I hope you’ve had a great weekend! I’m wondering if it might be possible for me to receive an extension on the final paper. I feel my present circumstances might make it hard for me to turn in quality work since I’m currently somewhere in the South Pacific, drifting helplessly on a makeshift bamboo raft.

Totally no worries if this wouldn’t be possible!

For context, I have my paper fully outlined, but I just need the time to get it in prose. That might be hard to do right now though because I’m a thousand miles off the coast of the Philippines, stranded on a small raft with one remaining paint can of freshwater.

Would it be possible for me to turn the essay in on Monday? That might give me enough time to keep drifting northward into a shipping lane and hopefully get spotted by a cargo boat. If you need me to turn it in earlier, I’d be happy to try and paddle there!

I hope my turning in the paper a few days late won’t be too inconvenient for you and your grading schedule. I should also let you know that the paper I turn in to you may be noticeably influenced by my traumatic experience at sea. You see, as I have been floating here on the unforgiving ocean, my mind has begun to go. I have become best friends with a bird carcass that washed up on my raft and he will be co-authoring the paper with me. If you need me to be saner, would it be possible for me to take a few more days to turn in the paper? That might give me enough time to stop thinking I’m still on the raft every time I close my eyes.

Again, I totally understand if an extension wouldn’t be possible! Since I don’t have access to a pen and paper or a laptop, I’d be happy to scream the essay directly into the sea.

Being stuck out here for what I can only assume is somewhere between ten days and two months has given me a lot of time to think. I have spent that time thinking about the readings and the amazing syllabus you put together. Thank you so much for a great semester so far, and again, no worries if it’s a “no”!