Since school has gone from hybrid to remote, and back and forth seemingly a million times, both students and teachers have been thrown a curveball. After nearly a year of adjusting to hybrid and remote learning, this constantly changing world still hasn’t truly let anybody settle into a routine. Just when one plan is made, it gets derailed, and another one forms.

 This constant uncertainty has forced a daunting task to our mindsets, to adopt more Flexibility, defined as “the quality of bending easily without breaking” or “willingness to change or compromise,” (google). Flexibility is something that all students have been forced to learn, especially at Blake. With constantly shifting classes, schedules, due dates, sports practices all amidst a global pandemic, many have been stretched to their limits. The question is, with or without a global pandemic, how far can students be stretched without breaking? 

Though many Blake students are expert activity jugglers, even highly motivated students can come to a breaking point, and often this breaking point is academic dishonesty. Many agree that the college prep culture at Blake can be toxic, and create pressure, and in the midst of a pandemic, understanding curriculum is harder, making tests and quizzes daunting. The current lack of class time combined with the pressure to make good grades can lead to minor, and rarely major, acts of academic dishonesty. 

A student reflects on the motivation behind academic dishonesty right now, stating that “I think that when students don’t feel like they understand what’s going on and they’re feeling lost and confused, that gives them more motivation to cheat.” Also providing insight on how to solve the dilemma many students are facing, the student recommends, “The best way to make sure academic dishonesty doesn’t happen is instead of having traditional tests, which are very easy to cheat on, have take-home tests that give students time to do the test…. it’s more about your ability to show your understanding by explaining all your answers. Instead of doing tests in the room, where if you get it right you get the points and if you get it wrong you don’t, make assignments less test-oriented, make it about understanding, I think that would be a lot more beneficial.” 

Many teachers have done exactly this, adjusting heavily weighted assignments, such as tests and quizzes to be at home or open notes, and designed them to test understanding, rather than straight facts and memorization. Most likely, your teachers will be understanding if asked for an extension or an adjustment, so think twice about googling an answer, and give yourself a pat on the back for making it this far!