In more ways than one university is a dress rehearsal for corporate life. Except your bosses usually won't be nearly as intelligent as your professors.
The thing that will absolutely boggle your mind when you enter the working world is that people will actually take this thing seriously. And some of those people may have hire/fire authority over you.
Some people’s lives just don’t work out. And I’m one of those people. I don’t blame any specific person for this. And I’m done blaming myself. Nor am I “stupid”, in most senses of the word. I just… Things have happened, and gone wrong.
So that’s where I’m at. I’ll either graduate in three years (just under), or I’ll be dead. I honestly don’t think there’s any if’s, or but’s, or caveats about that. This is it, now.
So… I’ll still absolutely throw myself at this, and maybe along the way things will change, but… I honestly don’t see myself still being around in three years’ time. Not now…
I’m not expecting anyone to understand that. I’m just stating the truth. Because I can here, because it’s pretty much anonymous…
Some people make it. Some people don’t. I haven’t, and right now, well, I don’t see that realistically changin’.
But all I can do is try to focus forward, and cut out the bad stuff.
There’s a quote from Doctor Who (the Van Gogh episode), of all things, about life being a pile of good stuff and bad stuff. The good stuff doesn’t always outweigh the bad stuff, but the bad stuff doesn’t make the good any less worthwhile.
So… That’s kind of where I’m at. But I’ve been there for a long while.
Hopefully, if nothing else, I can make some “good” for myself, because that seems to be the only way that any comes into my life, really. It shouldn’t be quite this hard, but even to stop things tipping into “even worse” territory, I really have to fight hard all the time…
Eh, anyway, cheers again, and all the best to you! I genuinely appreciate it!
So guess what - I found the exact toggle you are speaking of (does it come under "Accessibility" for you??), and I can't toggle it off...
Maybe that is set by the organization itself? I guess that's the only way that makes sense. But yeah, for whatever reason, on my end, I can't even do that... :-/
It lets me check for "compliance", but I can't toggle it either way, so... Yeah.
Microsoft products have actually had that "inclusiveness" checker for the past couple years now. I don't remember if it's on by default with Word and Outlook, but I know you can manually activate and de-activate it, at least on your personal systems.
Apparently Office 365 was specifically designed for Universities, though, so we can largely blame them for this sickness...
As somewhat of an aside, I'm currently going back to in-person study for the first time since the pandemic.
It is horrendous. Like, I can't believe how completely fucked everything is, from broken email accounts (I can't even email my faculty directly anymore, because their entire system is broken), to needing to apply, and download an APP, to access the University library as a study space (no joke. An additional app, too. Not just the standard University one, or their mandatory MFA one)...
I also have to jump through about 100 more hoops, and apply for a new "government ID number", simply in order to enrol. We all already have one, but the new government has decided to scrap that, and replace it with one that requires even more personal information, and tracks your entire study history, right from High School...
I would be willing to wager a significant amount of money that it also tracks "vaccine status"...
Shit is really, really fucked. Even compared to just 3-4 years ago. And yet, it costs more to even do the same courses.
Also, the faculty no longer has telephone numbers that students can call. Every call gets redirected to "General Student Admin", who can't necessarily help with specific enquiries... It is completely and utterly fucked.
And no, this ain't Arts. It's the big, STEM-my one...
I'm all for Universities cutting back on "bloat", but this is the exact opposite of that. This is... Making it so things no longer function. At all. And yet, they spend thousands on new "rainbow crossings" and compulsory LGBTQ+ "ally training"...
Have for a while. Dated a chick whose Mom was a tenured arts Prof at one of our biggest state universities. She was born in the campus health clinic... went to school at a student led K-12 school on campus... got a degree from that school.
The girl was 22 before she lived a full day off campus. And yes, she was bonkers.
That's one of those cases where you can honestly say she was raised in another country and yet not. I bet her opinions of socialism are very high, because she never thought about it. Why doesn't everyone live like this? It makes so much sense.
And just think, universities are responsible for the neo-Marxist corruption of all our institutions.
Here's the next wave of cultural enhancement--the Way of the Future--state-mandated apps you are required to download and use in order to be a full participant in our glorious former republic.
In more ways than one university is a dress rehearsal for corporate life. Except your bosses usually won't be nearly as intelligent as your professors.
The thing that will absolutely boggle your mind when you enter the working world is that people will actually take this thing seriously. And some of those people may have hire/fire authority over you.
Do with this information what you will.
I'm not ignorant of this fact. I've worked corporate before. I've also been fired for stupid reasons before.
So I'm aware of this. But this is just next-level dystopian...
That doesn't "boggle my mind" at all. It's just absurd.
I've dealt with "the working world" plenty already.
I've just never had to deal with a corporate Outlook account specifically...
When do you graduate?
Years away.
It’s a long, long complex story. But like, three years…
Unfortunately…
But that is what it is.
Some people’s lives just don’t work out. And I’m one of those people. I don’t blame any specific person for this. And I’m done blaming myself. Nor am I “stupid”, in most senses of the word. I just… Things have happened, and gone wrong.
So that’s where I’m at. I’ll either graduate in three years (just under), or I’ll be dead. I honestly don’t think there’s any if’s, or but’s, or caveats about that. This is it, now.
So… I’ll still absolutely throw myself at this, and maybe along the way things will change, but… I honestly don’t see myself still being around in three years’ time. Not now…
I’m not expecting anyone to understand that. I’m just stating the truth. Because I can here, because it’s pretty much anonymous…
Some people make it. Some people don’t. I haven’t, and right now, well, I don’t see that realistically changin’.
And I’m ok with that.
Hang tough and good luck!
Thanks man. I’m really, really trying…
Life’s just a bitch sometimes, I guess.
But all I can do is try to focus forward, and cut out the bad stuff.
There’s a quote from Doctor Who (the Van Gogh episode), of all things, about life being a pile of good stuff and bad stuff. The good stuff doesn’t always outweigh the bad stuff, but the bad stuff doesn’t make the good any less worthwhile.
So… That’s kind of where I’m at. But I’ve been there for a long while.
Hopefully, if nothing else, I can make some “good” for myself, because that seems to be the only way that any comes into my life, really. It shouldn’t be quite this hard, but even to stop things tipping into “even worse” territory, I really have to fight hard all the time…
Eh, anyway, cheers again, and all the best to you! I genuinely appreciate it!
It is actually really helpful, if you ever have a checkmark on inclusiveness you need to go back and rewrite your email to be less inclusive.
So guess what - I found the exact toggle you are speaking of (does it come under "Accessibility" for you??), and I can't toggle it off...
Maybe that is set by the organization itself? I guess that's the only way that makes sense. But yeah, for whatever reason, on my end, I can't even do that... :-/
It lets me check for "compliance", but I can't toggle it either way, so... Yeah.
I like that inclusiveness has sub-categories that you get to deem are more important than others.
These things always start as options then become mandatory.
Interesting... on my work tenant we have that turned off 👀👀
Microsoft products have actually had that "inclusiveness" checker for the past couple years now. I don't remember if it's on by default with Word and Outlook, but I know you can manually activate and de-activate it, at least on your personal systems.
Also just another reason to not update my Office Suite again, I guess!
No wonder my Uni was so glib when they switched everyone over from G-Suite to Office365…
I bet they already knew about this. 😑
I need to find my old copy of Office XP, which doesn't have the god damned ribbon interface.
Just buy the old DVD version of the MS app.
365 is a neverending subscription that costs more PER YEAR than a DVD of the actual app costs
Not on my Uni account, apparently…
I tried what other people here did on their own, but it’s not just on by default, but actually can’t be toggled off, it seems…
So that’s fun…
Like I said, Gmail might be pretty shit/a massive data harvester, but hey, at least it doesn’t do this shit, lol…
Gmail is even worse. Try ProtonMail or Tutanota
Ngl, I also thought this…
So it’s not just you. 😂
It’s something about that word… 😳
Oh, I wasn't directly thinking this was just Microsoft being "woke". I figured individual "clients", like the Uni, must have been involved...
Either way, it is creepy and nefarious AF...
So you're saying this is normal?
Everyone using Outlook gets this shit, now, do they?
Far out, shit is worse than even I realised...
Google might siphon and sell my data, but even they don't scan my personal conversations to correct me for "wrongthink"...
That's just evil...
Apparently Office 365 was specifically designed for Universities, though, so we can largely blame them for this sickness...
As somewhat of an aside, I'm currently going back to in-person study for the first time since the pandemic.
It is horrendous. Like, I can't believe how completely fucked everything is, from broken email accounts (I can't even email my faculty directly anymore, because their entire system is broken), to needing to apply, and download an APP, to access the University library as a study space (no joke. An additional app, too. Not just the standard University one, or their mandatory MFA one)...
I also have to jump through about 100 more hoops, and apply for a new "government ID number", simply in order to enrol. We all already have one, but the new government has decided to scrap that, and replace it with one that requires even more personal information, and tracks your entire study history, right from High School...
I would be willing to wager a significant amount of money that it also tracks "vaccine status"...
Shit is really, really fucked. Even compared to just 3-4 years ago. And yet, it costs more to even do the same courses.
Something is very, very wrong, here...
Also, the faculty no longer has telephone numbers that students can call. Every call gets redirected to "General Student Admin", who can't necessarily help with specific enquiries... It is completely and utterly fucked.
And no, this ain't Arts. It's the big, STEM-my one...
I'm all for Universities cutting back on "bloat", but this is the exact opposite of that. This is... Making it so things no longer function. At all. And yet, they spend thousands on new "rainbow crossings" and compulsory LGBTQ+ "ally training"...
I knew the system was broken, but wow...
The teachers already live in pods, they just don't know it.
Have for a while. Dated a chick whose Mom was a tenured arts Prof at one of our biggest state universities. She was born in the campus health clinic... went to school at a student led K-12 school on campus... got a degree from that school.
The girl was 22 before she lived a full day off campus. And yes, she was bonkers.
That's one of those cases where you can honestly say she was raised in another country and yet not. I bet her opinions of socialism are very high, because she never thought about it. Why doesn't everyone live like this? It makes so much sense.
Wow. Your college has gone all-out totalitarian.
And just think, universities are responsible for the neo-Marxist corruption of all our institutions.
Here's the next wave of cultural enhancement--the Way of the Future--state-mandated apps you are required to download and use in order to be a full participant in our glorious former republic.