shaggy, surrendering is s term used in AA for "throwing in the towel" or "putting up the white flag", an utter deep conviction that alcohol has me beat and that trying to drink will always get me in big trorble (which it REALLY did - I was a blackout drinker for 18 years and I have a HUGE genetic inheretence of alcoholism and it was in my horrifc upbringing - and I have MANY family members who have died from it). In our society we are taught never surrneder - fight to the death for what you need (even if the fight ends uo destructive to omes self - and we can do this even in the act of trying to get sober with out a 12 step program, but saying surrender is the right way to go sounds counter-intiuitive, it certainly did for menr when I Started in AA. Then I was told (about agazillion times, "Surrender to Win" and that means if I throw in the towel and admit I am powerless over alcohol, I am on the road to recovery. JUst stop fighing it

And this concept of surrender applies in all ares of life. If there is a situation, like this one with the Uni, that I have struggled to adapt myself to the dysfuntion of the organisation but it's not working, and not over a period of time, surrendering to the fact that the situation is untenable and going back later is the most strategic thing thing to do to protect myself - and that will enable me to be more robust when I do go back. I hope that explains it, ask anything else if you wish.