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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Damn. Uni exam falls right in the middle of my holiday!

277 replies

QuestionableMouse · 05/04/2019 05:59

Posting for traffic.

Uni exam date was released yesterday and it falls right in the middle of my holiday. Though technically it isn't a holiday as I'm away with the local youth group who I've been volunteering with!

I could just about drive back (distance/time wise) but it would mess the ratios up and I'm not sure if I can afford the extra petrol money. Also not sure if I'll have my own car with me. (Was meant to be driving down with all the food but it might be going in the minibus now)

I'm really not sure what to do. It's an important exam so I can't miss it but equally I can't just drop out of the trip because at this point there's no one to replace me. Going into uni today to speak to my lecturer but I'm panicking!

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 06/04/2019 13:03

@Lweji, my post was to @CatandtheFiddle, not you. Think we cross posted. Sorry for any confusion.

OP posts:
WaterOffaDucksCrack · 06/04/2019 13:10

I think they'll say no but I don't understand what's wrong with asking! It's not going to hurt the university to ask!

A few years ago The University of York were great with helping with personal situations when I was there. However, the university of Lincoln was just awful. They wouldn't even contemplate allowing me to schedule a different resit because I found out the afternoon before I was having a very painful (physically and emotionally) miscarriage. I asked if I could at least have a time extension as I was bleeding very heavily and would probably need to change pads a couple of times. They wouldn't let me do this and told me to wear extra pads.

So some unis won't make any allowances for anything.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 06/04/2019 15:13

That's horrible ☹️ sorry you had to go through that ☹️

OP posts:
Double0FeckingBollocks · 06/04/2019 16:14

What did your lecturer say, @QuestionableMouse ?

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 06/04/2019 16:29

She's going to look into it and get back to me. Do not a no but not a yes either.

OP posts:
Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 06/04/2019 16:30

And she didn't seem upset, shocked, traumatised or angry that I'd asked. It was all very respectful.

OP posts:
strawberriesandsugar · 06/04/2019 16:32

I got extenuating circumstances for an exam I didn't feel prepared for. I had to get a letter from the doctor, provide evidence of the funeral I attended and hospital letters for my sick dad.
This was first year for January exams. I had to retake in the summer.
Had I been in my final year I wouldn't have been able to graduate in July and would have to wait until November.

It's great your volunteering but you won't get extenuating circumstances and depending on your uni policy- if you do this and retake then final mark could be capped at 40. I accept that it's different for all unis though.

You need to give as much notice as possible and volunteer again next year

littledoll33 · 06/04/2019 16:37

I think it's OK to expect time off/allowances etc if you have a very sick parent, or you have to attend a parent or sibling's funeral. I don't think concessions should be made for people to go off on their holidays, or to do some voluntary assignment they organised themselves!

Imagine of everyone did the same? Very unfair to expect special treatment, when you were irresponsible enough to arrange something in term time.

S0faSl33p6 · 06/04/2019 17:01

Why would you put your education and therefore future opportunities/employment at risk for a volunteer activity ? Your priority should be completing your uni course on time.

Marylou11 · 06/04/2019 18:03

I can't believe the comments on this post. I didn't expect this kind of disrespect on mumsnet :(

@QuestionableMouse good luck with the exam & the youth group trip. Hope you get it all sorted x

Vivianebrezilletbrooks · 06/04/2019 18:05

You have no choice but to sit the exam.
There won't be anything your lecturer can do about it asides of give you a talking to about priorities.
Why on earth would you agree to go on a trip in term time?
Exam dates are subject to change in the first place anyway so you can't rely on it being at a certain time.
You'll just have to apologise to the group.

bubblegumunicorn · 06/04/2019 18:41

Surely you would have known your exam period for a while! I used to avoid anything the last two weeks of May and first week in June as the was the university exam period you really should have realised exams aren’t set until shortly before the end of term 2 best thing to do is cancel on the youth group and they will have to find a replacement if you skip the exam you will have to resit over the summer and accept it will likely be capped at 40 unless you can get exceptional circumstances exemption! This probably wouldn’t fall in to that though!!

huggybear · 06/04/2019 18:55

I just don't think many students understand the rules around exams at uni, you can't just "move a resit", it just can't be done whatever the circumstances.

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 06/04/2019 20:44

Can you all go back and read the thread, please? There are three dates for the exam, the trip was booked for a week before the date I'd been given and booked before the exam was even a thing. I'm sick of repeating myself over this!

OP posts:
HeronLanyon · 06/04/2019 20:50

Questionable - spa day? Good luck btw - in all of the ins and outs of exam arrangements I totally forgot to say this !

littledoll33 · 06/04/2019 21:20

Sorry @QuestionableMouse My bad. Hope it all goes well. xxx

huggybear · 06/04/2019 22:51

Yes but are you saying the university doesn't have an advertised exam period, OP?

Original poster
QuestionableMouse · 06/04/2019 23:19

Yes it does. When the trip was booked it was outside of that period!

OP posts:
Bankofenglandfiver · 07/04/2019 06:03

But you are technically still at uni until the very end of the exam period. Still required to be in attendance.

And even so, if you booked the trip the week before your exam, that’s rather foolish. Wouldn’t you be revising?

Xenia · 07/04/2019 07:09

Don't worry about it all - just see what the university can do. My view is that you will have to cancel the trip or find someone to go in your place. I agree with Bank - you are still required to be in attendance. We treat term times (I hav had 5 chidlren at university , 2 still there) as sacrosanct and even if they think they will be free if the official term has not ended we book nothing.

S0faSl33p6 · 07/04/2019 08:23

I had an injury in my last year & I spoke to my tutor. I was advised that if I was unable to attend the final exam, I would have to retake the whole year. Luckily, my injury was not as bad as everyone expected & it healed in 2 weeks. I completed my degree on time

onionchucker · 07/04/2019 08:50

Can you all go back and read the thread, please? There are three dates for the exam, the trip was booked for a week before the date I'd been given and booked before the exam was even a thing. I'm sick of repeating myself over this!

It would have helped if you had included more relevant information in your OP. You didn't mention the fact it was a seen exam and there were three dates for it until much later in the thread. You also got some people's backs up by calling the volunteer trip "your holiday".
Also you didn't mention the fact that the date had been changed and was a week earlier and fell outside the advertised exam period until much later in the thread.

I replied to you before all this extra information had come to light. If I had known that there were three dates and it was a seen exam I probably would have advised you to speak to the lecturer to see if something could be arranged rather than advising you to cancel the trip straightaway.

Double0FeckingBollocks · 07/04/2019 10:07

I think your tone is pretty unreasonable OP. I suggest you go back and read your original post. Your story has changed complexion considerably through this thread.

bubblegumunicorn · 07/04/2019 10:17

Are you saying they put the exam outside of the universitys officical exam period? It's not really clear from what you have said as you have 3 different days which in its self is odd for an exam and you didn't seam to realise that the week before the date advertised in your module guide was a possibility. Even then in side term time is a risky time to book a trip! (weather voulenteering or leasure!) I get you are frustrated but you know your term dates well in advance. To me it sounds like the youth group is the thing you want to prioritise but in reality you should be thinking I need to sit this exam and thats whats important are you studying somewhere like the OU? It sounds like the confusion and changes you get at a none brick university!

Lweji · 07/04/2019 10:36

I know my students would be up in arms if I changed the assessment mid module without consulting them, in addition to changing dates and for an earlier time!

You don't seem to take this on board, but this should be a case for complaint, not request.