teamtickleguy
2nd Level Orange Feather
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2004
- Messages
- 2,497
- Points
- 38
What skills, information and advice do you wish you'd received more education on at college/school?
It could be that these things should be taught by parents, and with the Internet they are now much more easily accessed, but there are several things I think I should have received classes on during the 16-18 year old phase that should be compulsory preparatory education, like an overview of what you need to know and consider and various stages of your life. Many are touched on, but not enough emphasis is given. I learned plenty of stuff at school that I never use now. On reflection a lot of these things my parents did try to have an input, but perhaps I just wasn't interested as I felt I was too young for it to matter - then went away to Uni so the chance for them to teach me was gone.
This is all based on my experience of growing up in the UK.
1) basic information on what running a car entails - so many people have no idea what a 'locking wheel nut' is, many never check their oil/water, winter car tips, changing a tyre, route planning etc - some of this now forms part of the UK driving test/lessons, but nothing was mentioned when I was learning.
2) Financial skills - introduction to mortages, renting, savings, current accounts, credit, what insurance you'll need and when, budgeting, how pensions works, what taxes you pay, national insurance, benefits you're entitled to etc
3) cookery - I had some cookery classes at primary school and I guess cookery is one of the easiest things to get started on and is easy to become exposed to because eating is such a compulsory thing we need to stay alive! But A bit more education on this might get people interested enough in how good healthy things actually taste and might have helped prevent the unacceptable levels of obesity we now have
4) career choices and career building. implications of employment versus self-employment.
5) Basic DIY - putting up shelves, installing picture hooks, plumbing up a washing machine, planting things effectively in your garden etc etc.
I find the older I get, the more I realise how hard it is to get various things in life right, and I wished I'd known more earlier on so it all wouldn't be such a struggle now!
for example, Having always bought second hand cars and classic cars, basic maintenance etc would have been very handy. Perhaps what I should have done is just bought a new car on finance, then paid it off quickly but in installments, whilst meanwhile the car is not going to go wrong because it's brand new....no car tax to start with either...money saved.
Also, I might not have done the degree I chose - whilst it undoubtedly taught me an awful lot and helped me to get jobs in the Arts , I now work outside the arts and use my degree for self-employed work - which of course, is virtually rendered pointless by the amount of tax I pay on my earnings - it's lucky that I enjoy it as a hobby otherwise it really would be a waste.
It's a bit rich to pay so much to do a degree and then be punished even more financially when you actually progress and use your degree to be successful within your chosen field.
Rant over, thoughts welcome 🙂
TTG
It could be that these things should be taught by parents, and with the Internet they are now much more easily accessed, but there are several things I think I should have received classes on during the 16-18 year old phase that should be compulsory preparatory education, like an overview of what you need to know and consider and various stages of your life. Many are touched on, but not enough emphasis is given. I learned plenty of stuff at school that I never use now. On reflection a lot of these things my parents did try to have an input, but perhaps I just wasn't interested as I felt I was too young for it to matter - then went away to Uni so the chance for them to teach me was gone.
This is all based on my experience of growing up in the UK.
1) basic information on what running a car entails - so many people have no idea what a 'locking wheel nut' is, many never check their oil/water, winter car tips, changing a tyre, route planning etc - some of this now forms part of the UK driving test/lessons, but nothing was mentioned when I was learning.
2) Financial skills - introduction to mortages, renting, savings, current accounts, credit, what insurance you'll need and when, budgeting, how pensions works, what taxes you pay, national insurance, benefits you're entitled to etc
3) cookery - I had some cookery classes at primary school and I guess cookery is one of the easiest things to get started on and is easy to become exposed to because eating is such a compulsory thing we need to stay alive! But A bit more education on this might get people interested enough in how good healthy things actually taste and might have helped prevent the unacceptable levels of obesity we now have
4) career choices and career building. implications of employment versus self-employment.
5) Basic DIY - putting up shelves, installing picture hooks, plumbing up a washing machine, planting things effectively in your garden etc etc.
I find the older I get, the more I realise how hard it is to get various things in life right, and I wished I'd known more earlier on so it all wouldn't be such a struggle now!
for example, Having always bought second hand cars and classic cars, basic maintenance etc would have been very handy. Perhaps what I should have done is just bought a new car on finance, then paid it off quickly but in installments, whilst meanwhile the car is not going to go wrong because it's brand new....no car tax to start with either...money saved.
Also, I might not have done the degree I chose - whilst it undoubtedly taught me an awful lot and helped me to get jobs in the Arts , I now work outside the arts and use my degree for self-employed work - which of course, is virtually rendered pointless by the amount of tax I pay on my earnings - it's lucky that I enjoy it as a hobby otherwise it really would be a waste.
It's a bit rich to pay so much to do a degree and then be punished even more financially when you actually progress and use your degree to be successful within your chosen field.
Rant over, thoughts welcome 🙂
TTG
