Paying someone to educate you online is a topic as hot as a Jalapeno during a summer’s day. It sounds like something out of a cheesy 1990s sitcom. Believe me, this is as real and as common as the coffee addiction that every student seems develop by their at paysomeonetodo.com.

So, you’re swamped. You have essays coming from your ears, exams are looming, and group projects… well, we know how those go. It’s the thought that gets us: “What if someone paid me to deal with this mess?” Tempting, right? You reach for that last pizza slice knowing full well that you’ve already had enough.

The problem is that education should be about saturating your brain with information, not filling up your wallet full of receipts for “Academic help.” Learning to think critically is the whole point (and perhaps finally understanding what Pythagoras meant).

Let’s deconstruct it. Imagine you are a member of a band, but that you decide to pay another person to play at your gigs. When it’s time to jam solo, you may gain some followers, but nothing. When you outsource learning, this is what you get. You miss the solos. Those moments when everything just clicks.

Here’s the moral quagmire that we will find ourselves in if we continue down this road. This is more murky than my grandmother’s mystery sauce. If you pay someone to do your job, it’s the same as wearing stilts at a marathon. Sure, you may cross the finish line quicker, but everyone knows they aren’t really your legs.

Do not even start me on the subject of fairness. You’d be like bringing a sledgehammer to a rock-paper-scissors tournament. Others are opening their wallets while some are sweating over books at 2AM. This doesn’t exactly scream, “level playing fields,” does it?”

It’s a whole other can of worms to find out who’s doing your heavy lifting. You might think that these shadowy figures are knights in shining armour, but every knight has a cost. This price can include more than money – consider privacy risks, or the lack of quality control.

Hey, the technology makes it easier to play academic roulette. More websites offer these services than cat videos on the Internet (well, okay, maybe not as many). Every time a new technology is introduced to catch cheaters another way around appears like whack-a mole.

What is the most important thing to take away from this? Imagine being caught. Chances are you will eventually be caught. Not only are there academic consequences to consider, but you can also look yourself in the eye and see someone who opted for the escalator rather than climbing the mountain.

Conclusion–oops You did promise that there would be no formal summary, didn’t you? Next time you feel tempted, don’t do it. Instead, give your education to someone else. Keep in mind why you embarked on this adventure and enjoy the challenge of overcoming it.

Who wants Aunt Edna’s sweater? Who wants Aunt Edna’s sweater? It’s not just about grades. It’s also about developing – sometimes painfully slowly – into the most amazing version of yourself. It’s faster than you can say “Do Not Disturb.”