I get three paychecks a year, but the timing of those paychecks is not consistent. In the past, the office that handles this sort of thing posted the expected date I’d get paid at least a month in advance (though that wasn’t a guarantee). I got a little nervous recently when I noticed that, while I expect my paycheck in the next 2 weeks, the only thing that shows up on my university financials is a ginormous tuition bill. So I asked the office when I should expect my paycheck.

Instead of giving me a date, they told me they’d post the expected date within the next two weeks and acted like I was both stupid and an enormous pain in the ass for asking.

Because of some shenanigans with changing roommates, I have to shell out an amount almost exactly equivalent to all the current wiggle room in my budget  in the next two weeks. Knowing that I’ll be getting that money back by mid-May is comforting, but doesn’t help me make ends meet between now and then.

I kind of hate the people who handle grad student awards at my university.