I have been very busy

Been seeing students the past two days and all of today to do "academic advising", aka the big joke. Our idea of academic advising is for students to come in with their study plan for the next term, have us sign on it, and put a tick next to their name on the checklist. Literally, some of them were in and out in five seconds. I usually attempt a bit of a chit chat like, so, why did you do so badly last term? or you plan to minor in behavioural science? whatever for? and the routine so, do you have anything to ask me?

When they do have something important to ask me, like, can I do 18 credits in both semesters? If I take SOC 308 can it be double counted for my stream elective requirement and my minor programme requirement? or is POL 301 on offer next term? It's embarrassing. Of course I'm supposed to know these things. But then why should I? I'm busy enough contemplating what to do with my list of unfinished tasks as it is.

So, what happens is, I usually have to ring up our more knowledgeable administrative staff in the general office. Today I rang them up around fifteen times. I don't even pretend that I do know the answers but they just somehow slipped my mind momentarily. The amazing thing is that my colleagues are so nice they never make me feel like an idiot for having to ring up and check. Sometimes they even thank me back for bothering to check with them instead of making up my own answers for the students!