Finals and Frustration

If I could get three things across to students, the world would be a better place (only slightly better, but better).

1. Do your work and do it ontime.

2. Follow directions.

3. Proofread.

There.

I'm giving a final; I was going to be grading the last few papers at this time, but one of the students didn't manage to bring hir papers. They were due at the beginning of the exam.

Do I fail this student for not turning them in at the beginning of the exam? Zie says they're on hir computer, in the email inbox. Why they aren't in my email inbox, I don't know. And why the student didn't bring hir laptop to class (zie has on many occasions) so zie could put them on my flash drive or email them right there, I don't know.

I'm sort of frustrated. I can't seem to get across to this student. I hate feeling like I'm nagging, so I tend not to, and perhaps don't communicate as much as the student needs. But what the student needs, in a way, is to fail because zie didn't turn in the work. But I don't think I'll do that because it feels petty and dinkish.

I don't know why the student can't manage to turn in work in a timely manner. I'm guessing procrastination is involved, but usually (in my vast experience with procrastination) something is behind the procrastination. And most students do manage to do the work, even if it's not done to the best of their abilities when they turn it in. And some people learn from that.

And some don't. I know, I've been there, though I'm not there right now. And I'll likely be there, procrastinating like mad, at some point in the future.

Edited to add: The student turned in the work, late, but at last.