Top 10 Things High Schools Should Teach More
It's the beginning of August and you know what that means; back to school season is here. School supplies flood the aisles of your local stores and deals pop up everywhere. School will teach you a lot of things, some of it is useful while some may be pointless. But the fact of the matter is, they don't teach everything. Some of the life skills you need to know after putting on the cap and gown and walking the stage they skip out on or briefly mention at best. I realize that some schools cover these better than others, but in general these are things everybody needs to know regardless of what school they attend. Not everyone has parents that will teach them important skills so it's important for schools to teach these things for everyone.This has to be the most important life skill you need to know how to do and there is a lot that goes into it like budgeting your money for your expenses and saving a bit of it then giving yourself some allowance. Credit cards are a whole separate thing entirely they can be a great tool but you have to know how to use it properly and don't rack up a bunch of expenses you can't pay off. According to Dave Ramsey over 55 million households have credit card debt and the Federal Reserve says only 48% of Americans actually pay off their credit card bill in full every month and 1 in 4 Americans don't have anything saved for retirement. These stats are alarming which is why schools should educate this generation so we don't become another statistic.
Chances are pretty high you will own a car or house at some point in your life. They are the biggest purchases you will make in your life and the most essential as well. But nobody tells you the process of actually buying a car or getting a loan from the bank or getting insurance. Also it would be important to know about mortgages. There's a right and wrong way to do these purchases yet for the most part it's on you to figure that out for yourself when at least having some knowledge going into the process could make these purchases more smooth and less overwhelming
Insurance is in and of itself intimidating. There are so many different types like Car, Home, Health, Life, and so on. Learning how to file a claim would be helpful also knowing what is and isn't covered by your policy and what a deductible is. Also what policy best fits your needs and budget there is really a lot to think about with insurance that nobody talks about. You don't need every type of insurance but you do need some form of insurance at the bare minimum
Yeah I don't remember ever being told this at school.
Time management is essential to function in this day and age. Sure teachers give you an assignment and a deadline but don't teach time management skills. It's kind of on you to learn some of that. High school teachers are lenient for the most part and will accept late work. But the moment you graduate whether you go to college or directly into the workforce your time management skills will be put to the test. You have to set up your own routine every day and manage your time at work or college to get everything done on time because not meeting deadlines is unacceptable 90% of the time.
Dating is something everyone should experience. It's important to learn how to date so you can eventually find the right person to marry. But let's be honest high schoolers suck at dating. I promise you that 99% of the time your high school lover isn't who you'll end up marrying and most of the time those high school relationships don't last more than about 2 years at best. Obviously the best way to get better at dating is to keep trying but you can't just try with the first person you see. Love at first sight doesn't end well usually. It's just as important to know what you want in a partner as it is to know what you don't want. It's sad that so many people get stuck in abusive relationships. You really need to learn the signs of someone being abusive and how to get out of it ASAP. Also communication is key and going at the right pace is important. You should be trying to be friends with them you don't need to act super serious like you're going to marry them right away. Wait until after graduating college before thinking about marriage. Just keep it casual. But it's not just dating just socializing with people is important while you're still in school. Having friends is a key part of your adolescent years but make sure you have the right friends people you can trust because peer pressure is a real thing. How to make friends is something nobody ever teaches you either it's just the computer randomly putting you in the same classroom.
If you were to ask random High School age students their biggest fear chances are public speaking would be a common answer. This is a skill everyone should have and really the only way to get better at it is by practicing. it can be intimidating but if you have a job you'll likely have to present or speak in meetings at some point in your career. Knowing how to communicate and be comfortable doing so is something that will go a long ways for your career. Some people have it already in them and have no problem but most people have probably felt a little nervous. Teachers make you do presentations but you need to know how to speak professionally and how to be engaged with your audience which most teachers don't do a good job of teaching
This is something you should know how to do in case your car has problems and the light next to the speedometer comes on you can at least have some idea what the issue is. You don't have to be a mechanic to do some of these things either. Just simply checking your tire pressure and checking your oil is important and if you can change your own oil it will save you money also changing a flat tire everyone should know how to do but even knowing what to do in an accident is beneficial for everyone just in case.
Mental health is just as important as physical health yet schools do very little to teach us about mental health. Most students have probably had anxiety or stress or depression other issues related to mental health and the current world events going on aren't helping either. In this day and age it's important to stay healthy both physically and mentally. Schools need to do a better job of teaching some of the conditions, signs to look for and how to get help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health nearly 1 in 5 adults in the US have a mental illness. Mental health can seriously damage a person which is what can drive them to overdose on drugs or alcohol to try and cope or even worse commit suicide. I'm very surprised schools haven't already taken measures to bring awareness to mental health issues.
You don't have to have a medical background to learn basic First Aid skills. Everyone should know about CPR the Heimlich maneuver and how to clean and dress a wound. These are things that seem simple but its easy to panic when this type of situation arises and forget what to do. And even if you call emergency services it can take a long time for them to reach you depending on where you're at. Knowing what to do could be the difference between life and death.
At some point in your life, you will likely own a home, which means you need to take care of it. Painting, carpentry, and basic plumbing skills will save you from having to call a repairman for simple tasks. But it also includes skills like mowing, running a weed eater, and having an understanding of some basic tools. Not just the hammers and screwdrivers, but being familiar with different saws, wrenches, and drills will help you when you need a specific tool for a specific project. This is something I wish I had more knowledge about. Home maintenance should also include cleaning the inside, like vacuuming, cleaning windows, and the bathroom and kitchen at the bare minimum. You could hire someone to do those jobs for you, but it would save money if you knew how to do some basic tasks and only called someone for more complicated issues. Plus, it shows that you are independent enough to maintain your living space.
The number of americans who don't know how to cook is almost countless.
