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  • That's not how this works...

    Couple of stories from my soon-to-be-former job.

    This is not the 'hokey pokey'

    This one I got wind of as it involved me to a minor extent. Short version: student didn't turn up for their field placement one day and did not bother to tell the hospital what had happened. Further investigation revealed that the student had just simply opted to withdraw from the entire course, deciding that <field> wasn't right for them and they were already studying on top of that (different field). After we talked her through her options, we cancel everything.

    Fast forward to today. Now the student contacts us stating that they want to continue with their field placement. Unfortunately, we've already processed their withdrawal in the system, so of course it isn't going to happen. And given that placement takes a lot of effort to even get going, you can imagine my reaction to that!

    An alligator ate my laptop!

    Another student, different course. This student had opted for one of our short courses which started a few weeks. They had not attempted ANY part of the course until last week however and even then, they'd already gone past the due date for one of the assignments. Her way of handling it? She opted to contact the head lecturer and sent about nine different attachments with a mountain of excuses, which ran the gamut from "they were going overseas to work with a NGO in the Middle East," through to "They've had to leave their job of 20+ years," right down to "I'm almost out of my superannuation." The student did at least acknowledge that she fucked up, but asked if she could then basically "knuckle down and speed-complete the course."

    Everyone's reaction was either or . We did allow her a chance to complete with extensions, but no further time will be given.

    (For the record, alligator eating her laptop was NOT an excuse she gave)

  • #2
    Quoth LadyofArc View Post

    (For the record, alligator eating her laptop was NOT an excuse she gave)
    I would've believed the title if it had started, "Florida man..."

    Why, oh why, do people think that they get infinite chances to change their minds with no repercussions? Are they really just that special?

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    • #3
      Quoth Havering View Post
      I would've believed the title if it had started, "Florida man..."
      The quote kinda came from my manager, who has heard a similar argument which actually was "The dog ate my laptop cable." (Yes, a student did actually use this excuse and yes, they did provide proof that the dog really did eat their laptop cable. We granted them an extension )


      Why, oh why, do people think that they get infinite chances to change their minds with no repercussions? Are they really just that special?
      A few of the students in the bridging program have a bit of an entitlement mentality at times, but I tend to put it down to a lack of understanding (not that it makes it any less frustrating). We get the same issue with placements in general really.

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      • #4
        Quoth LadyofArc View Post
        ... (For the record, alligator eating her laptop was NOT an excuse she gave)
        As I understand, you're a little short on gators down there. Shouldn't it be a saltie?
        I am not an a**hole. I am a hemorrhoid. I irritate a**holes!
        Procrastination: Forward planning to insure there is something to do tomorrow.
        Derails threads faster than a pocket nuke.

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        • #5
          Quoth LadyofArc View Post
          The quote kinda came from my manager, who has heard a similar argument which actually was "The dog ate my laptop cable." (Yes, a student did actually use this excuse and yes, they did provide proof that the dog really did eat their laptop cable. We granted them an extension )

          Yes, dogs can be that destructive.


          The year: 1989. I was 19 years old (almost 20) working my first job at Bradlees department store and had come home from a late shift to find my computer wouldn't turn on.


          Checked under the desk to see if any of the plugs were out of the strip and found two cables chewed up. One was the power cable that went from the back of the keyboard to the power supply, the other was the cable from the keyboard to the floppy drive (I had a Commodore 64C at the time.)


          And who was the culprit? A tan/white furry ball called Pidge, who was a purebred Shih Tzu that Mom had just brought home a few weeks earlier. Needless to say, I was quite upset - even know the puppy was being, well a puppy, but she was not being supervised.


          Searched the Yellow Pages (this was a few years before Al Gore opened up the Internet ) and found a place that sold Commodore software and hardware not far from my house.


          Called them up the next day when they opened up and inquired about the cables. They had the cables and it would be $20 to replace both.


          Got both of those replaced the following week . . . the dog left our house the following fall after we'd moved to another house - Pidge was a sweet dog but was getting to be too high maintenance (Mom ran an ad in the local paper and Pidge had a home by the end of the week - young couple came and fell head over heels upon meeting her.)
          Human Resources - the adult version of "I'm telling Mom." - Agent Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo (NCIS)

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          • #6
            Back when I had the Vorpal Rabbit, I was too softhearted to keep her in the cage at night, and let him roam most of the time that I was home. Those six years were otherwise known as The War Of The Wires. I switched to voicemail after she disabled my second or third answering machine, learned to crimp my own phone cords, and replaced ghod knows how many of power cords. Let alone all the clothes, books etc. And the bookcase he undermined to the point of collapse. And the pillows he pissed on, often while I was sleeping on them....

            You had to know I loved the little guy, because if I hadn't, he'd have been rabbit stew a dozen times over!

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            • #7
              That's the point where you invest in a kiddie gate and confine them to the kitchen with a small dog bed to sleep on and food/water bowls. Still plenty of room to roam, if they wee it's easier to clean up, and there's less for them to destroy if you make sure to block off access to the fridge power cables.
              "It is traditional when asking for help or advice to listen to the answers you receive" - RealUnimportant

              Rev that Engine Louder, I Can't Hear How Small Your Dick Is - Jay 2K Winger

              The Darwin Awards The best site to visit to restore your faith in instant karma.

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              • #8
                Quoth greek_jester View Post
                That's the point where you invest in a kiddie gate and confine them to the kitchen with a small dog bed to sleep on and food/water bowls. Still plenty of room to roam, if they wee it's easier to clean up, and there's less for them to destroy if you make sure to block off access to the fridge power cables.
                Tried that. He was strong enough to knock the gate down, not to mention chewing on it (and its tiedowns). Also, IME dog beds don't work too well with rabbits; they'll just piss on them. (Rabbit cages have a grille floor to keep the bun above the litter.) Basically, I didn't really have the firmness to keep him properly contained, and had set poor precedents at the beginning.

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                • #9
                  Quoth LadyofArc View Post
                  (For the record, alligator eating her laptop was NOT an excuse she gave)
                  Here in Florida, that might pass as a legitimate excuse.

                  "The Customer Is Always Right...But The Bartender Decides Who Is
                  Still A Customer."

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                  • #10
                    Quoth Jester View Post
                    Here in Florida, that might pass as a legitimate excuse.
                    It also would have for this student given where she was.

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                    • #11
                      Guide Dog puppy in training chewed the plug off the cord to my electric typewriter. Since we knew the Guide Dog puppy did it (cord was too thick for our elderly dachshund or our shelties to chew in half) my parents were able to deduct the cost of the repair from their taxes, as any expense caused by a Guide Dog puppy was considered a charitable contribution. Another Guide Dog puppy chewed a hole in a plaster wall, and the cost of fixing this was also deductible, as it was obviously too high up the wall to have been done by any of our other dogs.
                      Last edited by MadMike; 02-12-2019, 09:29 PM. Reason: We've already read it, thanks.

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