The former would really solve the case and if there's way to fix it was really to get 90 merits and the 120 activity. I think activity will surely be meet once you get those merit since that will get you more hours here being active before a 90 merit be thrown to you. Don't doubt yourself yet.

I think this was the same case of those Sr. Members that have to rank up to Hero and then those Hero that'll rank up to Legendary until the merit system surprised them, it's pretty sure a bad luck. But lucky to those who have already rank up and get the activity they need before the merit system kick-off. If these was a movie it should have been titled "The Unlucky Numbers of Activity: The dawn of the Merit System."