During my fifteen years (and counting) of public school education, I have learned a lot of things. I can tell you the quadratic formula from memory, explain to you that mitochondria is the powerhouse of a cell and the strict five-paragraph outline of an essay. I can tell you all about the Great Depression or World War 2, and I can list more rhetorical devices than you would ever want. I have learned a lot of things, but there are SO MANY things that I never learned that are far more important and useful. Here are just a few:

1. How to fill out taxes and FAFSA

Taxes are definitely something they should have been teaching us growing up. I have no idea how to do anything with them, which ultimately messes up my FAFSA too. My financial aid is completely screwed up because of not knowing how to fill it out correctly. FAFSA is bad enough as it is with having to know your cousin's-best-friend-from-preschool's bloodtype and the name of the bird you once saw at Petsmart. Public school could have at least made this process a little easier.

2. How to fold a fitted sheet

I think it can be claimed that most people put sheets on their bed, meaning they own and wash fitted sheets at some point. WHY does no one seem to know how to fold them, though? It seems like the only ultimatum is to either not wash your sheets, or crumple the fitted sheet into a ball of lessons never learned. I could have used this information.

3. How to buy a car

I have never had to buy a car, so I haven't yet encountered this tragedy. However, I am going to have to purchase one at some point in the future and I LITERALLY DON'T KNOW HOW.

4. How to change a tire

I hope I don't get stranded one day.

5. How to obtain and balance a checkbook

I have only ever used a debit card or cash to pay for anything. One day, I will probably need to know how to get a checkbook and balance it–whatever that means. I barely even know how to fill a check out. Someone save me.

6. How to get a passport

I have never been on an airplane, let alone gone to another country. If I decide to do that one day, I am going to be clueless.

7. How to build credit

I'm 19 years old and I haven't even begun to build credit. All I know is the different freecreditreport.com songs from those commercials.

8. How to do anything related to buying or selling a house

This would be a lot easier if I could just do it on Amazon.

9. How to do anything important for myself

I never really learned how to make friends, love myself, exit toxic relationships, stop procrastinating, take initiative or focus on mental health. These things are probably the most important things when it comes to maintaining a happy life, but no one ever taught me how to put myself first. That was something I had to teach myself through trial and error.

Moral of the story is that public school didn't teach me a lot of things I need to know in order to be a successful adult. I am going to have to find out on my own, which defeats the purpose of receiving 15 years of education when a majority of it is stuff that I will never use. Thank god for Google.