Recently, I had a candid conversation with one of the broker coordinators for a condo I’m selling. I confessed that pursuing my master’s degree might have been a mistake, given how little time I have now to focus on selling condominiums. My classes are on Saturdays, which coincides with the prime day for client viewings. It’s a challenging balance. On one hand, I’m thrilled by the thought of graduating from the University of the Philippines with flying colors, but behind the scenes, there’s a constant struggle—a myriad of complications and problems that I keep bottled up inside.

I purchased a condo a while back, and I haven’t been able to keep up with the payments for the past three months. This issue has been weighing heavily on me for over a year now. I suspect part of my hesitation to address it stems from the fact that the condo isn’t even finished yet. Maybe I’m procrastinating, telling myself there’s no rush, but the truth is, it’s a burden that’s been growing on my mind. On top of that, there’s the apartment I rented in Manila, which is still under lease. It costs me around PHP 7,500 a month, and I’m paying for it even though I no longer live there. Why? Because it’s filled with items from my failed T-shirt printing business—things I haven’t managed to sell yet.

Being accepted into UP was like a dream come true. I’ve always cherished the idea of studying at such a prestigious institution. Yet, the reality has been a bit different. I’ve been grappling with various issues for some time now. I tried to dive into multiple ventures—affiliate marketing, building websites, automating sales processes—all aimed at boosting my real estate endeavors. But all these projects are still in their infancy, stagnant, waiting for the spark of life. They occupy my thoughts constantly, distracting me from my studies at UP. To make matters worse, I took on a second job for a couple of months, which drained so much of my energy that I struggled to keep up academically this trimester.

Right now, I’m just hoping to pass this trimester. But I have my doubts. If by some stroke of luck I do manage to pass, I can continue my studies in January next year. Fingers crossed, I’m wishing myself good luck.