Writing essays, doing group projects, and creating presentations are designed to show student creativity. 

But the area where that creativity shines the most happens to be when a student needs to come up with a quick justification for skipping class. 

These are their stories.

1. Let’s start with Brittany Mojo, a ceramics teacher. A student told her that their fifth wheel got stuck in a ditch. 
2. Doug Highland, a photography teacher, tells about a student who, “left their bicycle on the front of the bus and had to run around campus after it.”
3. Julie Hoffman, a math teacher, had a student say that their water broke. Saved by the baby. 
4. “She had to take care of her baby kangaroo,” said Greg Baxley, a chemistry professor. 
5. Wendy Denzel, a math teacher, tells about a student whose grandmother passed away. For the fourth time. 
6. Jeff Grover, a geology teacher, said he heard a story about a student who said she was late because her pet monkey was sick. While she was driving to the vet, the monkey climbed on top of her and peed. Everywhere. 
7. Kathryn Robasciotti, an American Sign Language teacher, tells about a student whose excuse was that they overslept. Easy-to-believe excuse for an 8 a.m. class, harder-to-believe excuse for her 4 p.m. class. 
8. Mark Weber, a history professor, said he had a student say their puppy got it’s head stuck in a jar. They had pictures to prove it!
9. Tom Patchell, an English professor, taught a student that said they missed class because someone stole their doorknob off of their door and they couldn’t leave the house. 
10. Mark Turner, a math professor, tells about a student that had rats eat the wiring of her car. 

 Probably wasn’t a very mice way to start their day.