TRAVIS HOMENUK

October is arguably the worst month of the school year. The back-to-school honeymoon is replaced by the phase of students declaring, “I want to crawl under a rock and die.” Oh, sure, the majestic fall landscape reminds me of happier times, but now academia will monopolize every fibre of my body until exams are finished in December.

Needless to say, getting through the first semester back at university is stressful. There are never enough hours in the day and we don’t even get a full week off to sleep away our sorrows! What bologna!

As a fourth-year student I know that it is difficult to attend classes, complete homework, walk the dog, work and have the tiniest bit of a social life. Something has to give.

In some cases, academia takes the back burner. Whether it’s studying for a test or writing a paper, the inclination is often to take short cuts here and there.

I’m sure every student has been in a situation, while sitting in the classroom facing a test they forgot to study for, where their eyes wander to the exam next to theirs, even if just for one question. Duh, this is cheating. Don’t do it.

In my first year of university, I didn’t have a particularly good time. I didn’t mind school, but the last thing I ever wanted to do was study. (My real goal was to work out a lot in order to achieve an awesome six-pack, which never happened. That’s what dreams are for, right?)

My first university midterm was for psychology. In truth, I didn’t study much for this exam because I attended class regularly and thought that was enough.

Oh, boy, was I wrong! Seriously.

There is nothing more sickening than the feeling of sitting down to an exam, reading the first question and realizing that you have no idea what the answer is. Where’s your flask of vodka when you need it, right? Thank God for multiple-choice exams.

I failed that psychology exam with a heartbreaking 42 per cent. I remember looking at my mark online with utter horror and disbelief. All through high school I was a high honours student, and the first mark I received in university was a failing grade.

Ouch, my pride.

Although I failed that first exam — and barely passed the class — I did it honestly. I didn’t cheat. I maintained my academic integrity even though it meant failing a few tests until I finally got my act together.

It is scarily easy to cheat without knowing you’re doing it. Cheating is often the result of carelessness or a lack of knowledge on the student’s behalf.

However, if you think it is okay to look at a friend’s test during a midterm, or to copy and paste from the Internet for your essay, you should probably just quit while you have some dignity left.

Most professors make every effort — with the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union Academic Advocacy Office — to give students the benefit of the doubt when a serious offence is brought forward. Don’t abuse the system.

Penalties for cheating at the U of S range from mark reductions to marks of zero to, in serious cases, expulsion from the campus. A final mark of zero in a course usually means a severe academic offence was committed. This is not something you want on your record — unless, of course, you like working at McDonald’s. The shirt and visor just isn’t for me I guess.

Our campus deals with such offences through informal and formal proceedings, depending on what has happened. I have never been through either of these processes myself, but I imagine it’s not exactly fun, even if you can prove your innocence.

Because we’re in the midst of the busiest time of year academically speaking, it would be wise to refresh yourself on what academic integrity means. Do you know the definitions of plagiarism and academic honesty? Can you tell the difference between collaboration and cheating?

Academic Integrity Awareness Week takes place Oct. 15-19. I encourage all students to get involved with this week — even if only by freshening up on citation skills to avoid accusations of plagiarism in term papers. Several events during the week will provide students the opportunity to learn about academic integrity.

So no matter how stressed you get or how little you were able to study for that horrid midterm which is effectively ruining your life, please don’t cheat. Don’t rip off an essay or look up answers on your phone during a test. It isn’t worth the risk.

I hate that I have a final mark of 56 on my transcript from that psychology class, but it’s my own fault. I learned my lesson about the importance of academia the hard way, and being accused of cheating or plagiarism would undoubtedly have been much worse.

Remind yourself why you enrolled in university in the first place. Chances are you want to get a higher education so that you can better yourself in the long term. Cheating will not accomplish this. Indeed, cheating will only prolong and inhibit constructive personal growth.

Be honest and use your own knowledge to do your own work. If you happen to come up with a formula better than Einstein’s, having the paperwork to prove it’s yours will pay untold dividends.

But if you really can’t handle the stress of school in October, I’ll be hiding under a rock near the University Bridge. Visitors welcome, but if you come you have to bring food. I like cheesecake.