We spent four years of our lives in high school, continuing our education past middle school and closer to college. Once we graduate high school, we are expected to know how to live on our own and do this thing called "being an adult." And you would think high school would prepare us for this, right? Before we could graduate at my high school, we were required to take a half year class called Financial Literacy, which taught us the definitions of a mortgage, insurance, and rent. It was just little tips on how to balance and keep track of your money, and how to understand the concept of paying rent. But a class you only take for ten weeks in the 10th grade doesn't really stick with you once you graduate and head off into the real world. That, and a couple other things.
1. Annotated Bibliographies.
These are the things that will be the death of all college students. Going into college and not knowing how to do this is one thing, but being the only one in your college courses that had never even heard of an annotated bibliography was is another thing. Sure, I'm only in my second semester of college, but I think I have written more annotated bibliographies than I've written my name.
2. Essays and Papers.
Another thing that every college students dreads hearing from a professor. Please, someone tell me what a controversy essay is? And, if you could, how the hell do you write an analysis paper? This is something I never learned in high school, and now I have one of either of these papers every week.
3. FAFSA and Loans.
I am the first child in my family to go to college, so when my parents had to fill out FAFSA for the first time, it was crazy just watching them try to figure it out. And taking out a loan. Yes, my parents know how to do this, but how am I supposed to do this on my own when I need to start paying for college?
4. Managing Money.
Money becomes a big deal when you step out into college. You get tired of the cafeteria food, so you constantly want to go out to eat. You get bored on the weekends, so you get friends together and go shopping. Spending your money becomes easier that flipping a light switch. Something that would've been great to learn in high school is how to budget our money. Saving money is crucial, because then we have some to pay our dues and loans.
5. Creating a Resume.
This is something that we should know, right? Most of us are trying to think of what jobs we are going to want once we graduate, or trying to find an internship. How could we do this without a resume? When you go on a job interview, that's normally the first thing you're asked, "Do you have a resume?" And that's when you present a nicely typed up resume, probably in a neatly protected folder. Hopefully one day I'll learn what that is.
6. Insurance.
I know the basics of this. You have car insurance, health insurance, life insurance. But how do you apply? What exactly does it do? When people apply for certain jobs, they want to know what the health insurance policy is or if they have dental insurance. Sorry, what?
7. Time Management.
Time management is something every student should be able to handle, at least in college. I can admit that I am awful with managing my time to get things done. In high school, more than half the time, the homework we get is just whatever we didn't finish in class. What we weren't prepared for in college was the three hours of homework we get FOR EACH CLASS. Most of us take about four or five classes, so that's a hell of a lot of homework to do.
I'm not trying to completely bash on my high school and say I learned nothing in the four years I was there, I know I learned some important things. I had great teachers that helped me in all the classes I took. But is everything I learned helping my future? As of right now, I'm going to be calling my parents when I'm living on my own about how to file for taxes or how to pay my rent bills.
