Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

I was going to give the same advice as Char. Or similar. Instead of explaining why you have to leave early, you could tell them that you're going to be late... can't be avoided, but you will definitely be there as soon as possible.

Then... you pack and get through some of your list, uber there... and catch a ride back. It's always better to say "I'll definitely be there" rather than "I can't come" or "I have to leave early". People seem to take it better. Somehow, coming to a meeting late is fine... like, your schedule is so busy that it's awesome you could make it work. But if you have to leave early, you're a slacker. Makes no sense, but it is what it is.

Besides, I don't know about you, but I never get out of a meeting early. Ever. Tuesday, I scheduled a 1 hr meeting, but we both agreed it would probably take 30 minutes. Fine. He was 10 minutes late. No big deal. And an hour and 20 minutes later, I got to leave for class... which had already started by the time I left. There was always 'one more' question. Who knows if you'd even get out of there early?