The Graduate's Grind: Brigham Young University- Idaho
The Honor Code: A Curse Or a Blessing?
By. Elizabeth Adams
If there is one thing that separates Brigham Young University – Idaho from other colleges and universities, it is the Honor Code; something that has been in question by the students that attend BYU-Idaho since it’s integration as part of the school. When I was first applying to BYU-I, I read the Honor Code and thought, “No way. I’m not going there.” Lo and behold, after receiving my acceptance letters to both BYU Provo and Idaho, I chose Idaho. At first I thought that living the Honor Code was going to be a problem. Home at midnight? Boys out of the apartment at 11:45? No shorts or flip flops? During my freshman year, I often wondered if we were going to college or being babysat. Eventually, I decided to truly look into the Honor Code and try to understand why we have it. It amazed me when I found out that it was laid out by students here at the school. It was students who helped develop it and it is students now, who are supposed to live it. After doing my research and homework, I began to understand the purpose of the Honor Code and I came to this conclusion: The Brigham Young University – Idaho Honor Code is a blessing.
Kim B. Clark, president of BYU-Idaho, said this about the Honor Code, “The process of giving your heart to the Lord is the great key to understanding the purpose of the Honor Code. The Honor Code is a preparatory commitment to live the gospel and conduct your lives in a spirit of obedience” (Student Services). So what exactly does this code of conduct and obedience encompass? The CES Department in the Student Honor office has come up with nine basic principles for the students to live by. They are:
Kim B. Clark, president of BYU-Idaho, said this about the Honor Code, “The process of giving your heart to the Lord is the great key to understanding the purpose of the Honor Code. The Honor Code is a preparatory commitment to live the gospel and conduct your lives in a spirit of obedience” (Student Services). So what exactly does this code of conduct and obedience encompass? The CES Department in the Student Honor office has come up with nine basic principles for the students to live by. They are:
- Be honest
- Live a chaste and virtuous life
- Obey the law and all campus policies
- Use clean language
- Respect others
- Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee and substance abuse
- Participate regularly in church services
- Observe Dress and Grooming Standards
- Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code (Student Honor).
I equate living the Honor Code with living a good, clean life. Not only are these things principles and doctrine taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, these are principles and guidelines that should be valued by everyone. Being honest, or in other words, having integrity, is a principle that is highly valued when being hired for a job. If you can show and have people testify to the fact that you are a person of integrity and honesty, then you have a better chance of being hired than your competition that was fired from his last job because he was stealing money from the cash drawer. By living a chaste and virtuous life, you can eliminate the possibilities of the heartache that comes with sex before marriage, or the possibility of becoming pregnant or obtaining an STD.
Everyone is under the responsibility to the follow the law. As citizens of the United States, it is our duty to do so. By using clean language, we sound more intelligent and educated, instead of crass and rude. Respecting others equates to the Golden Rule; do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When you treat people with respect, you will gain respect from others. By abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, substance abuse, etc, you will be healthier and happier. You will not become a slave to an addiction and your body, both inside and out, will be cleanlier. By participating in a religious denomination, there are both social and personal benefits. The social benefits come from being able to connect with others who share the same beliefs as you do.
The personal benefits come from being able to center your life around something that is uplifting and is something that you care about. It motivates you to serve those around you and do good things. Having higher standards in your dress and appearance shows that you have respect for yourself and your body. High standards of dress and grooming give a good impression to those around you and show that you care about what you look like.
And the final point in the Honor Code, encouraging others to live the same way: when you discover something wonderful that makes you happy, you naturally want to share it with everyone else. Girls, when you find a good deal on the latest, popular outfit, of course you’re going to show it off and tell all your girlfriends about it. Guys, when you get that new power tool you’ve been wanting for a long time, you’re definitely going to show it off to your buddies and what you built with it. And with both situations, you’re going to encourage others to get it. So think of the Honor Code as that new outfit or new power tool. It’s something you love, something you want to share. Encourage others to find the happiness and blessings that come from living the Honor Code.
To me, the Honor Code is definitely a blessing and not a curse. Once I began to understand it, and look at it as me just having a personal higher standard of living, I began to fully embrace it. It is something that has blessed my life as I have lived it to its utmost potential, which causes me to live to my utmost potential. I am the best person I can be when I live by the Honor Code; and everyone else can be, too.
Everyone is under the responsibility to the follow the law. As citizens of the United States, it is our duty to do so. By using clean language, we sound more intelligent and educated, instead of crass and rude. Respecting others equates to the Golden Rule; do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When you treat people with respect, you will gain respect from others. By abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, substance abuse, etc, you will be healthier and happier. You will not become a slave to an addiction and your body, both inside and out, will be cleanlier. By participating in a religious denomination, there are both social and personal benefits. The social benefits come from being able to connect with others who share the same beliefs as you do.
The personal benefits come from being able to center your life around something that is uplifting and is something that you care about. It motivates you to serve those around you and do good things. Having higher standards in your dress and appearance shows that you have respect for yourself and your body. High standards of dress and grooming give a good impression to those around you and show that you care about what you look like.
And the final point in the Honor Code, encouraging others to live the same way: when you discover something wonderful that makes you happy, you naturally want to share it with everyone else. Girls, when you find a good deal on the latest, popular outfit, of course you’re going to show it off and tell all your girlfriends about it. Guys, when you get that new power tool you’ve been wanting for a long time, you’re definitely going to show it off to your buddies and what you built with it. And with both situations, you’re going to encourage others to get it. So think of the Honor Code as that new outfit or new power tool. It’s something you love, something you want to share. Encourage others to find the happiness and blessings that come from living the Honor Code.
To me, the Honor Code is definitely a blessing and not a curse. Once I began to understand it, and look at it as me just having a personal higher standard of living, I began to fully embrace it. It is something that has blessed my life as I have lived it to its utmost potential, which causes me to live to my utmost potential. I am the best person I can be when I live by the Honor Code; and everyone else can be, too.
