Hello again & I hope that you are having a fabulous Fall as Spring registrations and planning begins many places! I was just finalizing the last of my girl's Spring classes today and had a total panic attack. It went smoothly.
I am laughing at myself as I type, and it didn't last too long, but it made me realize something else that people like me have in common, and that the average population is opposite.
If you're signing up for classes or activities, most people probably expect for things to go smoothly and quickly. As a former operations management person, I definitely designed and ironed out systems to provide that smooth sailing kind of experience for managers, clients and workers relate to my various positions.
Today, I had 2 final classes to register M for. I knew about how much they would cost, how the payment method works, since we've been going to this source for several years, and exactly which ones to sign up for, since they are continuations from the current semester. I logged in, did a quick search, signed up & paid online. It was fast, and there was no pause or error notice or warning.
That made me panic.
Whether you're here because you are part of the neuro-atypical or atypical learner community or because you are curious about the differences, I hope this makes you laugh.
Should I send an e-mail to confirm that it actually worked correctly? The directors are extremely overworked right now and probably wouldn't appreciate extra anything, even though they would be compassionate and polite. No, I will not send an e-mail to check.
I pulled up the registration details in 3 places and on 3 different pages, tho. Excessive? OCD? Perhaps.
Here's the thing. It was literally the first time I was able to simply sign up and pay. Nothing more.
Remember me mentioning that we've been using this resource for years? Are they disorganized or technically challenged you may be asking? Nope. They are quite organized. They make mistakes like humans do, but with a surprisingly small percentage of their activities needing adjustment.
Their system operates simply by birth date. So if the grade range for a class is where M actually is determined to be by our city (and different than I requested or the law originally determined), she is deemed too young for those classes. Take into account that her science information is accelerated more than any other subject, and I definitely have needed age exceptions. She doesn't like math, but is moving quickly through it because she loves science enough to make that effort.
So, for years, every registration opening date, here's the process I'm used to:
1. Log into the site, and pull up the class information.
2. Confirm which class and section we're interested in over the phone with a delightful woman who is very busy that day.
3. Log out of the system and feel guilty about taking up her time on one of her busiest days while the system adjusts.
4. Log back in, and pull up the class again to register and pay.
??? Sometimes repeat previous steps because the system decides she's still too young.
5. Wait patiently on the phone still feeling guilty as the nice lady restores the settings for the class.
6. Repeat all steps for each additional class.
It feels like this - also appropriate for this season - read to the end if you don't see the connection.
This is why a smooth & quick registration caused panic attacks today. I'm sure there are IT people out there who have an idea about how they'd do it differently, and I respect that. However, this is not the only resource where I have had this experience repeatedly.
Our educational systems are not set up to allow age exceptions, so that they don't have parents signing their children up for classes that are inappropriate for their kids. And as the registration coordinator for a coop I saw evidence of why this is needed more often than I expected to. It's a valid concern.
For today, I trying to feel grateful that everything went so quickly & smoothly. To be fair, there is a paranoid voice in my mind even after checking for confirmation emails, which I did get. Did it really work?! Am I actually awake, or is this a dream?
To anyone trying to relate to this special population, thank you!!!!!
To all those living through this stuff with me, I get it. Let's keep laughing, hoping for the best & only worry when our laughter starts to sound maniacal, lol.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! Now go watch Snoopy battle the chair in the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special because that is more of a parallel to how I expected registration to go!
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