free web tracker soliloquies: 04/09/2006 - 04/16/2006

soliloquies

so・lil・o・quy/- n. [C,U] a speech in a play in which a character talks to himself or herself, so that the audience know the character's thoughts.

Friday, April 14, 2006

lottery

Today was the final day of the guidance week in my university. Based on curiosity, popularity and your overall image of the class, you must fill in an online form starting from today, filling in the classes you are willing to take this academic year. I have basically chose all my classes based on my instincts and therefore, I did not listen to too many guidances. But the ones I chose based on syllabuses all seemed adequately interesting or interesting enough for me to endure another year of academic chaos. (exaggerated lol)

These procedures are probably common in most universities around the world, but what makes Japanese universities weird, unfair and unreasonable is the lottery system. In not so perfect world of ours, popularity varies from class to class. While there are popular classes where students poured out of the classroom, there also are classes filled with empty seats. Also, with all sorts of information on "easy classes" with "easy class credits", some famous easy classes practically get a whole grade in guidance. When the number of applicants surpass the capacity for a certain class, we have a lottery deciding who's allowed to and who's not allowed to take that class, based on your student ID number.

So far, I have been lucky enough to be accepted into all the classes I deserved, but don't you thing its a really awkward system in the first place? Sure, certain amount of restrictions are necessary, but some of these restrictions are avoidable via relocation for example. When most of the students are paying the exact same amount of tuition to take the class of your choice, why should there be such hurdle??

And, the unreasonableness of the international language center today. I was hoping to take this TOEIC class just for the sake of my friends. Unfortunately, I was the one who was accepted into this class. Basically, I wasn't too interested in this class from the beginning, so I decided to handover the right to take this class to my friend. But this bitch at the center told me such decision is unacceptable for equality. What the hell was she taking about?? Why would need such measure if there's not God damn equality in the first place?? No one's going to find out about the change anyway and procedure's probably easy as 1-2-3. All you have to do is change the student ID number and the name on the listing.

When unfortunate things like this happen, people should pursue maximum amount of happiness with the least amount of resources. In this case, I didn't want to take this class, my friend desperately wanted to and the international center wanted to fill in the post since apparently, the competition was quite rough for that class. If things were really bureaucratic and complicated, I wouldn't complain at all, but all those extra employees there seemed to be vacant, so why shouldn't then just cause an action that will make us 3 all happy, instead of listing up all these logicless explanations on why such measure could not be taken??

This sort of unreasonable denial should be abolished in an educational environment like college.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

sympathetic

I am feeling a lot of sympathy. I wonder why.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

cambridge

One of my best friends from high school told me about this foreign exchange program administrated by International Center of my university. I vaguely remembered about the existence of such program, but I have never really considered applying.

Now, with all the information about the course, I decided to apply with assistance from my friend. He lent me all his form for me to copy today after school and explained to me the process of application. I owe you a lot man, thanks!

After I came home from school today with all the application forms in my hands, I quickly filled in and wrote all the papers that were necessary. Although I must admit that my chances of passing are low, I would at least like to make an attempt to realize what I had always wanted to do in my college years. Besides, my parents gave me permission to at least hand in the form.

I have no clue whatsoever on where the funding is going to come from for this ridiculously expensive program in United Kingdom, but I am confident that this is really worth the investment and I am willing to pay it when I earn enough money in future.

For now, I just wish that we are lucky enough to pass through their intensive probation and will be given an opportunity to spend for unforgettable time in Cambridge. God bless us.