I don’t think you’re being a dick. I’ve worked with college students extensively and the reality is that many of them don’t actually want to be there or think they can skate by without really putting work in. Some of those people probably had legitimate excuses, but many people just prioritize other things or don’t quite yet have the habits or emotional discipline they need. And that’s fine but they’re not the ones to be catered to or else professors lose all compassion and refuse to give any leniency because they’ve been played by the late submission gamers too many times.