Usually the day the paper was due I would just skip class to work on it, then hand it in to the 'paper drop off box' that every department (I believe) has... the secretary will stamp it received as of that day at the end of the day (so you have till 3-4pm rather than whenever class is). Every prof I've had accepted those as though they were handed in in class, because they were date stamped the date the paper was due.
Heck, I'd usually start the paper the day it was due, not the night before!
|