A Christmas Present?

So, I go off to school in New York in less than a month and I'm still totally clueless as to housing and financial aid. Hrm. My parents, being sensible people who like to plan things, have been less than carefree during this time, increasing my anxiety levels with their added anxiety. So yesterday we contacted the school (again). The financial aid counselor was out for the day - I'm supposed to hear from him today. Housing assured us that I would be assigned something and that I'd get it by December 25!!! Christmas!

I know it sounds weird coming from someone who went off to Taiwan and on a ridiculous India trip with the least amount of planning possible, not knowing where I was going or how long I'd stay, BUT this is something that is driving me nuts. If I get housing I don't like, I'll have to search for an apartment when I get there in January. The stress of that radiates through me on ocassion when I contemplate it. Ignoring things is my usual tactic, but it's pretty stupid to ignore something so major to my future life. Every time I think about packing or things I need for New York (this happens on pretty much a daily basis), a lot of it is dependant on where I'm living. Grr. (Plus I hate packing! double grrr!)

A striking difference is in the financial aid process. As an undergraduate student, they lure you to their schools with money. They accept your application to their college and tell you how much money you'll get from the school if you enroll there. My new school doesn't calculate financial aid until after you've registered. How scary is that? I don't know how I'm going to pay for these classes I've just registered for.

I've done so much waiting in this process. I'm about to go nuts. Apologies for the angsty rant.

Sad to say, this isn't even bureaucracy at its finest, it's just bad. A good bureaucracy would have me jumping through endless hoops, running all over everywhere trying to get all the needed forms and getting frustrated but at least remaining hopeful that maybe this would the last and final form I needed. Not so here. I've done every form they've sent me. I did the application, sat and waited for a month. I did the acceptance forms, doctors visits, housing deposits. Then I sat and waited. And called and re-faxed. Then sat and waited. Then filled out the registration form. Sat and waited. Got my classes. Now I sit and wait. There are no more forms until housing and financial aid tell me something. Which they will. By December 25th.



Sigh.

UPDATE: So yesterday we were mislead/lied to about the financial aid counselor being in today. He won't be in until Monday. So they say.