Gloria Kim

Recently, I have witnessed the most beautiful act of such camaraderie on our very school campus. A noble friend from period 1 saved his desperate pal who had forgotten to study for the exam in period 4 by divulging the questions to the test. The selfless act of the first friend, who risked the possible reduction of his own grade and even those of his fellow classmates, was the epitome of martyrdom. There is no doubt the revealer of the questions knew the exam would be curved with the inclusion of the classes of all periods, but how he refused to surrender his fidelity. How boldly the transmission of test information took place, in perfect view of the public’s eye for others to envy and emulate. At this utterly heartwarming sight, I wiped away the hot tear streaming down my cheeks as I thought to myself, “yes, there is still some good left in the world.”

After more careful observation, I discovered that such commendable acts are quite ubiquitous. As I walked through the lunch tables, a girl offered her male friend a peek at her last night’s math homework. The hours spent on solving the difficult calculus problems had paid off as it repaired their strained friendship in the two short minutes of transferring answers. Never mind the fact that he hadn’t actually learned any of the previous night’s lesson; he had been saved of the immediate consequence and she had regained an acquaintance, which is really all that matters.

Left and right, friends traded answers, exchanged tips on the most and least vigilant teachers, and devised more innovative ways to conduct these collaborative efforts. I saw barriers being broken between the nerds and the jocks—two entirely disparate people becoming lifelong buddies. The world was full of lovely harmonies and I was simply delighted to be alive.

Until I encountered THEM. The handful of students who strictly refused to partake in such goodness. I still get the chills when I think about their inimical faces staring straight ahead, of their mouths that sternly uttered “no” with a despicable air of arrogance. How frighteningly confused they are to think such a trivial concept as “academic honesty” could trump an everlasting bond as comradeship. These are strange individuals, so firmly obstinate in their ways. No amount of eye-glares and headshakes has proven to be effective in altering their mindsets.

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that such individuals lack an essential part of the brain, a tiny lobe in the upper right corner of the western hemisphere, which, I believe, is associated with certain social skills and the ability to make ethical choices. I recommend they receive a minimum three years of severe counseling and psychological therapy to fix their destitute state.

It is important on our part not to loathe them, however, as difficult as it may be. Most are probably the products of their parents’ inadequate upbringings; thus, it is unfair to blame the children for the moral education they were never taught.

Meanwhile, let the rest of us continue to live in decency, helping one another and consolidating our relationships. Collaboration, cheating, whatever you wish to call it, simply remember: you never know how far a kindness can go. Test it for yourself, and you just may start a chain reaction.