Times I Plagiarized

Summary

In this candid and humorous video, the speaker shares personal experiences with plagiarism during their school years, detailing how a seemingly small act led to significant consequences. From copying a documentary for a history essay to unintentionally recreating a YouTube video for a public speaking class, the speaker reflects on lessons learned about honesty and integrity. Despite facing academic challenges, including a failing grade, a twist of fate leads to a scholarship opportunity. The story culminates in a realization of the speaker's growth, now thriving in a public-speaking career, while humorously acknowledging the ongoing impact of past mistakes.

Takeaways

• 📚 Plagiarism is defined as taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own, and it is a serious issue in academic settings.
• 😔 The speaker acknowledges past minor cheating in school but emphasizes that they never intended to steal ideas from others.
• ✍️ In 9th grade, the speaker plagiarized the conclusion of an essay about the Berlin Wall, which led to them being caught by their teacher.
• 🚨 Being caught plagiarizing resulted in parental involvement and a chance to rewrite the essay, highlighting the immediate consequences of academic dishonesty.
• 💪 The experience of rewriting the essay taught the speaker a valuable lesson, leading them to avoid plagiarism in high school thereafter.
• 🏫 In community college, the speaker faced challenges when they realized they were taking classes below their high school level.
• 🎤 During a public speaking class, the speaker closely mimicked a YouTube video for a persuasive speech, resulting in a failing grade when caught for plagiarism.
• 💸 The speaker nearly missed out on a scholarship due to a poor grade in public speaking, demonstrating how plagiarism can have long-term financial repercussions.
• 🤝 Persuasive communication skills helped the speaker convince university officials to grant the scholarship despite the failed class.
• 🎉 Ultimately, the speaker reflects on their current success in public speaking and content creation, acknowledging the irony of their journey from a struggling student to someone who now speaks to millions.

Q & A

What is the definition of plagiarism as mentioned in the video?

Plagiarism is defined as the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.

What personal experience does the speaker share regarding plagiarism in school?

The speaker recounts a specific incident in 9th grade where they copied a conclusion from an article for an essay about the Berlin Wall, leading to them being caught for plagiarism.

How did the teacher respond when the speaker was caught plagiarizing?

The teacher, referred to as 'Mr. Batman', took the speaker outside the classroom, expressed disappointment, called the speaker's parents, and allowed them to rewrite the essay.

What valuable lesson did the speaker learn from their experience with plagiarism in high school?

The speaker learned to avoid plagiarism entirely for the remainder of high school, indicating a significant personal growth from the experience.

What issue did the speaker face when transitioning to community college?

Upon entering community college, the speaker had to take classes below their high school level due to not taking A.P. tests, which felt like a waste of time.

What was the topic of the persuasive speech the speaker gave in their Public Speaking class?

The speaker chose to argue against the penny in their persuasive speech, largely replicating the arguments presented in a YouTube video by CGP Grey.

What consequences did the speaker face for plagiarizing in their Public Speaking class?

The speaker received a zero on the final for their speech, resulting in a D for the course, which was their worst grade in community college.

How did the speaker manage to secure the scholarship despite their D in Public Speaking?

While trying to appeal for the scholarship, the speaker met a staff member who mistakenly thought their failure was due to insecurity rather than plagiarism, leading to the scholarship being granted.

What change in the speaker's career occurred after receiving the scholarship?

The speaker ultimately left the school after a semester and a half because their YouTube career took off, allowing them to work full-time in that field.

Reflecting on their journey, what does the speaker say about their current public speaking skills?

The speaker mentions that despite not learning from their Public Speaking class, they now speak in front of millions for their job, although it's done from a script.