The Student Room Group

Nightmare timing clash - what do I do??

I work as a foreign language assistant at a university. It's a year-long contract, a job between my degree and my Masters.

At the beginning of June, I will have finished all my teaching. However, the university has asked us (the 3 other assistants and me) to organise and take students on a 3 day trip to my home country.

It's beginning to look like the Masters programme I want to go on (in this country) will be asking me to sit their entry exams at the same time.

What do I do? I have helped organize the trip and I realize it has been planned for a long time, but at the end of the day it is essentially a school trip. I need to sit those exams, my future depends on it.

My question:
1. Do you think I should prioritise the exams?
2. How do you think the uni will react?

I'm worried :s
Reply 1
Has the trip been booked yet? Do you know the dates? If its not been booked can you arrange it for a suitable time?

I guess you need to find out when the dates of your exams are asap.
Reply 2
The trip has been booked...no way I can ask the dates to be changed, it's been a nightmare coordinating it, it would involve coordinating 50 + students, some of whom may not be able to make the new date, which would be unfair....:frown:
Reply 3
Is there not another member of the language department who could take your place? If so, it would be pretty easy for them as you've essentially done all the hard work organisation wise.
I would prioritise the exams personally. Sounds like your choosing between a school trip and a Masters.... I know you've made a commitment and want to follow it through, but at the end of the day its your future and I think it would be an understandable reason for not going.
Reply 4
Original post by emeleh
Is there not another member of the language department who could take your place? If so, it would be pretty easy for them as you've essentially done all the hard work organisation wise.
I would prioritise the exams personally. Sounds like your choosing between a school trip and a Masters.... I know you've made a commitment and want to follow it through, but at the end of the day its your future and I think it would be an understandable reason for not going.


Thanks for your reply! :smile:
The other thing is this is a UNIVERSITY trip - they're all adults, it's not like me not being there would make that much more work for the other 3. The students don't (or shouldn't!) need us to feed/entertain them.

Still...I'm worried they would refuse to pay me for that month :/
Reply 5
Original post by Anonymous
Thanks for your reply! :smile:
The other thing is this is a UNIVERSITY trip - they're all adults, it's not like me not being there would make that much more work for the other 3. The students don't (or shouldn't!) need us to feed/entertain them.

Still...I'm worried they would refuse to pay me for that month :/


I would say just speak to them about it? I'm sure they're supporting your decision to do a masters anyway, so will hopefully understand why you don't want to go :smile:

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