There are days when students don’t feel like doing their homework or another academic task. And the reasons may be more than diverse. You are too tired after football practice or a party that ended after midnight. You have lots of other tasks to complete or need to help your parents. There are also times when the subject is so boring that handing in homework is impossible.
If you have experienced at least one of the problems above, you are in the right place. In this guide, we are going to discuss how to get away with not doing homework. These methods are time-tested and can help you not to do assignments or use them in other life situations. However, making excuses shouldn’t become a habit because you risk receiving lower grades and poorer knowledge. Use them wisely and get rid of your homework instantly!
How to Skip Homework: Types of Excuses
On the Internet, you may find lots of excuses for not doing homework, but not all of them are good. We offer you a list of the most reliable and winning excuses that work well in any situation.
Technology is to Blame
Nowadays, when students tend to do homework on computers or simply search for information on the Internet, this excuse is the most believable one. Say that your laptop broke down, that you had no ink in the printer, or that the Internet wasn’t working. Most tutors have experienced these problems as well and know that when it comes to technologies, not much can be done.
This excuse works well if you are completing homework online. Say that you’ve done everything, but then the Internet went down and you couldn’t finish the task. Excuse with the printer is rather complex, though, because your teacher might ask you to email homework. That is why use this approach only if you want to win some time and not to avoid the assignment at all.
Family Issues
This is one of the best homework excuses even though you should be attentive not to say too much because the teacher may call your parents and ask for comments or even try to solve a problem that has never existed.
If your parents are no longer together, you can say that you were staying with your father over the weekend, but all your textbooks are at your mother’s. Most teachers feel sorry for children with divorced parents and won’t ask any further questions.
If you have siblings, it is possible to say that you had to watch your younger brother who got sick and you weren’t able to complete the task on time.
Health Problems
Another plausible excuse is to blame illnesses. Tell the teacher that the night before you weren’t feeling very well and couldn’t do the task properly. Don’t forget to mention that you didn’t want to skip school even though you are a bit sick at the moment. Such an approach will help to escape the punishment, and you’ll see how forgiving your tutor can be.
However, you should be careful with this excuse because the teacher might request a call or message from your parents. That is why if your teacher usually demands notes when students are sick, you’d better avoid this excuse.
Other Excuses for Late Homework
The above reasons for not doing homework are classics, but there are more approaches available. Here are a few other excuses that you might use.
Say That the Assignment Was Too Complex
Teachers value honesty, and you can say things like, ‘I tried but I couldn’t understand the task. Can you help me after the class?’ Every teacher should help their students understand the task, and they will be willing to help you. Especially considering how honest you are. If you are genuinely interested in studying, you might get away with this little excuse.
You Have Lost the Paper
If you want to find out how to avoid doing homework, but all the above methods are not suitable, try to use this one. However, it requires certain acting skills. When you come to the class, try to look worried and stressed, and say that you can’t find your homework anywhere. If you look genuine, the teacher will most likely believe you and give you one more day to find the work or write it anew.
Don’t say that you have left it at home because your teacher might call your parents and ask them to bring the paper. Another piece of advice is not to use this reason too often because your teacher might think you are disorganized and won’t be as loyal towards similar excuses in the future.
Busy Schedule
One of the universal excuses is a tight schedule. You can say that you had too much homework the night before or that you had to stay at a practice longer than intended. But this excuse will work only if you study really hard and the teacher knows it. This reason won’t be suitable if you don’t have many activities after classes, often miss deadlines, and are late for school.
Don’t Have Fake Homework? Deliver the Excuse Properly
Now, when you know how to skip homework and have lots of instruments in the arsenal, let us tell you about the next stage: delivering the speech. It is as important as selecting the excuse itself and may significantly influence the result.
Here are the steps on how you can transmit your serious or funny homework excuse.
Know Tutor’s Character
Before approaching the teacher, you should think about his or her personality. This will significantly impact the way you should deliver the reason and on the excuse itself. If the tutor is strict, you should be ready to answer numerous questions.
The good idea is to be aware of the teacher’s interests. This may help you to understand what excuses will work in the best way. For example, if you know that the teacher has recently divorced, he might be more prone to believing in your story about textbooks left in your father’s home.
Your Speech Should Be Brief and Accurate
When following this advice correctly, you will have difficulties with deciding what to do when you have no homework because it will help you to avoid tasks with ease. Remember: the shorter your excuse is, the simpler it will be to remember it. Your story should be brief and without too many details because they might seem suspicious.
Choose only the most relevant details which are directly related to the story. Don’t include unnecessary facts, names, and time which will not only confuse the teacher but will make it more difficult to follow the plot. If the teacher needs more details, they will ask for them. In such a case, you should improvise but still avoid unnecessary facts.
A useful tip is to write down the details not to forget them in the future. One of the ways lies is detected is the constant change of details and scenario.
Other things you should keep in mind:
- The story should be plausible. Remember, your story must be credible in order to make the teacher believe in it. If they decide to check the facts and background, you might get yourself into much trouble.
- Pay attention to your physical signs. They might show that you are lying. For example, avoiding eye contact, being too talkative, or fidgeting.
How to Get Away With Not Doing Homework – Consequences
Some students are ready to make excuses for late homework, but they are not ready to face the consequences. We always recommend thinking about the possible outcomes and deciding whether you are ready for them or not. If not, downloading fake homework assignments or choosing one of the excuses above might not be for you.
What if you get caught?
Before finding a reason and telling your story, think of the consequences. Read school’s requirements and regulations concerning honesty and lying. If there is a school handbook, search for related information. What will happen if you break school rules?
The consequences significantly vary from one tutor to another. Some of them might just reprimand you, while others will report to your parents or the principal. You might even be expelled.
What if you remain honest?
Another question you should ask yourself is what is going to happen if you just tell the teacher that you had no time or forgot about the homework. The result depends on the task itself. If it is worth only a few points, you might not be stressed at all. But if it’s worth 10% of the total grade, then you’d better write it.
You can also talk to the students who have already had a particular teacher. Ask whether he or she reacts calmly on missing the assignment. Do they accept late works?
Compare the results
Now, when you know all the pros and cons of making an excuse, lying, or telling the truth, you should compare them and decide whether the game is worth the risks. You might write down all the reasons and their benefits/drawbacks. For example, the pros might include ‘the assignment is too important not to complete it.’ The cons can be ‘if I am caught, my parents will leave me grounded for two weeks.’
Weight all these consequences, and it will be much easier to decide which option is the best for you.
What to Do When You Have No Homework or Want to Be Prepared
In this article, we have discussed good excuses for missing homework, as well as the main things to consider when delivering the reasons to your teacher and preparing for the possible consequences. But it’s not all. We want to share with you a few other tips that might be extremely useful. They are:
Make homework your priority
Not to deliver fake homework or lie to the teacher, you should always prioritize the tasks and find enough time for them. Schedule at least one hour every day for the tasks, and you’ll always meet the deadlines. Even if there is no homework for today, try to complete long-term projects or read textbooks.
Make a list of the tasks you have, and you’ll never forget about homework. It is wise to write them down once the teacher mentions the assignment.
Ask for help
If you want to succeed in your studies but feel that you don’t have time or energy, there’s nothing wrong with asking for assistance. Tell your friends and relatives that you want to focus on the studies, and ask them not to bother or distract you during particular hours.
You might also hire tutors or contact an academic writing service. This will help you to get lots of useful details, understand where to search for information, and always have access to specialists who will support and understand you. And the best part is that this process is anonymous, and you won’t have to tell your relatives, friends, or teachers that you pay someone for helping with the tasks.
Try not to lie on a regular basis
After making excuses for the first time, students might think that it is much simpler than doing the homework and decide to make lies a habit. However, this is a bad idea for many reasons. First of all, lies always come out. Secondly, if you make excuses very often, your teacher might not believe them in the future, and you’ll achieve the opposite result.
Remember, making excuses for not completing homework is ok but only if it takes place once or twice. For the best results, it is better to do all the assignments on time or hire a specialist who will write your paper and explain the homework.