Not a great start...

This is the first week of the new school semester, so today I logged in to my course's discussion board to check out the first assignment. The professor had also posted a section for students to discuss their practicum placements. (For anyone not familiar with the term, a practicum is where you go and work for free somewhere related to the field you are studying - it generally lasts for three weeks or more.)

I knew a prac was required for this class, but I assumed that the university would instruct me how to set it up - maybe send some forms to fill out or instructions or something. Nope. Apparently I'm supposed to magically know how to do it, and magically supposed to know that I was supposed to do it during the school break - i.e., before the class had started. Maybe Aussie students are taught how to do this at some point in their undergrad years, so they don't go over it again for the Masters degrees?

Some students are allowed to do them later in the semester or can even get an exemption, so I sent the professor an email explaining my situation - I'm American, not familiar with how to do this, a big doofus (OK not really that one) - and asked to be directed toward the correct forms that I'm supposed to fill out for this. The silver lining is that since I already work at a library, I can just use my current workplace as my placement or possibly even get an exemption for prior experience, but I still need to get it on record that that's what I'm doing.

I'm feeling really incompetent right now. Not a good start to the semester.

P.S. Rain = deck fencing not complete yet. And so far we're both still alive. Barely.