Yesterday I took the final for my second to last class! Now all I have left is a few cake papers to write and I’M DONE!
During my test taking adventure yesterday, I came across a few things that just didn’t make any sense.
The thing that started it all was the parking in downtown San Jose. The university charges $8 for parking and of course there was no way I was doing that. So I went for the meters. Knowing this ahead of time, I knew I would need some quarters. We needed some for laundry anyway so I made a quick stop at our bank, Chase.
Here is the first thing that doesn’t make sense. Like many, many other people, we used to bank with Washington Mutual. Of course that was bought out by Chase thus, now we are with Chase. So I go inside, fill out my withdrawal slip for $30 in quarters and wait a few minutes in line. I get to the counter and the conversation went like so:
Me: I’d like to get $30 in quarters please.
Teller: Hmmm, can I see your [ATM] card?
Me: [hands him my card]
Teller: Where did you originally open your account?
Me: Utah.
Teller: Oh, you see we are Chase and you opened your account with Washington Mutual.
Me: [duh, do you watch the news?]
Teller: So since you are a Washington Mutual customer you cannot make a withdrawal here.
Me: Sorry? WaMu doesn’t exist. My card clearly says "Chase" on it. We’ve made deposits at this branch before. How am I supposed to get my money out?
Teller: Well, we haven’t totally merged her in California. You can use the ATM for withdrawals up to $500. After that, we can do it for you but you have to fill out a form.
Me: [sigh] o….k…..so you are telling me that after waiting in line, I can go outside, withdrawal money, come back in to wait in line again so that you can exchange for quarters?
Teller: Yes.
Me: So when can we use your services?
Teller: October! [he said as if that were the good news.]
So we don’t have a bank…but sort of do. Until they "fully merge" they have no interest in helping us. How does that make sense?
Anyway, back to taking my test. About a block away from the testing building, there was plenty of street parking in a 2 hour limit zone. I didn’t plan on taking more than an hour for the test (since they charge by the hour to proctor) so I figured an hour plus some would be perfect to find the building and take the test. So I get out to put my cost-more-than-they-are-actually-worth quarters in the parking meter fully prepared to pay about an hour and 15 minutes worth of time when I read the sign on the meter. "60-minute Limit". Wait, what? The sign right next to it says 2 hour limit parking zone but I can only pay for 60 minutes at a time?! How does that make sense? Why don’t they just make it a one hour zone? Ug.
So I give the confused meter its dollar and race off to my test–late after the whole bank thing.
The proctor makes some small talk and then hands me this form to sign saying that I agree to pay the proctor fees when I complete my test. And of course, wouldn’t you know it—cash or check only. The fee was $20. I had a ten dollar bill and $29 in quarters. She said she didn’t want the quarters but could tell me where the ATM was. Not knowing the campus I didn’t want to wonder around all hot and pregnant just to pay $3.50 to take out $20 for a stupid test that I only took 30 minutes to take anyway. Besides, she never told me on the phone (the two times I talked to her) that they didn’t take cards nor did their website. I had cash. Sure maybe not what they would have liked but guess what, not. my. problem.
But in the end, I’m done with another class. I don’t have to take any more tests to graduate. And I don’t have to see the proctor again so who cares!