When you’re a university student, it’s more thank likely that some of your professors will be eccentric. Some will even annoy you.

But sometimes you can beat them at their own game. See how this student handled the instructions.

Exactly what’s on the syllabus? No problem, Professor.

Back in university, I had this professor who treated the syllabus like it was some sacred, binding contract.

The Word of God, as he liked to say (Yes, he actually said that out loud).

Any time someone asked for clarification or flexibility, he’d shut it down with: “It’s all in the syllabus, follow it to the letter.”

It doesn’t exactly simplify things…

Most students just tolerated it, but I couldn’t.

Midway through the semester, I noticed something weird.

The syllabus listed the due date for our final paper as April 18th but also said due the last day of class, which was April 25th.

So naturally, students were confused. Emails went out.

The class group chat blew up.

And the professor never bothered to clarify it.

So he did what he was told.

So I submitted my paper on April 18th, exactly as one line said.

Then on April 25th, I submitted another copy, slightly edited, better formatted, and properly cited, to match the other line.

A few days later, calls me saying he only accepts one submission and he’s docking points for submitting late. I showed him his own syllabus.

“You said it was due April 18th,” I said. “I followed the syllabus exactly. The second copy is just a bonus, so you can ignore it.”

He gave me full marks. Never spoke of it again. The next semester? His syllabus was half the length and ten times clearer.

Here is what people are talking about.

I like how he handled it, too.

Quite a feat!

That’s quite a theory. Have you been smoking something?

Agreed! I hope he laughed.

I hope you have since found a good hobby.

My university days are over.

I don’t miss profs like this.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.