Academic Integrity

I believe firmly in the importance of having academic integrity. I won't pretend like I am perfect and haven't slipped up before, but overall I truly value academic integrity and do my best to remain in it.  That means no cheating, copying, using non-permitted sources, skipping homework, or anything else of that particular nature.  Sometimes, I feel very alone.  I would rather lose points on an assignment that I simply forgot to do then copy answer at the last minute.  I would rather fail the quiz on the chapters I did not read then refer to sparknotes.  What really disgusts me, is the incredible lack of academic integrity among the intelligent people in my school.  I am not going to claim this is without exceptions, but I know a lot of people who I think highly value education, yet they destroy their academic integrity in order to get good grades and be lazy.  I wonder how they can look at that 'A' without being ashamed of what they did to get it.  I don't understand why they value a letter grade and easier time over gaining knowledge and experience, and knowing that you worked hard to achieve what you did and that you deserve it.  I hate that it may benefit them in the long run.  Those grades may get them into better colleges; they may land better jobs.  I would almost consider it the beginning of a dishonest lifestyle.  If they see their actions pay off and benefit them, then they will continue to behave this way.  They will come to find what they can selfishly gain from a lack of integrity.  These are not the kind of people that I want us to become as we grow into adults and take on the world.