Challenges as an international student to maintain academic integrity and how I overcame them!

Hello everyone, my name is Sehaj and I'm doing my Bachelor's in Human Resource Management. Today I want to dig into a topic that's been on my mind lately called Academic Integrity. As an international student, I have come to realize that the pressure to excel academically can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope - balancing cultural differences, language barriers, family pressure, and the desire to succeed. 

First off, let's talk about the pressures. When I first arrived on campus, I was filled with excitement and anticipation. However, I quickly realized that the academic expectations here were much different from what I was adapted to back home. The pace was faster, the workload was heavier, and the competition was even harder. Suddenly, getting good grades wasn't just about personal achievement. It felt like a necessity to prove myself in this new environment and to fellow students. But along with these pressures came the temptation to take shortcuts, whether it's copying a classmate's homework, plagiarizing a few sentences for a paper, or even cheating on an exam. The appeal of finding an easier way to succeed can be strong, especially when we are feeling overwhelmed and out of our depth. However, giving into these temptations can have serious consequences, both for academic career and our personal integrity. Plagiarism and cheating not only undermine the value of our education, but also break the trust and respect of our peers and professors. 

As an international student, the risk can feel even higher. I'm not just representing myself, I'm also representing my country and culture. And any breach in integrity can reflect poorly on my entire community. Moreover, there's the added challenge of navigating cultural differences. For instance, in my home country, copying and pasting without any citation was often considered appropriate. However, here we need to give credit through citation to the author or real owner. 

To end off, I would like to share a few things that helped me in navigating these challenges and maintaining my integrity. First and foremost, we need to educate and familiarize ourselves with our university's policies and guidelines. It's also essential to seek help when we need it, whether it's from professors, KPU Peer tutor or academic advisors. Remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength and a determination to succeed.