Almost everyone cheats every once in a while. Let’s face it: everyone has been tempted to bend the rules a bit, especially when faced with a rather tricky exam. So, grab your pencils (and maybe a cheat sheet as long as you don’t get caught), and listen up.

First up, the art of strategic seating positions. Picture this: you’re sitting in the back row of the classroom, trying to remember the sixth sentence of the third paragraph of the study guide, when suddenly you see your classmate’s Chromebook. Right next to the track-pad, there’s an essay of answers scribbled down in pencil. But then your classmate spots you, and he or she immediately covers the answers with his or her arm, sending you a glare.

It’s a golden opportunity, especially since your teacher doesn’t bother walking around the classroom during the test. It’s clever, but also insanely annoying. At least you finally figured out why your classmate always gets so suspiciously close to an 100% on every test.

“Honestly, if you’re cheating, then you just didn’t take the time to study and simply don’t trust yourself to find the right answers,” said freshman Anjuli Mahajan. “Stop it.”

Or when all else fails, some students enjoy using the top-secret technique of “Can I go to the bathroom?” After creating their SmartPass, they sneakily catch a glimpse of the smart kid’s paper or Chromebook on their way to the door. Regardless of whether or not the smart kid noticed them, they still got what they wanted. And so, they make their way to the restroom with a smile.

“Students cheat because they are in a panic. It is not more complicated than that,” said Mr. Turso. “Cheating is easy, but it is just a temporary fix. Getting caught is not temporary and the older you get the more serious the consequences, so learn to deal with that stress of feeling overwhelmed now and it will only make you a more competent person later.”

Now, before you go off sprinting off to your next history class with the study guide written on your hand in your favorite blue pen, remember that cheating is not without its risks. Getting caught by your teacher(s) could result in anything from a phone call home to getting a serious suspension faster than you could say “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

The Wayne Hills Student Handbook states that, “All academic assignments are to be the sole work of the individual student unless specified by the teacher. Copying any material is a direct violation of the Academic Honor Code” (p.14).

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed master of the art of strategic position, or dabbling in the arts of some sort of high-tech, don’t put your academic career on the line. Be smart about this, students.