Frustrated - didn't understand requirements

[warblegarble]

I read through the posts on here often for advice and perspective, but now I just need to vent a little.  

 

I  was getting ready for my first committee meeting, which is consequently ~7 hours from now.  I thought I would look through the graduate program requirements one last time last night to make sure I wasn't missing anything that should be addressed at my meeting today.  Upon looking over the required coursework, I realized that I took/ am taking classes I don't need, and still have a number of classes that I need.  I'm frustrated that I overlooked something so simple and that it is now going to set me back.  I'm also frustrated that I've been basically trying to navigate the graduate system on my own with little guidance.  

 

To back up  a little bit, I started last spring, so I have already completed a full year of my Master's.  My advisor has not had a (new) graduate for about 8 years.  I've suffered from a lot of lack of clear communication and direction over the last year.  I've been trying to put this committee meeting together for about the last 8 months (to help address other issues I've had with my advisor), but his typical reply is "some people don't even meet with their committee until 6 weeks before they graduate.  It's just a rubber stamp" -which is BS.  He doesn't know what the program requirements are, and I know he really doesn't care.  I feel like if I had been able to organize this sooner, that maybe either myself or my committee would have caught the mistake.  I'm angry at myself because I am an adult and I should be on top of my own graduate education.  I should have understood the requirements better, but I can't help but be angry that I haven't had any direction or actual advising.  I know this probably sounds trivial, but there's more to this [advisor-advisee] situation than just some messed up course requirements.  I just feel really stupid that I'm going to have to get up in front of my committee now and explain why I have been taking classes that basically are a waste of time.  Although I know my advisor doesn't understand nor cares to understand the program requirements, I know for a fact that at least one of my committee members will.  

 

If I make it through this and I'm not completely burnt out, I will definitely know what to look for when I go onto a PhD.  This is just one of those cherry on top situations to a long line of issues I've had to deal with stemming from bad advising.  Maybe I am just looking for someone to blame, but this last year has just been a nightmare for me.  It is just one more demoralizing thing to add to the list.  

 

GAH!!  End rant.