h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In 1988 the year I was applying to Uni there was a postal strike in the UK in AUGUST!!! Just after the A-level results came out to the schools. In fact the next day!!!

So every University had jammed switchboards as even those who knew they had the grades had to call in instead of waiting for the paper work whereas people like men who were struggling had to get on the phone.

This was one of the last years of both UCCA and PCAS for Unis and Polys respectively so I held two assured and two insurance places because of the two schemes.

So I started calling first thing in the morning 8:45. I got through to my first choice Uni (Stirling) at 11:30. To be told I had just failed to meet the grade requirement. So I started to call my first choice Poly (Kingston) and second choice Uni (City) this was in the days before every phone had number recall and we had a dial phone.

I got through to Kingston at 4:15 to be told I had a place. I gave up trying to get City. Obvously as I had now got through I wanted to sort out everything ie halls. But they told me to call back about accomadation the following Monday. (we had been able to get our forms with requirements off before the strike had started)

I tried to call back the following Monday, only to find the line busy again. And got through eventually at 2:15 to be told that all rooms in halls had been allocated, but I should bring down a few bare essentials and they would but me in emergency accomadation for the first 2 0r 3 weeks and then I could go home and pick up the rest of my stuff. At this point I pointed out that I was from Northern Ireland and the trip home was far from easy. They said they would get back to me. I was placed eventually in accomadation at 4:30 in a house of smokers. This when I had asked to be placed with non-smokers originally. But I was placed.

My advise if a postal strike occurs defer for a year it is so much easier on your finger.