Sensitive.

Confession: I'm sensitive.

My family would laugh because they all know that already. In fact most of them might say that I am one of the most sensitive people they've met. Over the years I've learned how to not overreact and how to control my sensitivity, at least outwardly. But yesterday I lost it.

I had e-mailed the Advising Coordinator in the Psychology Dept at the University I will hopefully attend in the fall. My e-mail consisted of three points:

1. How do I get an advisor?
2. Is Psych really what I should be going into for what I want to do, or should I be contacting the Community Psych Dept?
3. Is is even possible to fit the required classes into my schedule?

The last two questions I asked because I really didn't want to waste anyone's time, especially my own. I posed the questions in paragraph form (with some wit that I now regret). In the e-mail I sent I admitted that I am a little ignorant on how everything works in the University setting. When I attended the University right out of high school I only met with my advisor once, and that was basically only to introduce myself. All other contact I had with him was via phone or e-mail.

I received an e-mail back. An e-mail I perceived as cold and rude. She was critical of me contacting her via e-mail, and was certain that I could not complete the degree with my schedule. She also said she could only answer my questions by scheduling an appointment with her, yet did not include a phone number or office hours. I cried... for hours. And I don't cry often! I'm still trying not to cry.

At first I didn't know why I was so upset. The e-mail had confirmed a long held belief of mine that most professors are pricks, probably live in dungeons, and derive pleasure from torturing innocent, social phobic students like myself. I didn't want to show Shane the e-mails because I thought either 1) the e-mail I sent was somehow unprofessional, or 2) I was completely overreacting to an innocent e-mail back. But after mulling over it for two days, I have realised that the tone behind the e-mail I received back was offensive, and that it was also really unprofessional. I would not have been offended at all if the e-mail I received had said only "Please give me a call. 555-555-5555. I am in my office from XXX to XXX."

Well, today I attempted to call the number I found on the website for her office. There was no answer and no voice mail. I guess this woman hates e-mail and phone messages. So I e-mailed her back a VERY to the point and professional letter explaining that I think she may have misinterpreted my first e-mail, that I would be VERY happy to meet with her, but that she did not include a number or office hours in her e-mail, and that I had attempted to call the number on the website.

I haven't heard anything back yet.

After getting the reply e-mail I did a little research and have all the evidence to prove that I can take all but two classes with my current work schedule. By the time I need to take those last two classes, I could easily hire a substitute child care provider for 2 days or 6 hours a week. I can TOTALLY get my degree and continue doing Child Care, as long as Shane can be a little flexible with watching daycare for 30 min on 1 day a week so I can get to class at 5 o'clock.

(I should add that I came to that conclusion by looking at the last few semesters and seeing what classes are offered in the evenings and what classes are offered via internet/online. If I take one online class and one 5 o'clock class every semester then Shane would only have to sub the 30 minutes on one day a week, unless I have to go onto campus to take a test for the internet class. Also, some of the classes that were offered via internet were only offered in the summer session, so I would probably have to take summer classes.)