Week One: Let the Hijinks begin

This has been a heck of a week!  It had a very rough start.  Move in and orientation went alright, but when it came time to register for classes.  Geez Louis.  None of my math classes transferred, and my engineering courses got marked as electives.  Well.  Okay, I can handle that.  Not that big of a deal, I just take Calc right?

No.

I had to take a placement test.  If I got a perfect, I got Calc A.  If I did not get a perfect, I got to be in Math 112.

Okay.  I can handle that.  Then came the tricky bit.

“Oh.  By the way, our math department doesn’t allow any sort of calculators to be used.”  Wait. Stop. Pause.

You mean that thing that is in pretty much every phone standard now, so is, in fact, always in your pocket, and the things I’ve been informed by several engineers that they use on a daily basis is not allowed?  That tool to my job?

The big fat expensive thing I spent money on, I can’t even use?  Are they going to buy it from me?  No?  Then why should they get to dictate this?

“Our math department is very by the book.  They decided this two years ago.  I’m sorry.”

So am I.  So am I.  Because my teachers focused on using my calculator to solve the problems for me.  So after not getting into 112 the first time, I studied this weekend and got into it this time.

However!  If I were to rate my customer service experience at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) then I would have to say that their customer services skills were lacking, as they were completely unwilling to discuss the courses that transferred, or to alter their degree plan in any way shape or form for me to take my classes.  In other words, despite a kind advisor, so far, the experience has lacked luster.  I pay an awful lot of money to attend college.  I would like my luster, and my luster doesn’t come in the form of foam parties and dubstep.  My luster comes in the experience fo good customer service, and the college not pulling hijinks.

They are fond of hijinks at this college.  For instance. 

Homework is turned in online.  In order to access the homework to turn it in, you must have online access.  In order to gain the access, you must pay full price for the distinctly overpriced textbook, and the access codes are, the cashier assures you, and the internet agrees, only available from book at the book store.  My book bill is easily twice what I had planned and budgeted for it, and between that and mysterious fees on the tuition that they would not explain when asked, I am cutting deep into the money that was to cover living expenses such as, you know, breakfast on weekends, and toilet paper, neither of which the college provides.

The toilet paper I understand.

The breakfast, I do not.  Also, food is subpar here.  Except the mashed potatoes, the meat loaf, and surprisingly the vegetarian food.  However, it may improve once the cafeteria is open on full time hours, and not the partial hours it had this weekend to the confusion of everyone.  I’m going to give it a chance, also known as a year, as I paid for the freshman meal plan.  Not that I would have been able to figure out how to not pay for the freshman meal plan, but still.  I paid for it.

As for the social life?  I’m not a social butterfly, but I’ve met some nice people.  They may even become friends.  We’ll see.  For now, I’m still trying to get my not so tidy dorm room in order.  It needs TLC and not “Oh look.  Something shiny and distracting.”

One Final Byte: Did I mention I crashed into a tree?