COLUMBUS, OHIO — An Ohio State University student whose relationship ended over the weekend had trouble finishing her homework on time. When she explained what had happened to her professor, the teacher decided to take mercy on her.
On the evening of February 25, Rachel Harriman, 19, was unexpectedly dumped by her boyfriend. In her fragile state, she had trouble focusing the next day and found herself unable to complete a class assignment on time. Hoping for a touch of grace, she emailed her professor to explain her situation and apologize for her late submission.
Her email, which she later posted to Twitter, read:
“Dear Professor Steigerwald,
I am so sorry for how late I am submitting this synopsis.
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.”
Her professor, who apparently appreciated her situation, responded to the email saying “Well, life happens. Seems like a good time to go to Europe.”
As a result, Rachel received a B+ on her assignment, didn’t lose any points for being late, and has received a ton of support from the Twitter community since posting the exchange.
