High school has neglected to teach me how to survive on my own. I’ve needed to ask my mom questions such as: What is the difference between credit and debit? Why do people get money from the government when they do their taxes? What is a claim when you get into an accident? On the bright side, I can tell the difference between a flail chest and pneumothorax. That’s all that matters to most teachers.

Teachers have lost sight of the purpose of teaching and just aim to give kids A’s and attempt to teach them the subject rather than incorporating important life lessons. Lesson plans have become dry lectures with a side of busy work. Thus, has kept me from becoming prepared for whatever life my holds next while on my own, but I am well prepared to continue onto a higher education. The continuous busy work has taught me to not get lazy. Going onto college doesn’t mean no more assignments, only tests. It means only a higher level of education that you are paying for so don’t get lazy and fail a class you paid money for. Also by being taught not to be lazy, it helps for when you go into the workforce whether that be right after high school or after college. When working, you can’t choose to be lazy. Lazy equals a bad employee and a bad employee equals being fired and that will get you either homeless or in your parent’s basement. Busy work may be tedious but it teaches us how important it is not to be lazy.

While what teachers have done in the classroom have affected my outcome as a student and person, their absences from the classroom has also affected me. One teacher I had, had a heart attack which required a triple bypass surgery and he was gone for at least a month. Within that month we had a different sub for every day we were in math, and none of them were qualified enough to teach an intro to calculous class. I became very independent and taught myself through the book strictly, and when it was too difficult to figure out on my own I scoped out a teacher that could walk me through it. This time in my school year, I became very overwhelmed and didn’t feel competent enough to do anything. I wanted to give up and not continue to worry about getting a good grade sense I wasn’t being taught by my teacher. But with his absence, I was able to teach myself determination when things get tough both in school and outside of it. At the end of the semester I kept my determination and perseverance and surprised myself with getting a B in the class. This outcome has proved to me that giving up may be the easy way out, but ultimately sticking with it even if it’s tough gives the better outcome.

These past four years have not only impacted my character but also my social skills. Rule number one of high school: not everyone is going to like you and you can’t fix that. You learn to just smile and be friendly with everyone, because you cannot pick and choose the people in your class or your teachers. It keeps everything tolerable and at ease if you can muster up a smile to even your least favorite person. My junior year, I took a class to have the teacher which was a huge mistake because she ended up leaving schools and I had a terrible replacement for her. Every class I would come and sit in my desk, glare at her and not give her any respect by listening to her. I can admit it was not my proudest moment, but as the year progressed on I began to smile at her and she smiled back. By the end of the school year I actually began to regret the last day of her class. A simple smile changed my whole attitude about a class and a person.

From here I go onto bigger and better things that will teach me what the real world is about. High school has been a great experience for me academically, but not for teaching me what to expect afterwards. I may not be ready for the next chapter, but high school has taught me that I have amazing people to support and encourage me when times are rough. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am today and they are the biggest influence in my success. I will never forget the trials and successes I have experienced in high school, but college will be a new experience and change that I am ready for.