There are so many articles about what people have learned in school this year and advice to future college students. However, no one ever talks about things that they wish they would have learned before going to college.
I spent the four years of my high school career learning pointless things that have not helped me in college whatsoever. High school should be spent preparing us for all the hardships that college/adult life is going to put us through, but it doesn't.
I hate feeling like I left high school knowing nothing other than MLA format and that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of a cell. I learned nothing in high school that is helping me in my everyday life. High school was honestly a waste.
So here are nine things that I (and others) wish I would have learned in high school.
1. How to write lab reports
I never had an emotional breakdown over a paper until I was introduced to lab reports. Professors expect you to know how to write one, even if you are a freshman. And trust me, they are not graded nicely.
2. How to budget my finances/keep them organized
I paid rent waaayy too early because I thought I was going to not have enough money. Turns out I do, and now I am living on saltines and juice boxes for a week with 30 miles to empty.
3. How to study for a REAL exam
Flashcards were my goto in high school, but flashcards can't help you pass midterms or finals in college.
4. Alcohol/Party safety
The scariest thing I have experienced so far at college is watching girls get drunk and boys trying to take advantage of them. Plus seeing people get carried away in an ambulance because they didn't know when to stop drinking is really horrible.
5. How to take care of your mental health
It's really easy to overload yourself in college, and somehow taking care of yourself ends up at the bottom of the list. It's so so so important to put your mental health first. Emotional breakdowns are a thing, and they happen more often than you think.
6. How to deal with FAFSA and student loans
Especially when you're a first-generation college student, FAFSA and student loans is like learning a whole new language.
7. How to live on your own and not fail
It's so easy to buy Starbucks every day instead of buying groceries. It's also really easy to spend money on a night out instead of saving for rent.
8. Choosing a degree
Most go to college having an idea of what they want to go into, but once you start taking classes, you suddenly become interested in 50 different things.
9. How to pay taxes
When is tax season anyways?? When do I file? How do I file?
