I was a Cheater Especially during Exams

August 27, 2021, at 3:13 AM (Philippine time)

Disclaimer: This article does not encourage students or anyone to cheat during exams nor I was proud to be cheating during classes. This article is only my personal experience and some of it is group experiences with my friends and classmates. My intention for sharing this is to enlighten people that cheating is against God's commandments and man's laws.

As they say, cheating is not a crime unless you are caught in the act of doing so. If you have a conscience, it will surely bother you, but if you do not have it, you will seem alright and perfectly well physically but tormented emotionally and mentally.

Cheating is not only rampant in relationships, in the company, in the family, nor in the so-called friendship. It is more pervasive in the four corners of the classroom. Most of us experienced cheating during exams, maybe if you did not, you are probably a saint lol.

During the first day of every class, I would always give a special lecture on cheating and I would always tell my students about my cheating experience when I was a student like them. I would tell them that they are free to cheat in my class but they should always be cautious about it since if I would catch them doing so their scores would be perfectly marked as zero. I would always tell them to be artistic in cheating so that they will never be caught lol. So far, being a teacher for 5 years now, I have never caught someone cheating on my class I do not know if they are just good at it or they are afraid of my warning or my instructions during exams which hinder them to do so. I only have simple instructions during the exams: (1) one seat apart (2) never turn their heads to the right nor to the left (3) never roll their eyeballs just focus on their paper (4) never talk to their classmate whatever reason it might be if they have questions ask the teacher directly. If I caught someone doing one of those forbidden things, I would call his/her name aloud along with the minus points I will give. It was definitely a great embarrassment that a student's name will be called in the middle of the solemn exam.

To tell you honestly, I did cheat in my elementary days, never in my high school but out of control during college. lol

Elementary Days

I can still remember during my elementary days that my seatmate was my accomplice in cheating. We always have this scheme that if we will exchange our paper with the seatmate, we will always correct the wrong answers but never make it perfect to be noticed. It was a good plan since if she would tell our secrets to someone, we would certainly take the fall together. But those cheating during exams was not really applied during periodical tests since another teacher from the other district will be facilitating the test so we do not have the chance to cheat or else we will drag the entire school to embarrassment if we are caught. That is why I can say that most of my ratings during exams aren't really a product of cheating. It is also the product of my hard work charrr. I can only cheat when the paper was exchanged with my seatmate if it was clockwise or counterclockwise my real rating will always be revealed. lol

After High School days

I did not get a chance to cheat during my high school days since our teachers were so strict during exams and we were seated so far away from each other. The teachers would even utilize the corridors outside the rooms to prevent us from talking to one another. Besides, nobody wants to cheat since we were always lectured during our catechism classes by our sisters that cheating is equal to stealing. We will defile the 7th commandment of God, "Thou shall not steal" if we do so.

After high school, I begin to face the reality of the world, that cheating is almost normal and natural but I never lose my sense of being sincere yet naive in the cruel world. This first cheating experience after high school I was about to narrate is not about the exam thing but it is about cheating in the workplace.

My First Cheating Experience After High School

It was when I got to be working in a certain grand mall in the city. I was hired as a cashier in the grocery department. It was "BER " months and the store was in need of workers urgently, even if my training to be a cashier was not good enough, they let me work in the field just after a day of my training. I was really scared handling so much money at that time. There was an incident that I double scan a certain item, it was canned powdered milk worth $15. The customer complained about the amount reflected on the screen because it was bigger than expected. The senior bagger working for almost two years approached my station and reviewed the breakdown and he found out that I scanned the barcode of the canned powdered milk twice. So, he asked the customer that we will just use a calculator to compute the remaining goods so that they would reach the amount reflected on the screen, and the good thing was she agreed. The senior bagger warned me to be careful next time and avoid "Overcash" which is the term used when the amount does not coincide with the price of the items on the screen usually exceeds the real price of the item. I was scared that the attending officer in the exit zone will notice the receipt and I was happy he didn't.

Later on, I discovered some cashiers doing illegal things. I've noticed one day that it was really possible to steal money from the store. I observed some cashiers who were working for some months already. The first thing that they will do is to plead with the customer to tally the items using the calculator like canned powdered milk just as the senior bagger did to me on the previous day. But what surprised me the most is that the amount which does not reflect on the system, will be taken by the cashier and bagger after working hours and it will be divided among themselves. The rumor said that they can divide 2k every night. They convinced me to do the same thing because they said that we were only two in that department who did not practice such. I did not really give in to their proposals because of fear of being caught and aside from that I believe that "karma" is real. So, they just scare me that if I would tell someone about their modus operandi, I shall be punished.

One time my bagger asked me to give him money "a dollar will do" he said. He told me to get the money from the safe and it was just alright since I had my customers earlier who just left their cents. The money I would give the bagger is called "Excess" which means that every cent that I would not give to the customer as their change it would be saved in the safe and at the end of the day the amount will become half or more. My bagger wanted to get the "Excess" every day and if I would not give him, he woudl never help me at my workstation. He would only help if the department manager would roam around in the area. The first week in my working place was like hell to me. I was so tired standing all day as a cashier and packing the goods as a bagger. I did not say anything because of fear. In the second week, I began to be accustomed to the routine. Since I was really tired every day so I agreed to give the "Excess" to the bagger, and that incident I considered as my first cheating in the workplace. My bagger was getting energetic and motivated to help me in the station because he was looking forward to the "Excess" after work. But one day, I was being summoned to the accounting office for questioning. They informed me about the shortage of the money remitted like it lacked almost $2. They gave me a written warning and the shortage will be deducted from my payroll. If the situation will go on I will be suspended for three days, I was sure that it was because of the "Excess" given to my bagger. I made a certain plan, I would ask the customer kindly if he/she will allow me to use a calculator of some of her items for the reason that I double scanned the items of my customer before her. Because of pity, the customer agreed to what I asked, but I never get the money as others did. But the next day, I was called to the office once again because of too much excess. The money I remitted the other day exceeded than usual. The receipt reflected in the system did not match with the money they received from me. So, I was suspended for three days.

After my suspension, I devised another plan, this time I found it effective and safe. I would ask my younger sister to shop for grocery items and she should look for me so that she can pay for them in my station. Instead of paying the exact amount, I will deduct what she ought to pay by $2-4 dollars. In that way, I can make use of my "Excess" for good and if there will be a shortage of my remittance for that day, I shall pay for it with my salary. It was my solution to the shortage and excess thing. Although it was used for a good cause still I consider it cheating. I did not cheat the mall but I was somehow cheating with the customer just to ask them that I would just keep their cents that were supposed to be their change to cover up my shortage.

It is really true that once you cheat regularly the chances of being caught are high. One can never keep a vile odor because it will eventually spread outdoor.

After 5 months working as a cashier, one of my workmates was caught in the act of stealing goods. It was her sister who bought some items and she did not scan most of the items and it did not reflect on the receipt. The guard was confused why there were so many items in the plastic bag, yet there were only a few items that were reflected in the receipt. The cashier was taken to the police station and she was detained for a week. She told the police that all the cashiers were doing the same thing as she was that is why all of us were questioned and the mall decided to terminate all of us without paying for the remaining days we have worked on.

My Second Cheating

After the mall incident, I decided to work at the electronic company within my city. I was working there for almost three years, after that, I was laid off and I get married at the age of 21. My husband's family is quite big they are 16 in the house. Their parents bore 14 children and my husband is the sixth. Life is too hard for them they can hardly make ends meet. My sister-in-law wants to work in the company I was working for before, she already took several attempts on company exams but never pass. I pitied her since she was so determined to help the family especially her younger siblings. So, I decided to help her, but my plan was quite scary. I would pretend to be applying for the job together with my sister-in-law but my real scheme was to let her copy my answers. In short, we would be cheating inside the company. My basic plan was just to be seated with her and coach her with the answers but the plan was changed since we will be answering different questions. The questions were divided into three sets (Set A, B, and C). Although we would be seated together, she cannot copy my answers because the questions were different for each number. So, at the last minute, I decided to change the plan. We would be swapping our personal details like our resume and application letter that would be the only solution to the problem. I should be her and she should be me. I trembled with fear because I was aware that what we did is a crime. I was already imagining myself in the police station and the company will never forgive me for what I did. I imagined what will be my life and my children if I will get caught. I pulled my courage together and told the Lord to forgive me and ask Him to let us cheat just this once. In short, I asked the Lord to be our accomplice lol how cruel I was. The room was too cold but I was sweating intensely. Thinking that the examiner would check the photo of my resume and realize I was not the same person in the picture, thinking of those things made me scared I was sweating all over. After the exam, I was praying hard that when the examiner will get the paper he would not see my picture and compare it right on my face. I was deeply happy that we were not caught. The good news was my sister-in-law passed the exam and she is working in the company for 12 years now. I felt like I was "Robinhood" helping the poor by stealing goods from the rich people. But I am fully aware that it was really a BIG mistake for me to cheat. huhu...Remembering that incident made me shiver all along.

Guys, this should be our secret, since the only people who knew this cheating scheme in that company are my family and my husband's and now, YOU lol.

College Days

My colleges days were challenging for me. I stopped studying when I was 16 years old and resumed when I was 27 with two kids. It was hard for me to deal with classmates younger than me for 10 years. During those days, I've learned that if you were overly honest your classmates would hate you. If you were too diligent, they would hate you too thinking you were after some favors from the teacher to get good marks. So, in the long run, I go with the flow just to fit in and belong to everyone.

During the exams, we would cheat by ourselves, pair or by the group. We have many strategies for cheating.

For group: Most of the time, we would use this strategy we would assign each member to study this particular subject. Like someone will study Math, other in Physics, another one in English. During the exam, we would only rely upon the person assigned to that subject. Our answers will only vary in the essay part, but for the rest of the objective questions, we have uniform answers.

For pair: If the proctor will let us be seated away from our seatmate, we would employ the hand gesture patterns. Like if we will raise a finger for the first time, it would signify what number was the item the next gesture will reveal if the answer is a, b, c, and d. By showing a finger for "a", two fingers for "b" and so on. Those hand gestures were rehearsed beforehand. The seatmate accomplice scheme in my elementary days was brought to life during college, where you just ask your seatmate to check the wrong answers the same thing you do to her paper.

For individual: I never do something like this since I am scared of being caught except for one, I had written something on my palm especially the formulas in Math and Physics since I can hardly memorize them. Some of my classmates risk their reputation just to cheat for good scores. A classmate told me that, she would always bring her handkerchief with her and fold it. Our teacher will never allow us to have anything on our desk during the exam, but this classmate always insists to have the handkerchief with her because she suffered from sinusitis. What our teacher did not know was that she will insert pieces of paper between the handkerchief folds and that will be her cheating pieces during the exams. Another classmate said that he will place a piece of paper on his shoe under his feet and when the teacher is not watching he will get this paper and cheat through them. Another classmate said that she would usually wear skirts during exams because she would write some information on her legs and of course when no one is watching she will just flip her shirt a little and it will reveal something fishy. But the most common and basic cheating is to ask directly to your classmate what are the answers or copy your classmate's answer right there and then when the proctor is not watching.

Closing Thoughts

Everybody commits mistakes it is just normal and natural for we are all weak and vulnerable. These mistakes that we've made are sometimes because of the tight situation we are in. But we should always remember that no matter how good our intentions can be for ourselves and for others let it be known to us that these are still sins against God's commandments. We should be responsible for all our actions, that all faults have rightful consequences depending on the gravity of our acts. Wrongdoings are always incorrect especially if these contradict God's commandments. We should always remember that whatever faults and mistakes we have, God is always forgiving and loving to us but we should not take advantage of our kind Lord because He will always know the desires of our hearts beyond measure.

I hope you've learned from this article, my dearest friends. Do not ever follow what I did because the feeling of accomplishing something is never satisfying through cheating. Right now I renewed my soul and honest to goodness I never cheat anymore just some little white lies if needed lol.

Now, tell me your cheating moments my friends, you can share them by commenting below.

I am very grateful and honored for spending your precious time reading my modest article.

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