Crisortunity

Had a rough couple of weeks. First I got behind on my tests thanks to the lack of cooperation from my group. Then I had about a dozen different forms to fill out in order to maintain my scholarship. Then I had to change modes of study from full time to flex for one of my subjects (more forms and red tape). And then I had to make about fifteen different appointments with various administrators (some of which kept rescheduling) in order to tie up any loose ends and red tape. Keep in mind that all the while, I have three different essays to hand in by next week.

I was handling it all pretty well, until the dark shadow of incompetence reared its ugly head....

You see; this is not my first time being enrolled in uni. I was enrolled years ago, but regretfully had to pull out for health reasons. So, I filled out the exit forms and submitted them, having faith that the they would be acknowledged and filed appropriately. That was naive of me. The forms were apparently 'misplaced' and so, I was never fully exited from the system which resulted in rather nasty outstanding course fees.

It took me a long time to finally get them to admit they'd messed up and correct their mistake, erasing the charges. What I DIDN'T know was that they didn't erase the academic records, leaving me with a string of "Absent Fail"s for the courses previously taken. So what does that add up to? Basically that, thanks to a clerical fuck-up by some lackwitted keyboard-monkey, a third of my degree is screwed.

I'm still trying to get them to rectify this error and wipe the records, but this seems futile. According to CQU policy, if a complaint is not made within 12 months of one of these fuck ups (and apparently it's happened to a few people now), the matter is considered closed. How you're supposed to KNOW that they've even occurred is beyond me, especially when they tell you that: "Everything has been taken care of". After my inquiry, I received a rather blunt email which stated curtly that: "These marks will remain on your academic record. We can find no record of your exit forms". Gee, maybe that's because you didn't get them, thanks to old Jim-Bob in the records department NOT FILING them!

I'll admit: I'm pretty pissed - who wouldn't be? All that work for nothing, two years down the toilet all because someone didn't do their job and file my forms? Wars have been started for a lot less. But, (despite how I may sound) I'm actually staying fairly calm about this, which I'm pretty proud of. Normally, I'd be barrelling into their offices, letting loose a string of obsenity padded insults that would make Eddie Murphy blush. But right now, I just want to finish the work that I've started. They want to bomb my degree rather than admit to a mistake? Fine. I'll just make up for it with better grades.

My degree isn't totally ruined. If I continue to get good marks, I'll still get my Bachelors.... But to have a third of it comprised of Fails does NOT sit well with me. So, I've decided that (if I can't get the records wiped) once I've gotten my Bachelors, I'm going to go on to get my Masters degree. Actually, this could all be a blessing in disguise. I had estimated that it would have taken me another five years to get my Masters (which I was going to do anyway). But now (thanks to those Fails counting towards course credit), it'll only take me three.

So, I'm just going to keep going, pulling out the HDs and doing my best with what's left of my poor Bachelors degree. In the end, a Masters is a Masters, no matter how ragged the degree that preceeded it.

Heh. Who am I kidding? I just want the title: "Master of Arts" :p

I'm still going to keep trying to get those mistakes rectified, but it's always good to have a positive backup plan.

Anyway, I could use some cheering up - so I'm gonna go out this week and buy that fedora I've always wanted. No, I'm not kidding (Go Gable!).

Frankly my dear... Your sister's hotter.