All the stories have ends

Yesterday I finally jumped over all the bureaucratic structure and met with the Arts faculty dean. For my case, his academic perspective is that Arts students should border their knowledge in diversity fields; while my perspective is to concentrate studies on one or two areas of interest. I feel like we were in a bargaining situation with different value aspects. What he offered was he would allow me to do the two core subjects that I appealed for, BUT, in returned, I have to give up two economic subjects. Dare enough, I said “No” to the faculty headman of this prestigious university. “It is not something that should be given up in exchange.” I said. He seemed a bit irritable as our negotiation went on and I did not want to compromise with his “generous” leeway. As he only had 15 minutes spent on meeting with me, I was left to discuss the “deal” with the general manager. I knew at that stage, if I still firmly gripped my stance, I would end up with the worse gain. After a 20-minute break, I came back with four options and let the general manager choose. While she was accessing my options, I led her to the one I desired with sound reasons. Half an hour later, we agreed on a compromise ground which I only need to give up one economic subjects in exchange for two core subjects. I am still overtaking media subjects (seven media subjects while the maximum is five),

At 9:30am this morning, the battle came to the end. I earn the most of what I want and the Dean also gets what he believe is good for me as an Arts student. The faculty general manger commented that I was the most difficult student ever. She warned me that I had to do well in this year as both she and the Dean will be watching!

I felt so relief now. You can not imagine how hard I walked my way through to attain this result. I am just a student, while my negotiation body is the academic Dean. For the whole appeal process, I went bottom-up - overcame the hierarchy of staffs and finally had a chance to meet with the Dean face-to-face. I felt myself was empowered. This battle will definitely be one of my memorable incidents in my uni life.

Sincerely thanks to all my friends who gave me supports, as well as the International student support unit. Without them, I think I have given up already.

Now, I have heaps to catch up. Tones of things need to do and need to do well. Several job applications need to send out by the end of this week. Alas, it is now time to start working hard and taking in challenges again.

Everyday in campus, I would bump into couples of people I know. Most of the time I have to stop and have a short chat with them. As I am always in a hurry for something, it looks a bit rude to just go past by with merely a nod. So now, I have to walk with my eyes focus only on the pave way. Ahi… knowing almost half of the people in campus may or may not be a good thing.

In the afternoon, I was wondering in the bookshop intended just to buy a course reader. Like most of the other time, the magnetism of the books sucked me in the bookshop for an hour. I ended up buying Style, a journalist writing guidebook published by News Limited. I am going to use this one as a guideline for my Writing Journalism feature story assignment. An interested short story here for finding this book. I had been looking through the whole General Reference shelf trying to find a writer’s manual that would suit me the most. While I was just about to leave without any luck, a bookstore staff came up with couples of Style and chocked them at the bottom of the shelf. A ha! This is the one. Without much thinking, I grabbed it and went straight to the casher. Sometimes, luck flashes without you try hard to find it.

Another story is that Hanna is going back to Oslo on Friday. My connection with Drummond St will also go to an end. I don’t think I will go back to the block of flats I had lived for quite a while; the same as her that she will not come back to Melbourne after she leaves this time. I may see her again if I have chance to visit Europe many years later.