When you think about how you feel about cheating, try thinking about the concept of “fairness.”

Is it fair that people cheat and it brings down your grade point average when you don’t cheat? Is it fair that your friend’s mom let her skip school because she wasn’t ready for a test but your mom made you go to school and take the test? And worse, then your friend asks you what was on the test!? Is it fair if your parent writes the paper for  you and you do better than your friend who you know worked really hard on it? Is it fair that you witnessed someone cheat when you didn’t and he scored higher on the test you prepared for? 

Likely none of this feels fair. And when things don’t feel fair, we get really, really upset about it. In fact, fairness (and unfairness) is a trigger that strongly pulls on our moral strengths (or weaknesses). People will bankrupt themselves in court just to prove a point because they are so upset by an injustice (an unfair act). 

You will likely experience many unfair situations in school and in life. How you deal with them will tell the world about your character. It won’t be easy, but refraining from the temptation to cheat when life feels unfair will likely make you feel much better about who you are.  

By the way, Superman does not exist. Superwoman either. So do the best that you can with what you’ve got and be proud if you are one of the 25% who can finish high school and say, “I did it without ever cheating.”