Sometimes, pursuing your dreams means choosing people who have the same interests as you.

The woman in this story was a pharmacy student wanting to secure a good scholarship through her final thesis.

So she decided to work with classmates who shared her goals, instead of close friends who were not as passionate as her.

So, tension grew within her circle, and her friends started accusing her of choosing grades over friends.

Read the full story below.

AITA for refusing to do my final year thesis with my best friend because she’s not as research-focused as I am?

I am a recent graduate of PharmD.

For our final year thesis, we were to form a group of six students each.

Coincidentally, we were a friend circle of six as well.

However, only two of us six were genuinely interested in quality research. The rest of our friends were more laid back and just wanted to get the project done out of necessity.

This woman decided to group with other students whose academic interests aligned with her.

My best friend assumed that we’d do the thesis together. Just like every other project, assignment, or presentation we did in our previous years.

But I had an aim to use this thesis as a ladder to reach my goal of securing a good scholarship. That’s when I realized that my other friends, including my bestie, were not as motivated as I was.

I ended up grouping with other students in my class whose academic interests aligned with mine.

When her best friend learned about this, she didn’t take it well.

When I told my decision to go separate ways for the thesis, my bestie said that I had “chosen grades over friendship.” And that “a real friend wouldn’t leave her behind.”

I tried to explain how this thesis is important for me. And that she might be holding me back with her being less inclined toward the project.

It caused a rift between us.

They started to drift apart.

Now, we barely talk to each other out of necessity.

I also ended up mentoring their group under my role as a Teacher’s Assistant.

I was labeled “too ambitious” for the same reason.

But I feel that I did what was in my best interests, especially for my career.

Now, she’s wondering how to properly say goodbye to her friends.

Now that I am to meet all of them one last time at convocation, I want to part on good terms.

So, AITA for not joining my best friend’s group for our thesis because I wanted to work with people who were more research-focused?

If I am not, how do I say goodbye with no hard feelings?

She chose grades over friendship, and now she’s not sure how to fix the friendship. Does it need to be fixed?

Let’s check out the comments of other people on Reddit.

This user makes a valid point.

This person shares their personal thoughts.

She’s trying to ride your coattails, says this person.

Here’s another honest opinion.

Finally, short and sensible.

True friends understand when you need to do whatever it takes to reach your dreams.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.