to bang my head on the keyboard and feel like a totally idiot who constantly sabotages herself with lack of attention to detail

[togarama]

Am currently doing some non-work related further study in my spare time and was on track for a distinction.

Just downloaded my latest marked assignment - 41%! Upon closer examination, it turned out that I had accidentally submitted my initial outline rather than the final draft.

Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.

It feels even worse when you're paying for it yourself.

I have a long history through school, university, masters degree etc.. of getting every mark going between a borderline pass and 100% because I always fuck something up. (The best was turning up for my undergrad finals and discovering that I hadn't revised the right subjects because they'd changed the format of the papers compared to previous years. I should have visited my department more often, attended more lectures and read the notice board like everyone else.)

I hoped that passing 30 and having a kid would somehow make me less prone to this kind of carelessness. But it seems some things never change.

I'm going to drink 2 glasses of wine, go out for a long run, possibly drink a third glass of wine if DD goes to sleep early and try to be positive about the next assignment.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

are you me?

I have 3 kids, am older than you, and I'm still the same fuck up that walked out of college 2 weeks before a-levels so never got to college.

Do you think we will ever grow out of it? And have you asked if you can resubmit?

Oooh I feel your pain. Have you considered life coaching or at least using some proper evaluation and goal setting techniques. Will make you realise you are not destined to continually fuck up, and with a systematic approach you can take control and succeed.

Aaawwww - poor you. Can't you ask for the final draft to be remarked. It was a legitimate mistake.

Be kind to yourself.

Well, 41% is a pass, right? And if it's OU(?), they do that jiggery-pokery that substitutes your lowest mark - but you'll know that, of course, having read all the small print!

And at least you won't make that mistake again (is what I tell myself in these situations)

(by the way, have you noticed the typo in your title? )

Cheers all.

Yes, I emailed my tutor as soon as I saw the marked version and realised what had happened. I also re-read the assessment rules for the course.

I already knew that no remarks are possible in this kind of situation. Sadly, it turns out that there's no substitution on this course either.

Tutor emailed back and confirmed what I already knew. (He's a nice guy and feels a bit bad for not querying what he received but it's not his fault.) Like Heathen, he also pointed out that 41% is still a pass and it's not like I'm going to fail because of this one mistake.

Not getting a distinction is hardly the end of the world at my age. I guess I'm just disheartened to see my usual story repeating all over again. It's taken me back to being 17 again and having to resend my UCAS form twice because I accidentally applied for the wrong course at one university and put in the code for Scottish Highers rather than A levels....

I have a chequered academic record of top scores and awfulness with some v. good refs that paper over the gaps. It's never held me back professionally luckily as I tend to perform well in interviews or aptitude tests. I shouldn't complain and shall pull myself together with my second glass of wine.

Buzz: Am I you? It wouldn't surprise me right now if I was in fact two people and had just forgotten about it... It's never to late to change - or so I keep telling myself...

Heathen: A typo? Aaaaargh!

fireblademum: I've tried very hard over the years to impose some order on myself but somehow the chaos creeps out round the edges. I think my work offers coaching if I can show how it would benefit my professional development and the company. I shall look into it.

On the bright side, my 2 year old DD has done a poo and two wees on the toilet today and is marching round proudly in her big girl knickers so at least one person in the family is achieving!