When I graduated from high school, I knew my education was nowhere near complete. However, I was not expecting to learn so much in such a short time away from home. Within weeks, I had already learned a variety of things that my textbooks had never taught me. From life lessons to life hacks, here are 10 things I wish my high school textbooks contained.
1. You can split your uber fare
This completely blew my mind my first week of summer term. I mean seriously, this was life changing.
2. Venmo
Another amazing form of technology that could have saved me various times through out high school. Venmo is an app that lets you virtually transfer money without having to go to the bank or withdraw cash. All you need is your phone, which let’s be honest, you always have on you anyways.
3. Let bygones be bygones
College is not a place for grudges. The only person that is affected by a past scuffle is you, because you’re the only one that still cares. Let it go.
4. Appreciate your parents
I got really sick recently up at school and I vividly remember laying on my (death) bed, wishing my mom was there to make me soup or my dad was there to make horrible jokes. Being sick just is not fun when you have to take care of yourself.
5. And their debit cards!!!
I never realized in high school just how expensive everything is. I would go to dinner with my family and not even think twice about the bill. Now, whenever I order food, I question if a Subway sandwich is really worth $5. Now that I am forced to see all the money I’m spending, I feel like someone should deactivate my debit card…
6. Laundry is expensive
I always find myself sifting through my dirty clothes hamper to see which shirt smells the best rather than doing a load of laundry. Why spend $4 to wash my clothes when I can spend $4 on food? Priorities, people.
7. Nothing is THAT bad
We’ve all had times where we think our world is ending. Of course, this could be the cause of your average teenage over reaction, or it could be 2012 all over again. These are the moments that I find myself repeating: “There’s no where to go but up.” Slowly but surely, life WILL get better. One day you will look back on times that seemed tough and realize that is when you have learned the best lessons.
8. Beat to your own drum
Your teenage years are when you form relationships that can last a life time. Don’t spend this time pretending to be someone you’re not. The only thing that will come out of that are friends who don’t even like you for who you are. Beat to your own drum. Be yourself. The friends you make because of this will make you appreciate all the things life offers.
9. People do not care about your problems as much as you do
The cold, hard, truth. What may seem like a huge problem to you is barely a fly on the windshield on the highway of life. I’ve found that talking about your problems often does not elicit the response you want, making the situation and the feeling much worse.
10. You learn a lot by listening to other people
My four years in high school revolved around me. I never took a break to slow down and listen to my family or my friends. I’m disappointed in myself that that is how I was, but college made me realize that I’m just a small person in this huge world. It’s amazing how many loyal friendships I have made in the past couple months by simply closing my mouth and listening to what other people have to say.
