Schools teach us a lot — math, science, history, how to think critically, how to analyze certain articles and write a whole essay on our feelings — yet, many have argued that there's a lot about life that schools haven't been teaching us. Many schools have the same courses or class subjects and we all pretty much learn the same stuff, and then when we go off to college, we take classes that pertain to our major but we don't learn how to handle what happens after — after we graduate, after we turn into adults, after we get jobs, or start a family. We usually have to figure it out on our own with trial-and-error or advice from others. Why aren't we taught these things in classes though? Wouldn't that make more sense?
Here are five things I think we should most definitely be taught when we're in high school that we aren't.
1. How to deal with life.
Like quite literally that could be the title of the class. There are so many things that could be taught in this course. Life hits you in the face with tons of problems and issues and honestly, there aren't enough people helping us with them.
2. How to feed yourself.
Sure, there are Home Ec classes, but they're not always mandatory classes and not every school has the advantage or opportunity to cook stuff at school and show others how to do it.
3. How to handle your finances.
Chances are unless you're taking some kind of accounting, finance, or other math class, you're never gonna learn about balancing your checkbook or keeping a budget.
4. How to handle feelings.
Growing up is so hard, going through puberty, life changes, changes to your body are even harder. Yes, Sex Ed exists, but it helps to a certain extent. They give you the DO's and DON'Ts of safe sex, some quick tips and tricks, and then you're off to figure out the rest on your own. Why aren't we taught how to deal with our feelings? How to deal with rejection, how to deal with crushes, how to deal with peer pressure, etc.
5. How to deal with my mental illness and not be ashamed of it or be judged for it.
This is similar to the one above, but mental illnesses are something that almost everyone goes through and there so many different types, and not enough people talking about it. Mental illnesses can be caused for a variety of reasons: stress, family issues, bullying, worries of the future and it would make such a huge difference if instead of being called out for it or being judged and bullied for it, if we got the help we needed right from the get-go.
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Learning all of these things from an early age would not only be beneficial for us but should also be imperative. We wouldn't just be smarter, we'd be better people as well.
What else do you think we should learn in school that we aren't already? Comment below and let me know what I missed!
