This is called "frontloading" and I do it to my subordinates constantly. If a project has a deadline of Friday I lie and tell them the cutoff is Thursday.

Best case: You're a day early and look good.
Worst case: You're on time.
Apocalypse: They realize what you're doing.

I just be like 'yeaaah cool teacher.' and then she puts that comment and makes my perfectly sailing battleship turn into the Titanic all over again.

Titanic... battleship...?

As in everything seeming to be great and impossible to ruin and then sinking. Except my situation won't make a good movie.

Leo can make anything watchable. Also I'm still stuck on "battleship Titanic".