Let me preface by saying that school teachers are the most underrated people on the planet. They have to deal with your shitty kids, teach them all the things you as a neglect parent never taught them, and they have to deal with you (the asshole parents) trying to give unsolicited advice as how you think they should teach a group of dumb, disrespectful gremlins … all while making far less than a comfortable living salary… To what? -To do better for our youth and help mold our "future". #angels
You know what else is fucked, school curriculum. I had to take so much science (in my adulthood I have never had to perform open-heart surgery on a pig, so that was just a torture exercise by (mandatory) disecting those in 11th grade), so much math (not applicable math but like math with letters), and all sorts of history (but like from a white perspective)… I don’t know what type of profession the school system is grooming me for, but it didn’t work. Here are things I wish I actually would have learned in school:
How to fill out a tax form, and just filing tax in general because I am old and still have no clue.
Basic vehicle functioning… If anything besides a gas light comes on, I literally spiral to a full blown panic attack. I mean even knowing how to check tire pressure, basic oil changes, how to jump start a car etc etc would really help my future self out.
How to create a resume/copy letter… I’ve been raw dogging it for years and still to this day I have to send them to all my friends to make sure it makes sense.
Nutrition. I still don’t know how much I should or shouldn’t be eating, what my caloric intake should be, what is sodium and how it affects my body. What is "eating healthy"? And furthermore ...cooking, I max out with scrambled eggs. Like I got my HS diploma and then I just suddenly was off on my own trying to keep myself alive like a fuckin' Tomigachi with absolutely no cooking skills— well that didn’t work out well for me
What mental health actually is. I lived for nearly 20 years with debilitating anxiety and depression and the only thing I found to settle my restless thoughts was to get black out drunk— also didn’t end well for me.
Budgeting. My money situation is a hellscape and I still have no idea how to properly budget. What percentage/stock in the company actually means (or if that is just a post-pandemic ploy as a cherry on top of a shit sundae to persuade you to take a job that offensively underpays you), what a 401k is, what stocks/cypto are, where is all the money taken out of my check going… etc etc etc… all foreign to me.
What insurance is… I still don’t know what hmo, ppo, networks, copay etc etc even means… furthermore how to find the correct insurance plan for me. I tried this year (late bloomer) to learn and the only thing I got from that process is that healthcare in this country is fucking trash.
Learned about politics. We learned what Democrats and Republicans were by definition and why you should use your right to vote for the presidential election…but never discussed how voting for all other bills, electives etc etc meant. They also never taught us that Republicans are really just racists that camouflage their feral behavior under an umbrella they like to call “christianity”
Sports. We learned how to play kickball and dodgeball, but why isn’t yoga (a long term exercise that is good for your mind and body) not taught in schools?
In Senior High we were pressured so hard to go to college, I will never know how continuing education for 4 more years, learning more useless bullshit, that forces you at the age of 18 to have major debt is a great idea for the future?! We were brainwashed to believe that if we had a college diploma, we would end up rich with our dream job… Sorry kids that is simply not the case. With a college diploma you will be searching for jobs that require 10 years of relevant work experience (so you have to apply for an entry level position making pesos) all to be making 60k a year… that will not cover your school debt, bills, apt, vehicle, food, insurance… … you will just be putting yourself further and further in debt...until you die.
Basic grooming... I still don't know how often I should be brushing my teeth, after every meal? Am I brushing too often? The importance of sunscreen. That at 16 you should be using an eye cream. That getting botox is much cheaper if you get it before you have deep creases. How to get coffee/wine stains out of clothing, What vitamins I should be taking and that Hydroxycut will give you kidney stones. That 75% of your problems will go away if you drink enough water.
If I would have known what I know now… I would have started saving money in kindergarten, dropped out of school in the 6th grade and joined the workforce to hopefully have a chance of working my way up in a company to have a future with financial security. Instead of succumbing to be a low budget online prostitute taking pictures in polyester clothing to make rent and pay off my debt. I wish someone would have told me that. I also wish someone would have told me that managers at In-N-Out make approx 100K/year… Something to think about
