I can now truly understand the frustration behind my friend’s away message: “FINANCIAL AID OFFICE, WHY DON’T YOU EVER PICK UP?”

Personally, I don’t think that it’s the office that doesn’t pick up — if it were, there would be more cause for ruckus — but rather, it’s the Financial Aid counselors who seem to be leading very busy lives, if the constant “I am currently away from my desk” is any indication. Their voicemail is quite pleasing indeed.

Financial Aid apparently likes to play mind games with me. One year I’ll get a huge amount of grants and loans, and then the next year these wonderful gifts from God disappear (slight exaggeration), making me wonder if they were ever there. For example, I seem to be missing a certain SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant) grant that I’m pretty sure I had last year; maybe it likes to play hide and seek. Do you know why I don’t seem to be getting this grant this year? Because I sure as hell don’t.

Please don’t think that I’m not adamant in reaching them, since I try to go through phones when there are thousands of students who probably need their advice and assistance. Physically visiting the office for assistance and waiting an hour or two, only to find myself speaking to a counselor for five minutes, hasn’t exactly been helpful.

This is not to say that the Financial Aid Office isn’t helpful: There have been occasions when I called and had my questions answered enthusiastically and knowledgeably. This is also not to say that I’m not thankful for my financial aid, because without it I’m sure my undergraduate life would be hell, with me slaving away somewhere (Prostitution? I jest.) to make some extra cash to pay off my tuition.

However, it gets irritating when I continuously get their voicemail. It makes me wonder if they’re attending to a student or if they’re purposely ignoring my calls — I left my name, my phone number and the reason for my phone call, as specified.

Under the words desperate and pathetic in the dictionary, please see my downcast face as I wait for their call.

I’m thankful that I even get financial aid in the first place; I simply wish there was someone who could answer my questions thoroughly without constantly transferring me to a billion others who should know but don’t, who want to help but can’t.

I need some consistency in my financial aid awards, not generous federal grants one minute and nothing the next.

Hence, if by chance you’re a Financial Aid counselor reading this, call me. No really, call me. I still want to know why I’m missing mucho dinero.