"The dog ate my homework." "My grandmother is sick." "I just forgot it."
These are the excuses professors are probably used to hearing from students when they hand in an assignment late, or don't hand it in at all. But one teen at Ohio State University decided to actually tell the truth about why her history assignment was several hours late — and it paid off.
Rachel Harriman's boyfriend unexpectedly broke up with her over the weekend, she told BuzzFeed, and that made it pretty much impossible to get her homework done on time. So that's exactly what she told her teacher when she finally handed in the assignment.
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"I am so sorry for how late I am submitting this synopsis," she wrote. "My boyfriend unexpectedly broke up with me yesterday evening and I was a complete, unfocused mess who did not account for such a time consuming hiccup to affect my Sunday productivity. This will obviously not happen again, as I am no longer 'in a relationship' and will have no one to break up with me next Sunday.
Also, I am very sorry that this is kind of uncomfortable. It is for me too."
She then posted her email to Twitter, and the internet rallied behind her.
"how are classes going" "how is your life" pic.twitter.com/7GOXFFI7U6
— Rachel Harriman (@rachel_harry8) February 21, 2017
Some offered to be her excuse the next week.
@rachel_harry8 if you need another boyfriend to break up with you so you can get another extension on that paper pic.twitter.com/Dt2XJH0jKx
— D (@Dawhitekidd29) February 21, 2017
Some wanted to commission her work for their own excuse emails.
@rachel_harry8 This is gold Rachel!!. Can I hire you to start writing my emails to my Professors???
— Brendan McAndrews (@bmcandrews33) February 21, 2017
Some shared their own breakup and school-related horror stories.
@rachel_harry8 Same. Submitted an A-worthy paper and used the wrong citations through the whole thing... Hang in there <3
— Olivia Hayes (@livvy_oh) March 1, 2017
And others offered to get payback.
@rachel_harry8 I'll shit on his lawn 4 u
— Rachel Rouwenhorst (@RealSagBobet) February 21, 2017
For what it's worth, her professor's response was just as amazing as her email.
"Dear Rachel," he wrote in an email provided to BuzzFeed. "Well, life happens. Seems like a good time to go to Europe."
PREACH. Even some of us who didn't just go through a breakup are looking to hop out of this country right now. But even if she can't make the trip, Rachel at least didn't suffer the consequences of her bad weekend in history class.
“I got a B+ on the assignment," she told BuzzFeed. "He did not take off any points for it being late."