feelcheated

Our final exam for our Print Journalism subject in College was to publish a magazine from scratch. There were about 18 students in our class and we needed to come up with both the content and the sponsors in order to get it published. To be fair, therefore, our Editor-in-Chief, Abbie, through a consensus, decided for all the students to contribute a certain amount to cover all the expenses. If it cannot be secured from a sponsor, cash has to be provided. I was the business manager of the magazine and it was my role to budget and ensure that the funds are intact for the publication. It was also my responsibility to contact and pay the publishing company and in this case, even the freelance layout artist we were referred to. I was the signatory to these contracts.

I have been in close communication with Abbie throughout the duration and instructions were clear but some students, however, got a sponsor for their contribution and named the checks payable to Abbie's name. Some sponsors wrote the check to the order of the school's name. I made the necessary arrangement but despite my efforts, these checks have to be deposited into Abbie's account. The magazine does not have its own legal account as it was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Time flew, however, and publication schedule was moved. Some contracts have lapsed and some business commitments/sponsorships were no longer applicable/honored. Our professor gave us our final grades - based on the progress and all of us graduated that school year. Having finished the school year, some students started to ask for a refund because we were not able to deliver the publication. I gave half of their money to be fair with the contract of obligations. I was still confident that the budget was intact despite that because the money in Abbie's account is going to be sufficient to cover the publication costs.

Abbie, unfortunately, in all the time that I asked her for the funds, assured me that the money was intact but never really got to withdraw them nor remit them to me. I realized later on, that those who asked for a refund were also her friends. I sincerely felt abused and cheated. She did not do her due dilgence as a editor in chief and as a person. She was indifferent to my situation because she did not return any of my follow-ups anymore. And I had to shell out money for this one.
But I had no choice.

My name was on the line with the publication and I couldn't cancel so I paid the costs out of my own pocket. The actual publication wasn't necessary because we have already graduated but knowing that you've done your part and your end of the bargain and that you did not do the same to others is the only consolation I had.