During my college years, I was part of a research group tasked with gathering survey data for a major paper. One groupmate, under pressure to meet deadlines, began fabricating responses instead of collecting real data. I immediately noticed inconsistencies in the numbers and confronted them privately. I told them that while deadlines are tough, fabricating data is unethical and could risk our academic integrity. I emphasized that it was better to ask for an extension than submit dishonest work. Thankfully, they admitted to the mistake, and we redid the survey properly. That moment taught me the importance of standing firm on ethics, even when it’s uncomfortable.