This is what I have been telling myself the entire afternoon. I got really pissed by some admin staff from my department. It started with a key to my lab. As an undergrad, I was not supposed to have access to lab without someone to supervise me. But somehow, I was allowed to have one key. Couples of months later, one nosy prof found out about it, and I was supposed to return the key. So I did. I didn’t fancy holding that key anyway. When I returned this key to this staff, I asked her whether I needed to sign any form although I totally forgot about the 10 dollar deposit I paid. She replied that there was no need, then I happily walked off.
3 months later, thanks to my lab partner, I realized that she still owed me 10 dollars. Too lazy to just go down and take it myself, my lab partner kindly offered to help me take. Then I got a call from him this afternoon. The staff said she never recalled me returning the key to her. My lab partner called me and handed the phone to her. So I just explained what happened at that time, but she insisted that it couldn’t be the case and gave me a lot of ‘reasons’ that couldn’t have happened. I was like… She was the one taking care of the keys. If she said it was not there, there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t possibly tell her that what she put it. Then she got angry, and told me that if I just wanted the money, she could pay me. Wth! What she said really pissed me off. She forgot about it doesn’t mean that never happened. She just refused to admit that she was the one being blur and got angry to make it seem like I was the one pushing for that money. Left with no choice, I told her never mind. Since she couldn’t locate that key, she could just forfeit the deposit. She just rudely cut off the call without acknowledging what I have said! And the call was made from my friend’s phone! She didn’t even have the courtesy to hand over the call back to my friend! I don’t really care who is right or who is wrong in this case. But at least I expect basic manner and respect. It doesn’t mean that she’s more senior (just a nice way of saying ‘old’) she got the right to treat me and talk to me any way she wants.
Well, sadly, she’s not the only one like this in the department. I still remember this prof who never addressed me in an email, and started it with this sentence, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE NOT FREE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT. All I wanted to ask him was whether it was possible for me to do my attachment overseas if I could find a partner university offering me an opportunity. I guess my classmates should know who I am talking about.
Sometimes I wonder why this kind of thing is happening. Since my university claims that it is a global university that offers chances for students to do intern or study overseas, why didn’t my department even consider giving me a chance? If they are running the university like an enterprise, doesn’t it mean I should get what I want as long as I have paid?
Ok, I guess I’m drifting too far. I think I’m too tired after driving, bowling… Time to head to bed.
