Students Give Sensational Excuses for Skipping Class
Anne Carlson: Muleskinner
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Features
Most college students have been there. Either you missed a class or you just didn't want to go to one. Then the professor wants to know where you were. You're stuck, right? Not if you have a good excuse. Here are some of the best excuses professors at UCM have heard.
One of the most-used excuses, according to the professors interviewed, have to do with death or illnesses in the family.
Larry Womble, a professor in the Safety Science Department, said he had a student who, during one semester had one grandfather die three times.
"Who knows how many times that man died. I'm sure I am not the only one who he told that to, too," Womble said.
Steve Shattuck, a professor in the Math Department, said he had a student who lost five grandmothers all in the same semester.
"Nowadays, that is possible but very unlikely," he said.
Jason Holland, of the Chemistry Department, said he had a student who was having the worst semester of her life.
"She had a grandma die, her aunt died and then her dad got cancer. If that was all true, that's a pretty crappy semester," he said.
"It's nice how grandparents can die at the drop of a hat several times a [semester]," said Dane Miller of the Criminal Justice Department.
It is not always even close relatives' deaths that students take time off for. Miller said he is always surprised how close students are to distant relatives.
"I understand you need to take time off when your grandparents pass away, even if they pass away four or five times a term," Miller said. "But I had student who took off a week when their third cousin's neighbor passed away. Only in a perfect world would we all be so attached to each other."
Another popular excuse is the student being ill or having an injury, which does not allow them to attend class.
"I have heard of every version of every type of every infection," Miller said. "Students always give you all the personal details of the infection, too. I don't want to know all the details of their infections. It is like they think the more details they give me the more believable their story becomes."
One of the most-used excuses, according to the professors interviewed, have to do with death or illnesses in the family.
Larry Womble, a professor in the Safety Science Department, said he had a student who, during one semester had one grandfather die three times.
"Who knows how many times that man died. I'm sure I am not the only one who he told that to, too," Womble said.
Steve Shattuck, a professor in the Math Department, said he had a student who lost five grandmothers all in the same semester.
"Nowadays, that is possible but very unlikely," he said.
Jason Holland, of the Chemistry Department, said he had a student who was having the worst semester of her life.
"She had a grandma die, her aunt died and then her dad got cancer. If that was all true, that's a pretty crappy semester," he said.
"It's nice how grandparents can die at the drop of a hat several times a [semester]," said Dane Miller of the Criminal Justice Department.
It is not always even close relatives' deaths that students take time off for. Miller said he is always surprised how close students are to distant relatives.
"I understand you need to take time off when your grandparents pass away, even if they pass away four or five times a term," Miller said. "But I had student who took off a week when their third cousin's neighbor passed away. Only in a perfect world would we all be so attached to each other."
Another popular excuse is the student being ill or having an injury, which does not allow them to attend class.
"I have heard of every version of every type of every infection," Miller said. "Students always give you all the personal details of the infection, too. I don't want to know all the details of their infections. It is like they think the more details they give me the more believable their story becomes."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
russian personals
posted 3/24/10 @ 3:14 PM CST
This sounds like a great program and a great way to improve education in our schools!
Post a Comment