In high school, we all had excuses for why we couldn’t turn in our homework. If you were creative, your kid brother used your five-paragraph essay as origami for a bathtub reenactment of the Spanish Armada. One time, and I’m telling the truth here, the dog actually peed on my homework, and both the teacher and I were happier I didn’t turn it in.

As teenagers we got by with an excuse but learned the grander lesson: meet deadlines or get detention.

Here in the real world, deadlines are just as important, if not more so. Ninety-nine percent of LifeTips writers have no problem meeting deadlines. If you need an extension and ask for one in advance, my co-editors and I are happy to oblige an extra couple of days. We all catch viruses, get dumped by our boyfriend, or fall behind schedule. But come day of deadline, don’t give us excuses.

“My Internet doesn’t work today, so I won’t be able to turn in my tips,” two writers have emailed me the day their tips were due. My thoughts? a) The obvious: If your Internet doesn’t work, how were you able to send me this email? b) This is America. There are cafes equipped with wireless service on every street corner. c) This is not high school, so excuses are not going to cut it.

LifeTips works with professional writers. Professional writers meet deadlines. I just wish I could give out detention.