Guys, let's talk about some serious truth for a minute. When you get out of school and step into the adult world - it hits you FAST. Your typical public school education will not prepare you adequately, no matter how thorough it was.
Reddit user @TheDownvoteMachine_7 asked:
What are some skills that aren't taught in public schools but should be?
The answers covered most of the obvious things like how to not be a total financial mess, basic maintenance skills, and what it really takes to get a job. I want to give you guys my response, though. Because this is really bothering me and it has for years and I still don't have a solution... What are you supposed to say when someone coughs, you guys?
Feel better? That's a little demanding, isn't it? Maybe they feel totally fine and just had a throat tickle.
Excuse you? Okay but now you sound like a jerk.
Would you like a cough drop? What if you don't have cough drops? Now you've committed to a lifetime of having emergency cough drops on your at all times or you're just a monster out here getting people's hopes up.
Do I ignore it? Now I feel rude and like people think I don't care if they're not okay. I can't handle this kind of pressure and the best I've come up with is to just stop and stare on high alert in case they need medical assistance - which I've recently discovered looks like annoyed face. Why did nobody teach me what to do or say to avoid this stress!?!?
Anyway, here are some of the more popular responses - edited for clarity and language if needed.
Know Your Rights
Employee rights and Labor Laws.
The number of friends I had during or right out of high school that got taken for a ride by their first job was insane.
They didn't receive their last paycheck. They worked free overtime because their boss told them it was "their fault" they didn't finish working on time. Not knowing they had the ability to say "no" when told to cover a shift.
Not knowing it was okay to call the cops when an adult was harassing them because they were scared they were going to lose their jobs. What actual laws are in place regarding breaks and meal breaks vs. company policy and that company policy can never override the law.
People take advantage of the young because they know they don't know any better. A class about employee rights and labor laws would help with that.
Just The Basics
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Basic auto mechanics. Changing tires, oil things like that. Had that at my private school and it was beyond useful learning how to balance and rotate, swap a spark plug, change breaks. All of which are super easy too.
And save a ridiculous amount of money. I don't know what shops actually charge to replace spark plugs because I've always done it myself, but the plugs are like $3 each. Brakes pads are cheap too, but a shop will charge out the @ss and try to convince you need rotors too.
Disk brakes are beyond easy too. Firestone quoted around 1200 bucks for all around brake replacements and I did it myself for around 300 bucks.
- Loxsis
General Household Maintenance
General household things, wiring a plug, painting a wall, how to decorate, how to cut grass. They actually need to prepare young people for the sh*t show that is adult life, one day you realize you were carried too far and then got kicked out of the nest to fly on your own and sort your own sh*t out.
A Revamp
I wish that in addition to just drilling classics into our heads that English classes would do more to cover Media Literacy and Public Speaking.
Classics should be taught in a historical context, not like it's a present-day wonder. Classics just simply get lost in context due to linguistic changes in modern society and there's nothing we can really do about that. Not just that, but many classical "great works" also won't objectively compare to modern "great works" due to baseline skill from writing and being non-relevant/relatable to today's standards.
Sure, back in the day Thoreau had interesting ideas about society, but today his ideas doesn't compare anymore than an emo edgelord's.
It should be treated as science. Sure, alchemy was the baseline of what chemistry is today and it's good to know the history behind it, but we don't act like trying to make gold by screaming at a rock while doing a Moondance is genius.
/rant
- Sybre
I agree! English teacher here. Current English common core standards have public speaking and educational technology is becoming more important so we try to. Not all school have access to laptops like we do (we got a grant since we are title 1)
The thing is integrating it - teach 1984 and censorship. Teach To Kill a Mockingbird and have them practice giving a closing speech. Study Ted talks and rhetoric.
It's hard. A lot of older teachers just dont want to change what they've been teaching for years and it sucks.
How To Handle It
Dealing with failure and taking feedback.
Not all criticism and shortcomings are mean-spirited and cruel, they're meant to help you learn. We've gone way too soft and once people hit the "real world" they can't handle it.
Hell, kids can't even fail school anymore and parents get kids off the hook in school when it comes to being held accountable for being little sh!theads. I've even heard of parents bitching to companies their kids interviewed at but didn't hire... This has to stop.
Taxes
To all the folks saying taxes: SUPER basic arithmetic and following directions.
Elementary school covers those. If your circumstances are different/special, you may have to use those research skills you get in high school, and Google.
- Gimbu
A few years back I worked with the local school and made less than required to file a tax return but still got an official form. I then went over it with my parents and it is really just reading, having a simple calculator and putting the right number in the right box. It's super simple.
The only reason people don't like it and are stressed out by it is because companies like Turbo-Tax, H&R Block and more want it to seem difficult and stressful so you can give them money to do it for you.
Whats worse is the IRS already knows all of the information you are putting on your tax return, and could easily do them for you because they know all of the information you are putting there, they are just checking to make sure you don't lie. Countries like the UK do this and its called Return Free Filing, and was pushed for by both President Reagan and President Obama. Of course it was quickly shutdown because Tax software companies spend lots of money making sure that bills for Return Free Filing are shut down quickly.
- damboy99
So Awkward
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What to say when you say goodbye to someone and they start walking the same direction as you.
Discussion
How to 'discuss', not 'argue' different opinions.
If all you want to do is argue that you're right and they're wrong, at the end of it, chances are that neither of you would have changed your mind but likely came out of it with a bad impression of the other.
On the other hand if you would discuss different opinions, and not try to win an argument, chances are you'll at least come out of if with new information and maybe thinking about the other person's viewpoint. You may not change your mind that day, but it could be a seed planted and you may change your mind someday.
And you won't lose a friend for it.
Another Perspective
I just want to comment that many of the things here, such as taxes, working on cars, jobs, all of it - my school had many of those things as mandatory senior year courses.
The kids literally did not care. It's really easy to blame the school system when in reality students have a hard time thinking ahead and therefore do not pay attention to the "useless" info. Then they grow up and blame the schools for "not teaching them right". It's frustrating.
- Wulfy451
When we're intoxicated, or even the slightest bit tipsy from having a little too much to drink, our immediate perspective on things is hazy.
But there's nothing like a bit of alarming news or a jarring incident to snap us out of the fog and focus on the moment.
Sometimes alcohol isn't always to blame for our impairment.
It can be a state of mind, like a perpetual numbness from being complacent in life, and all it takes is one shocking moment to rattle us back to our senses.
Curious to hear from strangers online about this type of scenario, Redditor Known_Challenge_7150 asked:
"What’s one thing that sobered you up real quick?"
These individuals were witness to shocking events that sobered them up right quick.
Bleeding Out
"Got out of a taxi and found a naked man profusely bleeding from his head crawling up the driveway in my condo. Called him an ambulance completely forgot I was absolutely wasted until 45 minutes later when I'd helped him translate and in to an amublance and stepped in my front door."
"Later a few days later learned he'd slipped in the tub and literally crawled out for help. Poor dude. He was fine but I genuinely thought he was going to die there."
– DongLaiCha
Tragic News
"At a bachelor party and we got a phone call that the groom’s father had suddenly passed."
– accountnameredacted
Bottom Of The Barrel
"I went to visit my parents back in July. I was homeless and deep into fentanyl addiction so I lost a lot of weight. My folks could see it. They knew something was up. Anyway, I spent the night and I was getting ready to leave in the morning and I looked at myself in the mirror for a good long time. I finally had enough and told them everything. They took me to detox, from there I went to rehab. Graduated in August and been living with them ever since then. I have 160 days clean and sober."
– Crotch-Monster
A reality check can be enough for some people to snap out of it.
Like Father, Like Son
"Was driving a drunk friend home, he had been on a bender again and was smart enough to call me for a lift rather than try and drive. As I helped in to his house his mother came down the stairs and said 'your as drunk as your father' and went back upstairs. I haven't seen him drunk since then, he still drinks but the thought of turning into his dad scared him out of hard drinking."
– psycospaz
Busted
"Flashing blue lights."
– FiddleOfGold
"This sobered me up just thinking about it."
– redmaple_syrup
Losing Sight
"Woke up to no sight in one eye. I had cataract surgery so just thought one of the lenses had slipped and it was an easy fix. Eye doc says nope, you had a stroke. I loved soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and salty food, which caused high blood pressure, which caused retina damage. Over six months was able to get most of my eyesight back with medication, and all back within a year. Trying to navigate life with one eye was very sobering. Started taking HBP much more seriously."
– MissHibernia
Quitting The Bottle
"Looked up someone I went to highschool with who was an awesome guy. Found out he had been dead for 3 years from alcoholism, at age 33. I made an overnight change. I hadn't started drinking that night yet, 10 months ago. Haven't touched it again since."
– omgtater
These disturbing moments were enough for Redditors to immediately come to their senses.
Unplanned House Guests
"Me and a buddy Woke up in someone’s living room, realized neither one of us knew the people, they were just nice and let 2 drunk guys sleep on their living room floor. We didn’t even say goodbye."
– Oneinsevenbillion75
Serious Health Warning
"Elevated liver enzymes."
"And the knowledge that this sh** was gonna kill me and I just couldn't orphan my family over it."
"So I opted for recovery, instead."
"Clean and sober since June 5, 2009."
– Far_Meal8674
The Joyride
"Grew up in a rural area. The little town hosted dances at the hockey arena, everyone (adults and kids) went and they overserved everyone, regardless of age. I was maybe 16 or 17 and was absolutely sh*tfaced, and jumped in the back of someone's truck with about 8 other people to go back to someone's cottage for after dance drinking. The driver (still don't know who it was) started racing one of his buddies and we whipped around small dirt roads, flying around blind corners on the wrong side of the road, going god knows how fast. It was basically a disaster waiting to happen. It was crazy scary and I was sober and thankful to be alive when we finally arrived."
– foxfood9116
The human psyche is a fascinating thing, isn't it?
How we can automatically focus on something urgent at a crucial time, even after getting buzzed from drinking too much alcohol.
But as we're in the thick of the holidays, it's a good reminder to drink responsibly and stay off the roads if you drive to your celebratory destination.
Cheers. Stay safe. And happy holidays.
We've all complained or vented about something in our lives which, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't exactly a problem, or is very easily solved.
Then there are those who complain about things that others almost hope will happen to them at some point in their lives.
These are known as "first world problems", as they are problems that pretty much only the world's one percent faces.
From having to fly business class instead of first class, or being served Roederer instead of Dom Pérignon, these complaints are often met with amusement, bewilderment, or even anger.
Redditor jennimackenzie was curious to hear the most absurd "first world problems" anyone ever complained about, leading them to ask:
"What’s the most ridiculous 'first world problem' you’ve seen people get worked up over?"
"Tale As Old As Time..."
"I once knew a mom who was legitimately devastated, to the point of tears/grief, because a doctor predicted her 8 year old daughter's final height to be around 5'2","
"Which wasn't tall enough to get cast as Belle at Disney World."
"That was the child's (and her mother's) only dream in life, apparently."
"Didn't appreciate my suggestion that she could be Minnie or Mickey."
"Lol!"
"Only a face character would do!"- TravelLovingMom
"Must Be Funny, In A Rich Man's World..."
"My boss from about a decade ago was this insanely rich dude who always went to the bank to get fresh and crisp currency."
"He'd call the bank in advance to make sure they had some on hand."
"I think he was a germaphobe."
"He had a trash can that he'd throw $1 and $5 bills in that he thought was 'dirty' and regularly just donated it vs spending it."
"I asked him why he did this and he said it was too much trouble and asked if I wanted it."
"I said f*ck yeah dumped it into my bag and when I got home it was close to $400 in singles and fives.
"Another time, he wanted to upgrade all the computers in his studio, so we went to a store and bought 10 PCs."
"They all had $150 mail in rebates and he wasn't bothered to go through the trouble of mailing them in."
"3 weeks later I received $1500 after spending a whole afternoon filling out all those goddamn forms."- azninvasion2000
Money Burn GIF by nog
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Who Wore It Better?
"When I was about 19 years old, I was at my boyfriends family BBQ."
"I was wearing this pretty floral sundress."
"His cousins girlfriend showed up in the same dress and she was SO mad that she went and changed."
"I will never understand being upset when someone is wearing the same thing as you.'
"Did you really think that your shirt you bought off the rack is going to be unique to you?"
"No."- mertsey627
Seeing Red! Or Blue In This Case...
"The blue of the balloons wasn't quite the same as the bridesmaid's sashes."
"Years ago my wife and I attended a wedding."
"It was very low key."
"The dinner was in the dining hall at the university where the couple met, cinder block walls and all."
"It was a Baptist wedding - no booze and very serious."
"The dark blue balloons attempting to liven up the hall were a slightly darker shade of blue than the sashes on the bridesmaid's dresses."
"The bride lost here sh*t and absolutely raved for nearly an hour."
"I can't remember how they finally managed to talk her down."- mechant_papa
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See You In Court!
"Rich neighbors who end up in expensive court battles because they disagree about where a tree can be planted or whether the color of a fence fits in with the street’s 'amenity'."
'These disputes get really heated and rack up huge lawyers’ bills."
"The most pathetic part is after the judgement when they are arguing about who should pay the other party’s costs."
"Lots of affidavits filed citing the 'emotional distress' they had to endure, or painting themselves as brave warriors who were forced to take a stand to fight for 'justice'."
"Also lots of pompous litigants insisting that the judge refer to them by their 'Dr' title."
"An absolutely insane dumpster fire of entitled rich people problems."- ElectrocRaisin
It's Always People With Money Who Don't Want To Pay!
"I work in a public library."
"People will get so so mad if they have to be put on a wait list for a book."
"A popular book that just came out."
"Ok our services are not only free but so are the books."
"You’re welcome, a**holes."- Switchbladekitten
A Warm Butt Is A Happy Butt!
"My own."
"We have a bidet toilet seat (Fabulous! Everyone should have one!) and not only does it wash your bum and blow dry it, but the seat's heated!"
"It's shocking how much a heated toilet seat makes the whole process more agreeable."
"Except: We had a power outage and I went to use the toilet and the seat was cold!"
"Unacceptable!"
"This shall not stand!"
"I was really upset because it didn't feel good."
"Then I stopped and thought: This is the most first-world problem anyone's ever had."
"I was really pissed because my heiny was tepid."
"I got over it."- DeathGrover
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Holy Matrimony!
"Weddings are a gold mine for this question."
"People get so hyped up over their 'most important day of their life'."
"They'll destroy friendships, go into debt, and have crazy expectations."
"It's not always the couple who go crazy, either."
"Sometimes, it's the parents or another family member who feels entitled to control the wedding."
"It's just a party."
"Be considerate of guests, have plenty of food and drinks, and enjoy it."- magicrowantree
When Fast Food Isn't Fast Enough...
"Having to pull off to the side to wait for a drive-thru order to be brought out to you because your food isn't ready and there's a line building up behind you."- demanbmore
In Case You Don't Think Customer Service Employees Are Undervalued...
"I was working the return desk at a Target next to a military base so I have so many stories."
"One of my favorites was a lady who had her baby shower before revealing the gender and was livid that she had received floral newborn diapers when she’s having a boy."
"It was a huge box of super expensive, all organic diapers, that we didn’t carry and therefore could not return."
"I cannot accurately express her fury and disgust."
"How dare either suggest her boy could wear feminine diapers."
"I suggested she donate them if she didn’t want to use them and she instead threw away the entire box."
"When she left we pulled it out and threw it in our donate bin."
"There have also been multiple times where mom’s order massive toys and when we bring them out to the car they get furious that they aren’t wrapped."
"We don’t offer wrapping services."
"Here’s the thing, if you don’t want your kids to see the toys you got them for Christmas or their bit to day DON'T BRING THE CHILD WHEN YOU PICK IT UP."
'I’ve had multiple women scream and curse me out that I had ruined their kids Christmas by bringing the toys they ordered out to the car like they requested."- clever-mermaid-mae
Customer Service Waiting GIF by Juno Calypso
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Happiest Place On Earth!
"I used to work for Disney."
"That in itself should tell you everything."
"However for fun I'll give you two specific stories one form our tech department and one from my wife who worked bookings."
"I specifically worked for their call center to help with technical issues with magic band and the website."
"Suddenly got worse huh?"
"A right of passage call everyone has at least one story of is the 'Dome call'."
"Basically there is a subset of Disney Guest (TM) that believes if it rains at Walt Disney world there is someone that will push a button to encapsulate the whole of Disney property in a dome to keep out the rain."
"I'm not kidding."
"If this button is not pushed they call our tech department to angrily ask why."
"My wife worked booking."
"Pretty much everything including Bibbidi Bobbidi boutique and Pirate's league."
"These two things did roughly the same thing difference being price and theme."
"BBB was expensive did more and was focused on princesses, pirates league did a bit less and focused on mermaids and pirates."
"Lady called up my wife, and got pissed about BBB being booked up (It goes FAAAAST)."
"Karen: 'Im going to give the phone to my daughter and I want you to tell her how you are ruining her vacation by not letting her do BBB'."
"Wife proceeds to explain how pirate's league is so much cooler and how she can be a mermaid or pirate and basically gets the kid to start demanding to their parents about how they want to be a mermaid instead of a princess."- trollsong
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The horror!
Being booked into a junior suite at Disney World instead of an executive suite!
It's almost as bad as having no money for groceries, or no food to feed you children...
Said absolutely no one.