Listen to what a moron I am….

I’ve had been working on this paper for one of my classes for about a week. I even stayed home while everyone else in the house went to Port Stephens (could there BE a better name for a port?). After much struggle trying to reach the 6,000 word limit (which isn’t a lot, really), I finally decide 5,200 is good enough. Before cleaning it up, I checked our syllabus to figure out how to turn it in (that story later…). While I’m scanning the page I see, “The word limit for this essay is 3,000 WORDS”!!!!! I had 3,000 words 3 days before!!! Dejected, I decided to have dinner first. Then I spent the next 4 hours (and part of the next morning) trying to cut my paper down. I finally got it to 3,100 and stopped.

So I go to turn the paper in (cue theme music)…Another way Australia is backwards (I think I’ll trademark that phrase and start a newspaper column or TV show…) Well, probably not Australia so much as UNSW. The professor says to turn in the paper at the main reception desk of the law school so we can get a receipt. This makes sense. We turn in papers at the communications desk at UTLaw for the same reason—get things time/date stamped and what not. But no…things can’t work that way at UNSW.

First, no one is at the desk (Small tangent…The counter closes for lunch! No staggering of lunch breaks or covering by other folks in the office here, no sir! Who cares if students need something? Back to the story…) No problem, I says. I’ll just ring the little bell (yes…there is a little bell). Oh, no I won’t. There is a handwritten sign that says “If you are turning in an assignment, do not ring the bell.” How helpful. Underneath the counter is a slit in the desk labeled “Assignments”. I looked into the slot and saw an enormous Salvation Army-type bin. There was all kinds of stuff in there—essays, applications, letters. All just tossed in this big wooden bin.

Just as I was about to drop my essay in the slot (I had forgotten to put my class, prof’s name, etc. on it), I saw a little stack of forms. From what I was able to figure out, you fill out the little form (prof’s name, class #, word count, student id) and staple it to your essay. Then you toss it into the abyss and hope the capable staff sorts it out. No receipt. No time stamp. I’d rather slide it under a professor’s door or something.