ID, please...
I really have been away from uni too long! In addition to the mass construction happening at the far end of campus, my old classroom blocks have transformed into International Student Support and Chaplain's offices. My subsequent discovery that the Student Services building was now a Faculty of Business and Law office, meant taking the long way across campus (due to O Week setups) to the Central office for my new ID card. I was feeling good about heading in to uni on the last day before the swarms of first years invaded. It couldn't possibly be busy and I'd be the only one (or one of few) getting an ID photo snapped - which, of course, meant I'd be in and out of there in no time. How presumtuous I was! Lines upon lines of first years seemed to have chosen the exact same time to get their transport concession cards processed (a tedious process to which I'm well accustomed). I was tempted to walk back out again, but figured that if I did, I would have to face even scarier lines in weeks to come. So I stuck it out and waited. I'd almost reached the front when I noticed a big bold sign stating that student and staff IDs would NOT be processed until Monday. Being a veteran of the uni circuit, I know all too well that from Monday through to the mid semester break means battling crowds. I distinctly set out to avoid them and now it looks like I'll be mixing with the BO-fied best of them! I don't mean to sound anal on personal hygiene but is anyone else tired of encountering people who haven't yet discovered the wonders of anti-perspirant? :/
In my flustered account of trapesing uni in pursuit of the card, I completely neglected to mention that I finally got a response from my absent tutor! Within an hour of sending what could have been my seventh or eighth e-mail (I'd lost count) to a member of the Literary faculty, I received several responses to previous messages plus an apology with my grade attached to the last one. After three months of worrying myself into the possibility of failure, I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only had I passed, but done so at HD level. I actually did better than the previous semester all up. I might have been a more annoyed that my grade had been withheld all this time if not for the rush of elation and relief I was feeling. She explained that she'd just started to catch up her e-mails and was profusely sorry that her absence and staff changes had caused me to go around in circles. It was a case of bad timing and communication breakdown, in addition to some computer glitch that's preventing the IT department from updating some student portals. I still think someone could have informed those concerned of their grades a lot sooner. I had to chase the whole thing up and it wasn't made easy. I hate to think that other people have gone through a similar experience. Anyway, now that I know I'm in good stead for the next semester, I'm done worrying about it. It's over. And that unfortunately means flexing my fingers and preparing to write a dissertation - with the first half due in June. :O I have to get and wriggle on a get stuck into some hardcore reading before contacting prospective supervisors. I should have done it a month ago, but with all the uncertainty over my grade, I still have a lot of loose ends to tie up.
And because I couldn't make this entry all about uni sagas (before uni has even begun! LOL.), I thought I'd pimp John's Australian "Daughters" release. According to Sanity, the single will be available in stores as of March 14. Exciting! Though, admittedly, I was a little less excited when I learned that the live versions of "Home Life" and "Come Back To Bed" that make up the tracklisting are tracks from the As/Is compilation I already have (thanks to memtree). Who am I kidding? I seem to have collected most of his recent live tracks so the odds of any new stuff popping up on that CD were slim to begin with. I'm still giddy about buying an Aus single release with John on the cover and over the fact the song's being released here. :D
It's Friday night, but I think it's time to wean myself off self-induced insomnia and get to bed. I'm intent on getting back into a conventional sleeping pattern. I know have a lot of commenting to catch up on which I hoped to start tonight. I'll make up for it tomorrow. :)