait. After many years of building careers and witnessing ups and downs in both myself and other, I think I have become more ready for failure. I’ve learned to taste the bittersweet of life. That is what helps you grow.

At 11.00 am, I tried logging in to the Student Portal. As expected, the server was busy. I hit refresh, but nothing changed. I put down my phone, and check on any task pending my attention. None. I look at my planner, looking for anything that I need to do for days ahead. Again, none; all sorted.

10 minutes passed, I tried logging in again. Success. Patiently, I navigated the Student Portal. Apparently I needed to update my financial information before I could view my results. It didn’t take long, it’s just confirming all details I’d filled in at the start of the semester. So, the moment of truth is here. I clicked the button, and there it was..

GPA3.95 , CGPA 3.95

I let out a huge sigh of relief.

1 A+, 3 A and 1 A-.

Excellent.

I wanted to call my wife, but I knew she was busy, so I texted her instead. Then i texted my family and few close friends whom always prayed for my success. Finally, I shared the news with my colleagues, who had kindly endured my absences on Fridays and Mondays while I travelled for weekend classes. I was deeply grateful that the results turned out so well.

Looking back, I know I need to change my approach to learning for the next semester. I have to admit, my first semester was not great. I struggled to digest everything. Although the course I am taking is related to my job, my studies and work still need a bridge to connect them. Without that connection, I couldn’t progress to a deeper understanding or apply it effectively to my job and the finance industry in general. Learning is fun, and with all these fundamental knowledges, I believe I am building a stronger foundation for a better career. Definitely, something needs to change, so that I can achieve good result again next semester. Honestly, my target was at least a 3.5 GPA. But this, 3.95, was beyond my expectation.

That day, it was pure happiness.

Looking back at. my efforts and sacrifices for the past few months of classes, I believe I truly deserved this result. I’m not being dramatic, merely acknowledging the time and money I’ve invested on attending classes (4 hours travelling time from Labuan to my home in Sabah, then 2 hours for each day of weekend travelling from home to the campus, and another 4 hours travel back to Labuan – twice a month). The journey has not been easy, yet I felt I’ve redeemed all those times and money I’d spent. I believe my classmates spent more than me, with some of them travelling by flights and spent their nights at hotels, transports and meal for our weekend classes bi-monthly. Everyone carries their own struggles. Yet we all strive for excellence and better quality of living through education.

May we all be blessed, and may our journeys be made easier.