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

mmmmm.. *vip*

saturnine

*amy*

, anyone?

*munches on a *

*drinks some *

*wraps arms around legs and rests head on knees*

*sigh*

I've little to offer as far as consolation besides to reiterate that if I was yours two weeks ago, I am infinitely more so now.

D'you think any official-type creature will notice our bending of the laws of physics?













I miss you

Cursed Atlantic Ocean.

Distance is bad enough within one country, but across the see- you two are going to need a lot of support for this one.

*sea- that mis-type is one I can't abide, out of all of the hundreds I make.

I hereby begin the plan to anchor America (and Canada!) back to UK shores.

I agree, high priestess saturnine! I hereby nominate myself as one of the chosen, unselfishlessly making it his goal to replant himself on the other side of the ocean that he might assist in the goal from the other side, holding the ropes of harmony tight to his chest and facilitating the spreading of the divine word of reconnectment from england to the shores of the americas.

Can I help, please?

Hohum. I'm not sure how to do it though.

Big wires maybe?

Well the europe side of the atlantic is due to break off some time soon and start subducting under the continent (a la Japan)...which means the two continents will eventually come back together...unfortunately it means that europe will be covered by a sea of volcanic ash and pumice at the same time.

Oh and it's only soon in geological time - say in the next million yrs or so

I was sorry to read that you're leaving Soton njan - but I can't say I blame you - I did exactly the same thing back in 98...and I was only in london and hubby in bournemouth and I couldn't bear it.

Have you spoken to your tutor/lea about leaving - you should be able to get your degree put on hold for a year or more...or you might be able to use the modules you've passed so far to save time if you start studying again later on (Credit A(something) Transfer Scheme (CATS))...or if you can stick it out until the end of the yr you will be eligable for a certificate of higher education(an HNC - recognised qualification).

Oh and did you know that Southampton is a member of the World University Network (no noone else does either) which includes a wodge of unis in the states, at the moment there are only transfer schemes for postgrads but someone in your department might have a contact in america (http://www.wun.ac.uk/pages/contact/members.html is a list of the unis involved).

And if the accomodation was the leading factor in making you unhappy with the place please *please* write a letter to your head of dept, the head of the accomodation office and the vice chancellor explaining how badly you've been messed around and how a more professional accommadation office might have made you stay. The accommadation office have f**ked up for three yrs running now (this yr being the worst - last yr they failed to fill 1/3 of their rooms and this yr they overcompensated)...and every year they get away with it. A few more letters of complaint and students walking (taking with them £15000 worth of potential funding) might make the difference and get their arses kicked like they deserve.

I hope things work out for you - and if you do ever need any help or just a friendly face you know where I am (well you didn't but I'm in building 37 room 2055, Helen Lysaght management information officer, right after reception, second door on the right - I sit in the doorway and I'll probably be on h2g2<crossingfingersthatmybossneverfindsh2g2&gt.

What? Leaving? Have I missed something?

In the "should my life have focus" (or something like that) thread...I didn't want to butt in on the thread - especially as it was already a page on so I thought I'd come and say hello somewhere more private (plus I didn't really want to post my full (and unusual) name, job title and office number on ask h2g2)

.. yes, I'm dropping out of Southampton, Saturnine.

The Accommodation situation certainly didn't help things, especially after the (positively offensive) letter I received from the registrar's office a few weeks ago (euphemising beyond belief, and apologising for "any possible inconvenience" that "might have been caused" to students. ((I'm paraphrasing, but it was along thise lines)) ). One of my parents has already written a pretty shirty letter back (copied to my head of department, the Vice Chancellor, the Music department ((another story)), and someone else, I think.) I will, at some point in the future, write one of my own, phrased in my own manner. (his letters are .. unique, shall we say..)

However, should I have wanted to stay at Southampton, I'd like to think that there were more efficient ways to help my condition than dropping out; quite simply, I have other things which I'd rather do with my life, and since I can do them and not cut off my chances of a university education at the same time - and my present university situation is more than a little less than desirable - I've chosen it.

It's also not an opportunity (the option I'm picking) which I'd pass up given my situation at university to be wonderful - at least, as far as I can see. And whilst the risks of what I'm doing are severe, the chance of those risks becoming reality - to the best of my foresight and view - are extremely slim.

If I'm being a little cryptic, I apologise. .. but you're welcome to E-Mail me and pester me if you're not quite sure what I'm saying.. contact details are on my website (http://www.njan.co.uk/njan) under the contact section (or simply go to http://www.njan.co.uk/njan/contact.html)

I've looked into transferring credits and other enticing academic options, but frankly, I think that it's going to be more bureaucracy than it's worth (and since I'm not going to end up continuing to study at southampton, I'm picking the option which entails the minimum debt and maximum time earning money before I end up where I want to be). Besides, it means I can make a nice clean start in the states. (And there are other issues here; I wouldn't actually have anything to transfer unless I stayed until next September, which I don't want to do, and entails more debt &c).

In case you hadn't caught one of the many pangs of rumour floating around, Saturnine, I'm sure you'll catch the news soon; or would you like me to hint a little for you? .. *points out his mentioning making a clean start in the states*..

I'm going to be in Southampton at some point this (or next) week, if only to pick up my stuff (I also need to badger the accommodation office to relinquish my accommodation.. ), so don't be surprised if I stick my head around your office door to say hi, now that I know where you are.. .. if a pony-tailed figure appears and smirks at you nervously.. it may be me.

- njan

But...leaving?

*pets PQ*

You have a name.

Well.. what that I'm leaving confuses you in particular, sat?

njan - I'm glad you've thought things through...I admit the main reason I posted here was because I had an awful feeling that you might have been going through something similar to my "chucking it all in to work at mcdonalds" phases (every easter - and I've got one coming on at the moment...just want to do something I enjoy instead of all this stupid work crap).

Like I said I know why you're going....I did it too, once it's got you you don't really have much choice...and to be honest you don't really want a choice it feels fantastic

So when are you going? If you do pop in I've got some leaflets for a company who will deliver any extra stuff which charges by volume not by weight so small heavy things are cheap and they go door to door.

oh! .. do they deliver transatlantic?

Well, subsequent to my having gone to the hootoo meet and also bought one or two somewhat expensive things ( - see name for future announcements and guide entry references), I'm a little in debt (although if you discount my student loan debt, I'm in the black by several hundred quid), so I'm going to be working for a month or two.

One of my problems is that although if you don't earn >£10,000 a year and you're in the UK, you don't get charged loan repayments, I'm not sure what their policy on repayments abroad is (all that the SLC website says is that you have to make special arrangements for payment); if I'm going to HAVE to payback loans when not in the country, regardless if income, I may have to work for a little longer, but I'm looking at about 2 months of minimum wage joy before uprooting.

I'm also not sure why I'm being so candid about this in an open forum - I've been practically bible-like in my crypticness elsewhere.. .. just as soon as I've finished writing this announcement-y thing, it won't matter.

If I do pop in on you, I'll tell you all about it.