Sometimes ignorance IS bliss

I am trying to enroll at the University of Massachusetts here in Boston.

It is my theory that UMass-Boston could be a terrific school for Bostonians. However I swear that the school is really just an incubator for Boston politicians.

And you know how I feel about them.

One day I went to drop off my transfer application. I bring it to one office, they send me to another office, and the attitude was really one of I should go f*ck myself because clearly I am a major inconvenience.

Oh yeah and even though I am there for about 15 minutes it's six bucks to park because they've decided to go flat fee on the parking rates.

Then I have to go in a different day and drop off my program application. I've carefully filled in all the boxes and go to the program department to turn it in.

The brusque woman who takes my application glances at it and tells me I need to provide a personal statement. Even though in the personal statement area it clearly says to complete only for school of management and for nursing.

But there is no pointing that out to her, as far as she is concerned I can just go f*ck myself until I turn in an application complete with personal statement.

This trip takes me 20 minutes and six more dollars, plus the $25 fee for the application. Oh yeah and ANOTHER $25 for re-admission into the school.

Then there was the boring and useless orientation that really wasn't much different from the informational session I had to attend when I first wanted to apply ($6 and $6). But I still had to sit through it and listen to brusque lady tell us how fabulous she was and how terrific the program is and how once she got there, she never left.

Ugh.

So now I am trying to log onto the completely user-UNFRIENDLY college web. It is the product of web designer who went crazy and forgot that they were creating a system that ordinary people have to use. So basically it is a completely useless system for all but about 20 people.

I was supposed to log on and do some registration confirmation crap.

I plugged in my user name and password. An error message popped up telling me to change my password.

Ok.

But I can't use any of my past 24 passwords.

Or any variation of my name.

And it has to be at least 8 characters.

And one character has to be a number.

And one character has to be capitalized.

And one character has to be the letter M for Menino.
(just kidding on that last one)

Plus you have to change the stupid password like every fourteenth use.

I am just not that smart.

It's hard. I want to support my local school. I agree with the theory. However, dealing the school is similar to dealing with the city. I have the same allergic reaction when I go to do business at city hall.

Get in and get out - that's what I say.