College teaches you a lot about the things you should have already learned. I live in a state (Wisconsin) where there are more than five Indian reservations. Unfortunately, the first time I really learned in depth about Native Americans was the second semester of my freshman year of college. Seriously? My eyes were completely opened to the sheltered history curriculum I followed through my earlier years of education. Native Americans still struggle with treaties, as well as retrieving back sacred lands that are rightfully theirs. We should not only learn about the real story of the Native Americans and Thanksgiving, but we should learn about how their history is still relevant to the present. Maybe I’m crazy, but I think it would be beneficial to learn about those who are native to the country in which we live.
Financial aid, obtaining a check book and paying bills can all be tricky if you try to take care of them uninformed. I did appreciate the fact that I chose to take a personal finance class in high school, but it wasn't required for me to graduate. Knowing the difference between subsidized and un-subsidized is crucial when accepting financial aid rewards or applying for loans. Watching your parents write checks for countless years isn’t necessarily going to instill the understanding of how to manage a checkbook and checking account. Taxes are daunting even for people who have filed them multiple times already. A few tips and short explanations during high school of the long process could be helpful down the line. Budgeting income in general would’ve been a nice skill to be introduced to.
I am glad that I was interested in cooking as a middle school kid and took a few cooking lessons and prepared dinner for my family multiple times a week. Personally, I know that my sister could’ve used some type of home economics class. (Sorry, Leah!) There could be countless others putting entire metal pots in the microwave because their soup wasn’t heating up fast enough. I mean, what if kids grow up in households where they are never expected or have the need to cook? They are going to blow their budget on eating out and probably wish they had at least learned how to bake chicken and boil an egg.
My grandma fortunately taught me how to sew and my mom showed me how to wash and fold my own clothes. A loose button? Bring it on. White blouse and red socks? Never put those in the same load. These things may seem like common sense to me, but I can only imagine how many people go through life never having touched a washer/dryer before the age of 18. My sister may not have been able to cook from a can, but she knew how to put a mean patch on a raggedy couch. I don’t think a full semester of learning how to be a seamstress is necessary, but teaching young adults how to thread a needle isn’t too difficult.
Sewing and cooking fall under a category of personal care. Which could even be the name of the course! Other things we should be educating these people on are proper dinner etiquette and organizational skills. Being able to set a table or conduct yourself in a proper manner during a meeting including food could be crucial in a business setting. These subjects as well as basic first aid and sex education that consists of more than an instructor saying “don’t have sex" fall under the realm of personal care. Knowing how to save someone’s life and protect your own is kind of a cool thing and a big deal.
I'm very grateful that my dad taught me how to take care of my car and how to fix everyday house dilemmas. A flat tire can happen to anyone at any time. Knowing how to get back on the road safely yourself can save time and maybe even money. Honestly, if high school students were just taught how to change their oil and a tire, it would be better than nothing.
Some of these things are available as classes in public high schools, but coming from a private school I can say a good majority of these things were never offered to me. Sure, the internet can be a very useful source and I found my way thanks to family.But these few things are what I believe should be taught to humans before they are left clueless on the side of the road, mixings reds and whites, or drowning in loans they had no idea were growing. I’m not saying I know everything and that these things are crucial to survival, but we would have some pretty darn good and independent people ready for a higher education and independent lifestyle.
