which would you rather?

image from Zo they say, original source unknown

Uni starts back in two weeks. I’ll be away though, doing my tour of duty in Nam so I sent an email to my four lecturers, explaining my absence and asking if there was anything I needed to do to make up for it. I’m still to hear back from one lecturer, one lecturer replied in minutes, saying everything would be hunky dory. Another, the Associate Dean of the School of Education and Arts, replied and made me feel like a naughty school girl (in a bad way). This is his email (his bad grammar included):

 

Dear Annelise,

This is quite unfortunately and will set you at a slight disadvantage. One bit of advice I would give is to prepare for the fortnight you will miss in the time before you leave. This involves:

1) Getting a hold of the textbook and making a start on the readings.

2) Carefully reading the course description (attached) and familiarising yourself with the requirements of the course.

3) What time is your tutorial? I can put you in touch with the tutor who will give further advice about the two tutorials. One possibility is that you may miss some preparatory work for the first assessment task which will occur during the second week's classes.

University dates do vary from one year to another. 2013's calendar is now available online. I would suggest carefully planning your vacations around future calendars in future.

I would also suggest doing this for other courses you are enrolled in for semester one.

 

I might be feeling a bit touchy but is there not a disciplinary tone in this here email? Thank you, Associate Dean, I shall carefully plan my vacations around future calendars in future.

An hour or so later, the following email popped up in my inbox from the lecturer of Indigenous Societies in Contemporary Australia (once again, poor grammar lecturer’s own):

 

Oh No, in the first two weeks I ALWAYS hand out fifty dollar notes, latte coffees with bush tucker chocolates neatly poised on the saucer...
i am very envious that you are going to Vietnam and I am in Ballarat but I will get over that. The best thing to do is to actually read the readings that will be outlined in the course description. They are all available on line. I will be posting the course description on moodle hopefully tomoz or Monday. Look out for it! great stuff, it will rock your socks...well ok it  might be of some minor interest.
have a great time and see you when you are in th rat. [should read: back in the ‘rat, as in short for Ballarat]
nb you will miss the group work meetings so you will have to ingratiate yourself in with a group in your tute. use your charm.
cheers
fred c

 

Now, tell me: which course you would rather?