A school is a place where we are supposed to get a good education, but let’s face it--- the actual skills that we learn in school are pretty much useless when it comes to living a happy life.

We may learn math, but we don’t know how to argue well or how to breathe deeply and make wise choices. In school, we learn to sit and absorb the information; we learn confusion and unhappiness.

Here are 10 things I wish I could learn from school.

1. Managing Finance

Honestly, I still do not know how to manage finances so that I will be prepared in the future years. If the school had a separate class for this, it would be an advantage to someone who already knows how to manage their accounts.

2. How To Manage Life

On most school nights, I often sit to see what upcoming tests I have the next day. I have all my notes to study for this upcoming test tomorrow but how do I take this information and put it in my head? Should I make flashcards or read this book again, WHAT DO I DO? Maybe if we had a class for this, my grades would be much better than what I have right now.

3. Decision Making

When it comes to making a decision whether it’s to study for a quiz or doing your homework, we most of the time make the not wise choice and the cycle will keep going. I would love to see teachers explain what types of decisions to make for the future instead of them telling us to find the x-value of this figure. Like how is finding the x-value of this figure going to help me in the future?

4. Cooking

Eventually, we all are going to move away from our parents and when we do we will have to learn how to cook food for ourselves. I know there is culinary as an elective in schools, but the majority of the people at school do not think that is an important class. If schools emphasize how important it is for you to cook your food and not eat canned food in the future, this will allow more students to be responsible.

“When it says one tablespoon of sugar, does that mean one finger pinch of sugar”.

5. Accepting others

We need to understand that everyone is not perfect. There are some good qualities and bad qualities in everyone. However, you should look at good qualities and what makes them special. Trust me, everyone has a special trait in them.

6. How Insurance Works?

Insurance is basically when the company provides a guarantee for a specialized loss, damage or illness. That’s the only thing I know about insurances. My parents always are talking about how it’s important to have the right insurance and to double check the companies. Knowing how to choose what insurance is best for you will help you A LOT in the years after high school.

7. Dealing with Emotional Issues

Everyone has faced emotional issues that do not allow you to focus on anything. All you want to do is sit and cry peacefully. I feel we need a separate class for how to deal with the changing emotions you have as a teen. This could benefit you and help you feel better!

8. Happiness

The most important!! In my freshman year of high school, I felt the need of taking all these advanced levels of subjects, when though I knew I would have to work diligently and not procrastinate. I’ve learned my lesson after freshman year.

All these things are essential to know how to do but yet school did not teach us any of this. We spent so much time in school learning about trigonometry when we forgot the basic life skills we need. School is teaching me so many things, yet I wish school could also teach the essentials skills that will actually help daily life. Basic Life Skills 202: that’s a class I would love to take, and I wished schools could offer that.