A Day Full of Surprises

After the lunch with my classmates, I drove to school to see my professors. The meeting was at 2pm; I calculated just enough time to arrive on time. Unfortunately, traffic was awfully stuffy today; this unexpected delay took away the possibility to find a free street parking around campus.

I checked the time; I should still be able to make it on time if I buy the parking permit. After I painfully took out cash out my wallet and handed over to the gate cashier, he told me the parking space is full.

Excuse me, how can the entire parking garage be full? There are at least four levels.

“How about the next level?” I asked.

“Nope, there is a graduation today. It is full. But you can try the northern entrance” he responded. Hum, it must be one of those stupid high school graduations.

By the time I turned to the northern entrance; I was already 15 mins late to my meeting. I grabbed my cell phone and called my professor about the delay, he is not answering the phone.

I got another parking permit at north end, but the parking lot is full as well. I was VERY worried at this point. Why did he assign me a parking with no space available?

20 minutes late on the clock. “I might have to reschedule this meeting” I told myself.

I got my parking money back and decided to park in the bookstore. My professors might have already ditched me by then. Last time I checked my watch before I walked in the Communications building, I was 35 min late.

Surprisingly, they were still there, chatting happily. I apologized and quickly set up my laptop as they finished up their conversation.

“So, Cindy. Bring on your presentation. You got exact 12 minutes left” one of the professors asked.

“Huh, what presentation? I thought I am here to show my graduation project, a website, that’s all” I was in shock.

“ Just briefly talked about your business plan and showed us the website”

“…….” I almost fainted.

I didn’t realize this is the comment that I was supposed to defend my project..like a dissertation/thesis debate before graduation.

The worse part is that I didn’t prepare at all. I thought it is a casual meeting between the professors and the students.

I randomly made up something, and played around my website. The whole presentation took no more than 5 minutes via a totally unprepared manner. Later on they asked some questions and made suggestions for the project.

The whole thing ended before 3pm, as they are rushing through another meeting.

“Congratulation, Cindy” you passed. We actually already signed the paper before you arrived today.

Yyyeahhh, I thought so. I wasn’t really expecting a formal presentation in the first place.

So, I guess I am officially done with school.