Deadlines are stressful enough, but when you’ve been counting on something being in place and it’s gone missing, chaos is inevitable. For one university student, this nightmare became a reality just days before their application deadline.
Having stored all their important work with their parents for safekeeping, they thought it was a simple request to pick up their sketchbooks and models before the deadline. But what was supposed to be a routine pickup turned into a disaster. Scroll down to read the whole story!
A student’s parents lose their university work just before a crucial deadline, causing frustration

































The OP is dealing with a really tough situation; her parents lost years of her university work just two days before a major application deadline. That’s a huge deal, and it’s understandable that she’s feeling frustrated and upset.
After all, all her hard work and planning seem to have vanished, and now she’s scrambling to make it all work again in a very short amount of time. But it’s not just about the lost work, it’s also about the way her parents are handling the situation, and how that’s affecting her emotionally.
At the emotional core, the OP’s frustration is completely justified. She took steps to ensure her work was safe by entrusting it to her parents, and she repeatedly reminded them of its importance. However, despite these repeated requests, her parents failed to act with urgency, and their eventual failure to locate the work feels like a betrayal of trust.
The OP feels torn between staying calm enough to salvage her future and the anger that comes with her parents’ negligence. This is where the emotional fallout comes from. According to Brené Brown, “When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated.”
The OP’s emotions are entirely understandable. When you rely on someone, especially those close to you, for something important, and they fail you, it creates a deep sense of helplessness and frustration.
Trust is a foundational part of any relationship, and when it’s broken, particularly in situations that carry significant consequences, feelings of betrayal, frustration, and emotional exhaustion naturally arise.
In this case, the pressure of the impending deadline and the future impact of the lost work only amplify these emotions. The OP has every right to feel overwhelmed by the situation, given how much is riding on it.
So, whether the OP is overreacting or if her feelings are valid. It’s clear that the OP is under immense stress, and the lack of emotional support from her parents only deepens her sense of abandonment. The OP took every reasonable step to ensure her work was secure, and her frustration is a direct response to the circumstances.
While the parents might have had good intentions in keeping the work safe, they ultimately failed in their responsibility. Their lack of accountability and emotional support adds insult to injury.
As relationship expert Rachael Pace says, “Trust is the glue that holds hearts together and helps you grow closer.” This is a poignant reminder that trust is foundational in relationships; when it’s broken, it strains not only the immediate connection but also the emotional health of the individuals involved.
See what others had to share with OP:
This group agreed that the parents are at fault for losing the items








These commenters acknowledged that while the parent’s failure to safeguard the items was wrong


































This group harshly criticized the OP for negligence



















These commenters added that the OP should have taken responsibility for their possessions
![Student Asked Her Parents To Keep Her Uni Work Safe, But They Lost It Right Before Her Deadline, Is It Their Fault? [Reddit User] − ESH - I don't know what kind of living arrangements you have,](https://dailyhighlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/wp-editor-1763579029361-66.webp)













What do you think? Are the parents solely to blame, or could the Redditor have done more to prevent this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!










