First of all, I have to admit, my high school experience was different than most. I was homeschooled. In fact, I was homeschooled from third grade through my high school graduation. But I can still agree these are things high school didn’t teach us!
It’s amazing just how much we learn in high school. And yet, there are so many life skills that we somehow never get taught in school. Looking back, I learned a lot about things I will never use again– hello, algebra? Overall, I understand the need to learn some science stuff, and history too. But what about things that will actually be applicable to my life?
If I’m being honest, even in college, I learned a lot. Some classes I feel were more important than others. Because how often have I used those Spanish classes since college? Even when it came to my degree (mass communication), there were things I never learned. Those were things that required real-life experience once I got into my career.
Now in my 30s, there are still times I learn things that I feel like I should’ve known before now. “Adulting” can be confusing, terrifying, and weird! There are still times I look around for an “adult” to help me figure things out.
LifeHacker has compiled a list of things you should’ve learned in high school. And I love this, because looking back, it could’ve saved us all a little trouble! So many of the things on their list are basic things that almost everyone will have to figure out at some point or another. Here are the top 6 things high school didn’t teach us that I think they should have!
Buying A House
Sure, in high school, the idea of homeownership seems like a lifetime away. But when that moment finally comes… it can be scary. I didn’t buy my own house until I was 29, almost 30. And I felt so unprepared. I didn’t know the first thing about the mortgage process, the time it takes… and then there’s the just the overall cost of being a homeowner! When it came to my mortgage, I had no idea they could just randomly sell my mortgage off to another company. Since buying my home almost 6 years ago, I think I’ve had 3 different mortgage companies. Also, there’s interest, escrow, property taxes, and insurance. Oh, and let’s not forget about maintenance and repairs on your home! You never know when something is going to break down on you.
Photo: AntonioGuillem/iStock/Getty Images
Building Credit
I have to admit that credit is still something that is mind boggling to me! For the longest time I didn’t want to charge anything on credit. But I learned that not having any debt is almost worse than having a lower credit score. Go figure! But, building credit can be so confusing. And if you have no idea what you’re doing, you could wind up in a ton of debt that will feel overwhelming and take forever to pay off.
Photo: NicoElNino/iStock/Getty Images
Basic Vehicle Maintenance
This may apply more to females… but I never really learned much about vehicle maintenance. I do know that I need to get my oil changed… and then there’s the tires that need to be replaced (although I pushed it too long one time and had a blowout on the interstate). But when it comes to changing a tire… I know the idea of how to change it– but never been shown how, or even tried.
Photo: Tatomm/iStockphoto/Getty Images Plus
Insurance
Even in my 30s, insurance confuses me. When it comes time to enroll in health insurance, I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. All the talk about deductibles makes my head spin. Then you also have car insurance, homeowners insurance, and life insurance. It can be crazy expensive. But I do know it’s important to have. I just hope I have the right coverage when it’s needed!
Photo: AntonioGuillem/iStock/Getty Images
Handling Emergencies
Maybe you did some basic first aid at some point. I don’t really remember ever doing a class on that though. Having some knowledge could definitely come in handy for basic survival. You never know when a medical emergency could happen.
Photo: Tutye/iStock/Getty Images
Time Management
Sure, school keeps students on a pretty tight schedule. But no one really teaches us how to create our own schedule and using our time wisely. One of the biggest things is learning to be aware of how much time needs to be allotted for certain tasks. And also, giving ourselves time to for self-care… instead of being GO, GO, GO all the time!
Photo: Olga PS/Getty Images
