Academic traumas?

This time of year always makes me think about the worst academic trauma I had...

I was a freshman at BN state University. I was doing well in an American lit course. Nobody told me about the published finals schedule, but every instructor told me when the final was. One day I was about 5 minutes late to American Lit. On the board was "Final Exam, Wednesday, 1:00"... I wrote it down and listened to the lecture.

Fast forward to finals week. I show up on Wednesday at 1:00 -- but, it isn't my class taking the final.

I freak out... I went to the office of the American Lit prof, who at first didn't believe me. When I showed him my notes with the date, he agreed to a make-up exam, I did it and then he never recorded it.

When I got my grade, which was much lower than it should have been I called him. He denied ever making such a deal and refused to change my grade. He didn't believe me and couldn't remember talking with me 3 weeks prior...

Sadly, I also didn't know about grade challenge procedures, student advocates or anything else...

In retrospect, I'm sure the lazy-ass American Lit guy simply failed to erase the board from the class before him.

The grade remains on my transcript to this day and is the reason that I'm very clear about when the final exam is.

care to share your academic traumas?