It was just another typical struggle during my internship days in Kathmandu — earning only Rs. 5,000 a month, scraping by on the bare minimum, counting every rupee like it was gold. To save a few bucks on my daily commute from Kirtipur to Balkhu, I started using a fake BBA student ID card for the student discount on the bus. It felt like a harmless shortcut at first — many people did it, and the discount (around 45% back then) made the short ride feel a little less painful on my tight budget.
One day, the bus driver got suspicious. He took a long look at the ID, then turned to me with a straight face and asked, “Okay, tell me the subjects you're studying in your current semester for BBA.” My mind went completely blank. I stammered, tried to recall something generic like “English” or “accounting,” but nothing specific came out — no Business Mathematics, no Fundamentals of Marketing, no Microeconomics for Business, nothing from the actual Tribhuvan University syllabus. The driver just shook his head, kept the fake ID without a word, and made me pay the full fare. No shouting, no drama — just quiet disappointment in his eyes that hit harder than any argument.
I got off at Balkhu feeling a wave of embarrassment and shame wash over me. My face burned the whole walk home. It wasn't just about the money I'd lost or the ID I'd thrown away; it was the realization that I'd crossed a line for something so small. In that moment, trying to save Rs. 10–20 felt like the biggest mistake I'd made in a long time.
From that day on, I swore off fake IDs forever. No more shortcuts that compromise honesty, even when finances are tight. I started budgeting better, walking extra distances when I could, and reminding myself that integrity isn't something you bargain away — it's the one thing that stays with you long after the paycheck runs out.
Life lesson: Financial struggles are real, especially on a Rs. 5,000 internship stipend, but a moment of dishonesty can cost you far more in self-respect than any discount could ever save. Choose honesty — it's the only fare that always gets you where you need to go, with your head held high.