Seven years ago, when I was in the seventh grade, I was known for being highly skilled at math. One day, a teacher announced a new global math activity called “Polyup” The premise was simple : solve math problems to gain points. However, the catch was the promised rewards. They told us that the highest-ranking students would win laptops or even trips to university in California or Florida (I don’t remember were exactly). More importantly, they promised one dollar for every 100 points achieved.

This announcement changed the game. It was no longer just about math : it was a race for money and status. I immediately created an account and started solving problems daily. My rank went higher, and my points increased. The competition was so intense that some students even brought their families to play on the same accounts to collect more points.

One , Two, Three months passed with no news, no prizes, and no money. The illusion started to break.

Eventually, a government official visit our school and called us to the school’s computer lab. He stood before us to explain the situation, admitted that the promises of dollars and trips were false. Instead of taking responsibility, he blamed the system and external factors, claiming the administration itself was “scammed.” He tried to calm the angry students by promising “honorable prizes” instead.

A month later, the school organized a very quick, cheap event and gave us small, worthless items.

Many students cried, argued, and complained about their wasted time and broken dreams. However, the real takeaway here is not about lost time. It is a clear, practical lesson: institutional promises mean absolutely nothing without physical guarantees. Trust is not something you give freely. No, it must be earned through real, measurable results.