Blindsided.

"Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you." - Aldous Huxley 

Everyone knows I love to write. I especially love to write when I'm angry or going through something. It's free therapy! This blog entry is no different. I'm sure my parents will want to smack me for writing this, but I already talked about it on Facebook...


I had been having a very mellow week until Thursday rolled around. I love playing word games on my iPhone while taking a bath. That night was no different except I decided to take a break from word games and check my e-mail. The first e-mail that popped up was from NVC. My heart dropped. The title said it all, "Degree Completion Support". I wasn't going to be recieving my degree in the mail. The audting had been done and my degree was a casualty. Up until Thursday, I was under the impression I had graduated. On May 10, 2010, I walked the stage in my cap and gown to receive my diploma holder. I received what I believed to be my final grades shortly after graduation. I had passed every class I needed to. The Spring semester wasn't my finest hour, but I passed and that's all that mattered.

Unfortunately, NVC and my adviser didn't agree. I hadn't actually graduated. No degree for me! The situation is messy, so trying to explain it clearly via a computer is hard. All you need to know is I didn't receive my degree and NVC felt that I should've followed the 2009-2010 degree plan instead of the 2007 degree plan when I declared my major.

One of my friends asked, "You can still make up the classes and knock it out right?" This was my answer that sums up a lot: Well...I don't know that I want to at this point. They can keep their damn degree if they won't admit to making a mistake. The problem is, I declared my major in 2007. So, that was the degree plan I was following. They changed the Criminal Justice degree plan for 2009-2010. Hence not having the "requirements". At this point it's a big mess that my parents and I need to sort out with the school (I'm going back for Fall after all...). I need them to understand that the degree plan I was on was 2007 not 2010. Unless they admit they made a mistake, nothing will change. I could take those new requirements for 2010, but that would mean I would be behind on getting my BA which I'm hoping to complete in 2 years not 4 extra. Also, I registered for theatre arts classes for Fall since that is what I'm getting my BA in. I would have to drop those classes to add in this extra crap.

The biggest problem is, I applied for graduation back in Feb. I met with an adviser not too many months before that. I was told, if I finished Spring with the right grades, I would be a graduate. I even went to the damn graduation and was given a degree holder for when my degree came in the mail. Up until yesterday, I believed I was a graduate and met all requirements. NVC never told me about the "new" requirements they wanted me to meet. At this point, it's about principle. They screwed me over big time...I just want their mistake rectified. I don't want to undo my class schedule at the last minute because they failed to inform me earlier.

School starts in 2 weeks. If I redo my schedule now, I could be royally screwed with my schedule. I know it was a simple question, but I have a lot to say! ha.



In NVC's defense, their degree plans are set up for completion in 2 years, not 4. I took 2 years longer than they would've wanted.

The bottom line is, they made a mistake. They either need to rectify it or just let me move on. I will be headed back for the Fall Semester, but I will not be taking my adviser's advice. I will NOT under any circumstance drop the classes I am scheduled for in exchange for classes they feel I need to take in order to receive my degree. Had I known this was going to happen, I would have never applied for graduation. I would have never gotten my hopes up. Unfortunately, I did get my hopes up and I am crushed by the situation, but I cannot turn back time. All I can do is get them to fix the situation and move on.

To end on a lighter and funnier note here is the "letter" I wrote to NVC in response to everything and posted as my status on Facebook, "Dear Nothwest Vista, I thought I had met my share of assholes. Apparently, I was wrong. YOU are the biggest asshole to ever enter my life. Thanks for wasting four years of my life. Thanks for screwing me over. I'm tougher than I look. I will bounce back, I will be successful, and you will be the ones who are sorry. Sincerely, Olivia"

I've been extremely blessed with the people in my life. Most I've met, I've met in real life and some I've only come to know on Facebook and Blogger. With that said, I truly appreciate everyone's support. I do have hope that this mistake will be fixed and others will not have to experience what I have.

 






P.S. I have left up my pictures from graduation on FB as "memories" from a happy night in my life, but I have changed my profile picture on here as I am not an actual graduate at this point. As I joked with my mom, "It's a good thing we didn't buy those graduation pictures!"