Professors share the wildest excuses they’ve heard

BY CAROLINE CRAIN

News Editor

College life is full of surprises. Between late nights, unexpected challenges and last-minute changes, things rarely go as planned. 

When a student misses class or a deadline, professors at Tarleton State University find themselves on the receiving end of some truly wild excuses.

Some professors hear excuses that come with undeniable proof, often in the form of photos. One professor, who asked to remain anonymous, recalled a few of the most bizarre messages they’ve received.

“I had students who got their thumbs caught in doors, caught in drawers, sending me pictures,” they said. “I got a girl who was hit by a mail truck on her way biking to school and sent me a picture with the mail truck. There were packages, and there was a bike under the truck.”

They continued.

“The worst one—I really rethought whether I really wanted to continue doing this or not—I had a student who was a single mom and was gone a lot with her kid,” they said. “Toward the end of the semester, she said, ‘Professor, my child has always had bowel issues,’ and apparently her kid was constipated to the point where she had to go to the hospital, and the stool had to be surgically removed. She sent me a picture of the stool, and I was done for the rest of the day.”

The professor finished by explaining that all of these students were excused from class.

While some students go to great lengths to justify missing class, others offer excuses that don’t hold up under the slightest scrutiny. Jeri Martin, an instructor in Tarleton’s English department, shared a moment when a student’s reasoning fell apart instantly.

“We were working on an in-class assignment. We didn’t have to have a book or anything, we just had to look something up on Google,” Martin said. “So, [a student] got up to leave class because as soon as you were finished with the assignment, you could leave. I could tell by looking at the Canvas that she hadn’t turned anything in. She goes, ‘I’m going to turn it in later, I don’t have my laptop with me.’ Now the funny part of this is we are in a computer lab, so that was a crazy excuse to me.”

Students often try to craft excuses they think will resonate with their professors. Prairie Parnell, a communications professor, has noticed familiar themes in the explanations she receives.

“My students know that I like horses and that I have horses, so sometimes I get the ‘I have to take my horse to the vet,’ or ‘My horse injured itself,’” Parnell said. “I have had some students who are just straight up honest and they’re like, ‘Well, I’m going to LJT (Larry Joe Taylor Musical Festival), I’ll see you in two weeks,’ which is kind of to be appreciated, and kind of not at the same time.”

While some students get creative with their excuses, others stick to their story – no matter how many times it’s corrected. Dianne Casey, a mathematics instructor, recalled a student whose reasoning didn’t quite add up.

“I get this email, and it’s, ‘I was in class. I was in 333, I couldn’t sign the attendance though,’” Casey said. “I’ve emailed him back every time, ‘But we meet in 334,’ but he keeps sending me that. He’s emailed me it three times now.”

While wild excuses like these may not always help students escape missed deadlines, they certainly provide professors with a laugh – or a headache. Either way, these moments are just another reminder of how unpredictable (and entertaining) college life can be.