Stop Cheating Yourself | Teen Ink

Stop Cheating Yourself MAG

By Anonymous

     A student does not know any of the answers on a test. As he stares at the blank answer page, all the problems look blurry, and when the results come back, the student realizes that he failed. This is the situation for those who copy homework from others. They are not only cheating, they are not learning anything and will not be prepared for tests or quizzes. By using the work of others, they can ruin their grade as well as their future. It is not right to cheat when we all have the capability to do our own work. People should not receive rewards for the effort of others.

Most people have cheated at least once in their lives, whether it was for missed or incomplete work, or even just for credit that you didn’t deserve. But this is not right; in fact, it is unethical and unfair. Taking the work of others and using it as your own is not the right thing to do. It shows a lack of responsibility as well as a lack of knowledge. For example, if a student cheats using a classmate’s exam paper, he is taking credit for another’s work. If the tea-cher catches him, the consequences are usually failure.

Cheating by using the work of others is the same as ruining your life with drugs. It is not only unnecessary and foolish, it can also start to be addicting in many ways. If a student constantly cheats, then it may become a habit in the future. Besides, no one needs to cheat. We all have brains that we can use and also teachers, parents, and peers to help us. Anyway, it’s not like we will succeed in life if we continuously cheat. There is no need to ruin both your education and your life by cheating.

Cheaters usually suffer many consequences. In the beginning when the student is in grade school, cheating may only lead to losing credit and going to the principal’s office. In middle school, there will be Saturday detentions, suspensions, and even parent-teacher conferences. But in high school, college, and the rest of a person’s life, cheating will not be tolerated. If a college student uses a quote from a book or website and doesn’t cite where the information came from, that is plagiarism. This form of credit-taking does not just have minor consequences but can also land you in jail, ruin your record for certain jobs, tear apart your relationships with family and friends, and jeopardize your future.

Every day as you pass through a teen-infested hallway, there will be at least one person madly scribbling away on a piece of paper trying to match it with the one from their peers. This all can occur right before the bell signals the start of a new school day. Why do they have to do this? Will those extra 10 points have a huge impact on their grade and also remind them to do their homework in the future? The clear answer is no! Why can’t they just tell their teachers the truth? By copying, the cheater learns nothing and the teacher will never know if they copied their homework or if they did it themselves.

Of all things, taking credit for others’ work is not only unnecessary but quite unreasonable as well. If we all just do our work, then there is no need to cheat. We should make an effort for our education instead of taking the easy way out. But most important, if we all work hard instead of cheating, then everyone will live a prosperous and successful life.



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This article has 81 comments.


on Jun. 26 2011 at 4:38 pm
kel_the_shell, Ronks, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We accept the love we think we deserve." - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This article is so true! But the people who cheat in highschool probably aren't going to stop their. They'll probably cheat in college too because it will be a habit by then. If your always copying someone elses answers you aren't learning anything. Is it really worth it?

on Mar. 30 2011 at 5:46 pm
Jesusisalive BRONZE, Neosho, Missouri
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments
Cheating is wrong no matter how you look at it. You are claiming someone else's work as your own. When you cheat, you are not just copying somone else's answers, you are also lying. When teachers look at you work, they think it is your own, and by them thinking that you are lying to them. Also, the things you cheat on you may need to know how to do those things later on in your life. What if you got a job where you needed to know something that you should have learned in school but you cheated on instead? And anyway, even if you don't know the answer to a question, even though you DID study, you shouldn't cheat. And if you cheat because you didn't study, then that is your own fault. Learn from the mistake of not studying, but DON'T make another mistake by cheating. Even if you study and forget everything, at least you are learning how to use your brain. Seriously, how much are you going to develope your brain by cheating? Uh.... pretty simple answer:) So try studying. And even if you do study and forget all the answers when you take a test. That is NOT your fault. Just keep on studying and trying hard. That is what counts in this situation. And if you still have problems, talk to your teacher about it. Maybe they will surprise you and can work something out. And if not, just keep trying your best. Good luck!!!!!!  :)

The~Watcher said...
on Mar. 30 2011 at 4:27 pm

One of the biggest problems with cheating is that there's a lot of gray area. Sure, it's wrong to cut-and-paste someone else's essay. But is it wrong to help a classmate on an assignment if the teacher didn't specifically forbid it? What if you lend them your notes on that video because they were sick? What if the teacher won't put forth any effort to help the students?

I decided a few months ago to quit completely. I have to deal with the issue of whether I'm cheating at all or not every day, and it's tough. I have to say, though, I can still maintain good grades without it. And I feel a lot better about myself.


Fran94 SILVER said...
on Mar. 30 2011 at 3:38 pm
Fran94 SILVER, Hayward, California
8 articles 0 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you are content with being yourself and never compete or compare, everyone will respect you."
-Laotzu

I truly agree with you that cheating is really wrong. I don't care what other people say here. Cheating is wrong. It is too risky to cheat and it does NOT help you. Cheating will get you nowhere. You only get somewhere if you work hard and follow the rules. Other than that, this is a really good article. I really liked it. Very informative with an attention-grabbing opening. Keep writing wonderful essays!

on Mar. 9 2011 at 6:44 pm
splinteredsunlight GOLD, Williamsburg, Virginia
15 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in that suffering." -Friedrich Nietzsche

But that's her business. If you don't want to cheat, then that's your choice, but if she does, then it's hers. Perhaps it's the wrong choice, but that's up to her. You can believe it's wrong all you want, but why would you tell your teachers? Her cheating wasn't harming you, and you obviously weren't helping to improve her life, if cheaters got expelled. It seems futile and petty. You should always have your friends' backs regardless of their choices.

on Mar. 9 2011 at 1:50 pm
whisperingofdawn GOLD, Colorado City, Arizona
17 articles 12 photos 87 comments
I never said that anyone else's opinion was less important than my own; I simply said that her actions were unethical. In the school I attended when I was friends with her not only the cheating students were expelled, but also the person they cheated off of. So it really did concern me. Call me selfish, but I'll never be willing to sacrifice my education for the sake of some stupid girl who chooses not to take advantage of the amazing opportunities we are given daily, but instead spends her time screwing around and then shows up and steals another student’s work and sticks her name on it. That’s exactly what cheating is: stealing. It is dishonest and wrong no matter how you look at it. Excuses can be made for anything, but that doesn’t make it right. I don’t claim to be perfect, and I never said I was better than anyone else. I feel like my friend was simply dishonest, and she made pointless excuses that got her nowhere.

on Mar. 8 2011 at 8:59 pm
writtenfire14 SILVER, Safety Harbor, Florida
8 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
Why do we close our eyes when we dream? When we cry? When we imagine? When we kiss? Because the most beautiful things in this world are unseen.

I, in addition to many people who have commented on this article, don't think cheating is as wrong as you say it is. But I don't exactly think it is a good thing either. I will admit, I have cheated, I have let my friends, and sometimes even people who aren't really my friends, cheat off me, without any guilt. From day one in your school career, you are taught cheating is wrong, cheating is wrong. But is it really? Is it really that bad? I don't think so. What's the point of focussing on something you know you won't use in your future? But then again, most people don't use this extra time gained by cheating for more studying in other classes. They probably watch TV, play video games, and hang out with friends. This is why I think cheating isn't a good thing. It's extremely unfair that those who people cheat off of have less time to do the things they want to do. But it's stupid to spend your time on something you aren't going to use in the future. I, personally, only ever cheat to keep up my GPA and strait A's. But I consider that if you're willing to do things like let people cheat off you, and cheat off them, you shouldn't be considered a bad person.

on Mar. 8 2011 at 4:03 pm
splinteredsunlight GOLD, Williamsburg, Virginia
15 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in that suffering." -Friedrich Nietzsche

I don't think this is always true. Cheating, I think, can be either right or wrong on a case-by-case basis. It depends on what matters to you. For example, my favorite subject is English, and my writing means a lot to me. When I get out of high school, I want to write books and be either a journalist or an English teacher. I know that my performance, effort and how much I learn in my English and journalism classes will directly correlate with how well I do in college and my career success as an adult. For that reason, I would never cheat in those classes. However, high schools have prerequisites for graduation in math and science, two subjects that I really can't stand. If I want to graduate on time and get into a good college, I know that I need to do well in those classes just for an overall good GPA, but the subjects don't matter to me at all. I'm not that good in math or science, and I'm not motivated to try to learn much, because once I'm out of school, knowing math and science won't be important to my life. I mostly try to do my own work, but I'll admit to occasionally cheating in those classes. To me, there's nothing wrong with cheating in subjects that aren't important to me. If I cheat, it takes away time that I'd use to study and do homework and allows me to devote that time to my writing, while letting me still maintain a good grade. The only reason I care about having a good math/science grade is so that I can get into a good college that can teach me to hone and improve my writing. Therefore, it seems logical to me that rather than devoting my time to subjects that don't interest me and that I won't be using in my future, I should spend as much time as possible working towards improving what is important to me. It's a matter of priorities. I choose to prioritize English, and cheating in math and science is part of that priority, so that I don't have to choose between having a good GPA and being a good writer. I honestly think that my cheating will be more beneficial than detrimental to my future.

on Mar. 8 2011 at 3:38 pm
splinteredsunlight GOLD, Williamsburg, Virginia
15 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in that suffering." -Friedrich Nietzsche

Really? What kind of a friend is that? You're perfectly entitled to your own opinion, and well within your right to not let her copy from you, but whether she's going to cheat or not is her decision. If you think not cheating is the better option, then choose that for yourself, and you can feel good about believing you made the right choice, but it's really none of your business what your friend chooses to do. Everyone has differing opinions, and it seems to me that your inability to consider someone else's is a bigger problem than your friend's cheating. If your holier-than-thou attitude means that you'll ostracize a friend of yours and narc on her to teachers just to make her life suck because you don't agree with her personal choices that really don't affect you at all, then I think you have some lessons to learn about right and wrong.

C.Pearl BRONZE said...
on Feb. 14 2011 at 5:52 pm
C.Pearl BRONZE, Wayland, Massachusetts
3 articles 5 photos 7 comments
There are a lot of smart people. Yes, scoring in the 99th percentile is impressive, but will it get you through life? No. When you get a job, no one cares about how well you did on some tests. They care about how much effort and time you're willing to put into it, in addition to your level of intelligence. And, this is not something you can pick up over night. Time management and working hard are acquired skills. I'm sure that you are smart, however; in the long run this may not serve you as well as you might have hoped.

Wordgasm GOLD said...
on Jan. 24 2011 at 7:13 pm
Wordgasm GOLD, Kingfield, Maine
12 articles 0 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
If it was a unicorn it would have gored you.

This was meant to be a reply to Ilovecheating's message below.

Wordgasm GOLD said...
on Jan. 24 2011 at 7:12 pm
Wordgasm GOLD, Kingfield, Maine
12 articles 0 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
If it was a unicorn it would have gored you.

Why must you flame on TeenInk? Do you really have nothing else to do with you life?

jmm12349 said...
on Jan. 24 2011 at 12:55 pm
Personally, I would have helped him.  However, I understand your dilemma and respect you if your choice was to not give him the answers.

jmm12349 said...
on Jan. 24 2011 at 12:37 pm
Perhaps the reason you get such good grades is because you cheat off of others.  I find it hard to believe you are "smart" when your post is littered with grammar mistakes.  I'm not claiming that I've never cheated before, but I don't make a habit of it.  You should get into a good college because you actually TRY, not because you take credit for other's work.

LastChapter said...
on Jan. 23 2011 at 1:04 pm
LastChapter, Hempstead, New York
0 articles 0 photos 215 comments

Favorite Quote:
(couldn't think of anything better at the time) "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."-Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.

how is cheating--though very wrong, i agree--on the same level as abusing drugs in any way shape or form. completely different in both state of mind when in use, and the later consequences, they really have nothing whatsoever in common.

on Jan. 1 2011 at 8:59 pm
AmandaPanda123 SILVER, Brookville, Pennsylvania
9 articles 0 photos 64 comments

Favorite Quote:
Memories are forever.

I totally agree with PurpleFeather!

on Jan. 1 2011 at 8:57 pm
AmandaPanda123 SILVER, Brookville, Pennsylvania
9 articles 0 photos 64 comments

Favorite Quote:
Memories are forever.

I don't think that it is stuck-up or prudish to tell someone that they can't cheat off of you...at all. I know that when someone asks if they can copy my homework, I feel like they're cheating themselves out of actually doing the work like everyone else in the class. It's not fair to us if that person gets to not do any of the work. The best thing to do is to do your own work instead of copying on anything-tests or homework.  

on Dec. 10 2010 at 1:33 pm
Hazel-daisy GOLD, --, Other
19 articles 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else - Erna Bombeck

In three words i can sum up everything I've learned in life: it goes on -Robert Frost

Live, Love, Laugh - ______

Hope, Love, breathe <3 - Me

i agree with you 100%....But i learned to let it go...i know its annoying when good things happen to them and not you but in the end, you are the better person and know you deserved what you got..!

Melody777 GOLD said...
on Nov. 18 2010 at 8:35 pm
Melody777 GOLD, Tonasket, Washington
17 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you."

I am just honestly curious...i totally agree with what you are saying...but so have you never ever once cheated???????

lovevpets said...
on Nov. 18 2010 at 4:56 pm
Another thing, a friend of mine asked someone next to her if she had an answer right on her test.  He said no, so she changed it, and in doing so got the wrong answer.  Cheating really doesn't work.