Now that the end of the semester is nearing, I am seeing an uptick in emails from students asking for extra credit or bonus assignments in hopes of boosting their grades. Most of the time, these are the students who were either penalized for late submissions or didn’t do the assignments at all, so it is obvious that they are trying with all of their might in these emails to generate sympathy for their situation.

While I wouldn’t say the emails that I’ve received have been too bizarre or off the wall, I have seen an unexpected number of excuses related to being a caretaker for a suddenly sick or injured sister. I can’t help but wonder if that’s just become a favorite excuse of students or if I should start worrying about the health and wellness of my own sisters. 😅

Anyway, what is the weirdest or craziest excuse you’ve received from a student for missing work, the need for an extension/extra credit, etc? And did it end up being a legitimate excuse?