Cheating

Jen Scruggs, 17, USA

I walk into Calculus class, my first class of the day, tired and stressed. I had been up late the night before, studying for our first big Calculus test of the year.

Within minutes of sitting down, the tests are passed out and I begin. Less than ten minutes later, our teacher announces he has an errand to run, and tells us to keep working until he returns. As soon as he walks out the door, though, I know exactly what is going to happen.

I continue concentrating on the question before me, but suddenly the room is not so quiet anymore. With a sigh I lift my head, and look around the room. Now that the teacher is gone, many of the students begin sharing answers and discussing the problems together. Although this is far from the first time I have had to experience this, once again I am filled with a feeling of disbelief. I try to continue working, but my mind is now clogged with confusion and disappointment. After all, this is an AP Calculus class, and we are seniors in high school. Shouldn't we be trustworthy enough to be left alone in a classroom without the teacher having to worry about us cheating?

Cheating. The word brings to mind many different connotations, from deception to corruption to dishonesty. I have always been against cheating and work hard to earn my grades honestly; seeing it happen all around me is very difficult to accept. I never really understood how difficult it can be to resist cheating, until I began to witness my peers doing it on a daily basis. For many, cheating has become just a part of everyday life, and they don't even think twice about doing it. I can't even explain how disappointing it feels to put all my effort into a homework assignment or studying for a test, and then see someone else cheat their way to a better grade. To me, the grades you receive should represent not only your intelligence, but also how much effort and hard work you have applied to honestly earn your grades.

A few months ago, when our class ranks were disclosed, I was very excited to be named 4th in my class. I honestly feel that the amount of work and commitment I have made to my studies throughout high school has earned me this place, and I am proud to have come this far. However, I wonder about those who have cheated to get where they are. Many of them are ranked close to me, and unfortunately, even at the top of the class.

I have contemplated many times whether it is right to let all these acts go unreported and to let these students continue to think that cheating is the best solution. Of course the temptation to cheat will always be there, but as a result many of these students will never be able to experience how good it feels to earn a good grade. Cheating may seem like the easiest solution now, but in the future it will make things much more difficult. These students who become accustomed to cheating on a regular basis will find it progresses far beyond just their schoolwork. They will continue on to deceive others in all aspects of their lives, from personal to business relationships. I just hope that someday they will be able to realize that cheating and misleading others can not be kept up forever. Eventually, everyone must realize for themselves that the only true way to succeed is to work honestly, and to honestly earn what you receive. All I can do is pray and hope to myself that someday, somehow, people will be fair and honest. It's a simple wish, but sadly one that is probably far beyond my grasp.

As for my first Calculus test, I ended up getting a 97 on it. As I sat in class that day, I listened to the students around me, who had cheated, bragging about their grades to each other. I have now realized that no matter how angry I get, or how much I complain about it, some of these students will continue to cheat, as long as they can get away with it. It can only be to my advantage to move ahead of these people and work honestly. Although my 97 may not be perfection, I can walk out of the room feeling good about myself, and being proud that I worked to the best of my ability. I feel being confident in what I believe is right will help me to grow more as a human being, and hopefully it can help me to advance one step further on the long, complicated path of life.