Something for nothing is a lie

I've always heard you get what you pay for, therefore nothing is free. There are no free lunches, and there is a price tag or a string attached to everything that appears to be free or even inexpensive.

Well, I beg to differ with those sentiments. I've been thinking outside the box recently, and I have come up with lots of things I can get for nothing. Maybe the way I think is weird, but it occurred to me that, usually, when someone gets something for nothing, that something is usually negative.

I first thought about the thing some teenagers experiment with the most, sex. Now let's be honest about this subject. Sex costs nothing, right?

Wrong! At first it seems sex is free, natural and not harmful, then reality sets in when sex is expressed freely. I am reminded often of the number of sexually transmitted diseases teenagers have. Then I think about the unwanted pregnancies that lead to abortions, children parenting children or adoptions.

If that's not enough, there are the forced acts of sex that harm people for life. Emotionally, sex seems to confuse everyone involved. Some are left with guilt, rejection or even the responsibility of a teenage marriage or parenthood.

Sex is free, isn't it? I now know its costs are great.

Next, I started thinking about school and grades. I go to school for free. I have a brain that I did nothing to get. I shouldn't be made to excel unless I choose to do so.

I expect teachers to do their jobs, and I will take what I want from them. It isn't costing me anything.

I find school more of a social event than a learning environment most of the time anyway. One might say I have a horrible attitude.

I used to say, "Who cares?" Then I realized that if school cost me nothing and I get nothing from it, then I'll leave with nothing.

Thirteen years of my time just to socialize is a very costly investment. Am I willing to leave with only friends, some of whom I will never see again, or will I put forth some effort and leave with an education I can use for life?

Socializing costs nothing. Learning takes effort and requires me to make an investment!

Last, I thought about my morals. Lying, cheating and manipulating the system are easy and free. When I lie, I can usually convince others and myself that I am telling the truth.

Lies don't hurt anyone as long as I am careful. When I cheat on a test and am dishonest about where I obtain my term papers and book reports, no one gets hurt.

I just go on the Internet and get the information. If they didn't want me to get it, they wouldn't make it available to me. This costs me nothing.

Why not take advantage of a good thing that saves me lots of time and effort? If it is free, it can't be all bad.

I manipulate the system by going into work late and not writing down the exact times I am in or out. I sign my parents' name on forms without their permission. There is no need for me to concern them with the small, insignificant things in my life.

I change the grades on my report card to keep everyone happy. They will never know the difference. Only the semester grades count anyway.

As long as I get away with this, it costs me nothing . . . but a guilty conscience.

Something for nothing is a lie.

- IT! (Private thoughts of the Indomitable Teen) is written by Cecilia Tucker under the editorial guidance of a panel of teenagers (in exchange for pizza and volunteer hours). Tucker is a licensed marriage and family therapist at the Counseling Center for New Direction in Seminole. Comments are welcome. You may write c/o: IT!, Xpress, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or e-mail Floridian@sptimes.com. If you are interested in being on the teen editorial panel, please contact Cecilia Tucker at revcecilia@msn.com.

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