“Forget about hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic,” said Matt Smith (22), “I just went broke printing the entire UCPR.”

A fourth year law student who sat the Civil Dispute Resolution exam yesterday feels like he understands what life was like in Germany in the 1920s.

After having to top up his Web Print account four times to print his notes from the entire semester, Matt Smith (22) wondered if he should also print the whole Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999, just in case.

As he waited for the stapler, Matt was struck by the similarities between his current predicament and that faced by the middle classes in the Weimar Republic.

“We learnt in Modern History about how German currency became almost worthless after the war. There were photos of people carrying their bank notes in wheelbarrows.”

“Actually, a wheelbarrow isn’t a bad idea.”

On the morning of the exam, Matt was unsurprised to see that he wasn’t the only law student adopting the “Weimar strategy”. Not only that, it seemed everyone in the UQ centre would rather face financial ruin and a fascist takeover than sit the exam.

By the end of the 10 minute perusal time, Matt realised that, like German Mark in 1923, his notes were worthless.

It remains to be seen whether, like in Germany, Matt’s marks will come good.