Things I (Probably) Should Have Learned How to do in College.
When we were alone in the hospital for the first time-just me, Chris, and Jack-there was almost a sense of, “Oh my gosh, what do we even do?!” When it came time to change a diaper or swaddle him or anything like that. When Chris was changing his first diaper, he asked, “Am I doing this right?” To which I replied, “I have no idea.” We joked that instead of obscure math classes, they should offer parenting classes in college so you can be prepared for the rest of your life. It made me think of all the things I didn’t learn how to do in college, but probably should have…things like:
Change a tire. I don’t really foresee a scenario where I want to be alone on the side of the highway changing my own tire, but hey, it’s probably still a good idea to know how. Instead, I learned about the different types of drugs poets took in the 1800’s to inspire their work. Interesting, sure, but altogether rather useless now.
Build good credit. I had zero credit cards and zero debt to my name when I graduated college. I thought this was a great thing and that it showed that I only spent money if I had it. I had no idea that having no credit cards or anything I was on a payment plan for meant that I had no credit. When I went to sign the lease for our first apartment, the leasing office was like, “Um…do you know you don’t have any credit? Like, at all?” I feel like freshman year should come with the recommendation to put things on a credit card (and pay it off on time!), but instead, I learned different conspiracy theories about how Shakespeare never existed.
Jump a car back to life. I really wish that you could have overheard the conversation when I called my dad two years after I had graduated college and asked him what colors went where on a car battery. It was mostly just silence on his part as he was flabbergasted that I had somehow made it through life until then without ever having to use a pair of jumper cables. He asked me what my plan was if my car ever died, and I said I would call Triple A. To which he said, “Do you have Triple A?” No, no I did not. But hey! I can tell you when, where, and how Jack Kerouac died.
Understand health insurance/medical bills. I am so thankful that I have good insurance, but here’s what I’ve learned: They make it as complicated as possible so that you will just pay the bill instead of comparing it to your actual coverage and questioning it. I got a bill for $800 after my initial blood work when from when I found out I was pregnant. Thank God for Chris, because my reaction was “OH MY GOSH THIS IS REDICULOUS BUT I GUESS I OWE $800 UGH.” And his reaction was, “Yeah, that doesn’t sound right.” And within two hours I got an apology call saying I actually owed zero dollars. But if it weren’t for Chris, I would have just paid the $800! Because college did not teach me about these things-instead, it taught me all about Literary Theory and the schools of criticism..cool to learn, but ask me how many times I’ve used that knowledge post-college? Zero.
CPR. Up until a few years ago, if you were choking or needed CPR in front of me, you probably just would have died. My bad. But I did go to a self-defense class, where I learned that I needed to buy pepper spray and a rape whistle. So there’s that.
In all reality, I loved my classes. I love that I know tons of obscure facts about authors and genres and the history of poetry. They may not be useful in real life, but they were sure fun to learn about. And there are probably a thousand other things that I should have learned, but hey, I’ve got forever to learn those, right?
What’s something you probably should have learned in college?
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This is so true! I probably had the option to take a class where I'd learn how to do my own taxes, but they really should have made something like that mandatory. What I'd give to not have to pay to have them done every year!
I agree on all of this! Especially the credit part. You would think that with no credit cards/no debt, someone would trust you with money, but nooo. That would have been nice to know in college!
I definitely agree about the finances! Even in high school, I wish I had of learned how to budget better for college.
I wish I'd have learned about taxes, health insurance, the ins and outs of procreation (since most women- self included for a while- are 100% clueless about how our bodies and cycles work), home ownership, credit, and a whole bunch of other things…! Ha. Honestly, I could've used the time I was breeding fruit flies much more efficiently.
There are many things I wish I would have learned in college, all the above plus how to budget, and cooking and cleaning classes.
These are all too funny and too true. College seriously does nothing to prepare us for finances, paying bills, and just keeping on top of every day things. As a young parent I totally see the importance of passing as much knowledge onto my kids as possible so they are prepared to not spend themselves into bankruptcy! š
Yeah, I think they should teach a "life 101" class… I never learned any of these! I mean, they tried to teach us CPR in high school, but no one really paid attention…
Insurance can be so evil. A coworker of mine mentioned how she had a $600 bill from when an ambulance had to take her to the hospital. Ambulances are free under our plan. It's crazy how they take advantage of people.
Ahh. These are so true… I totally don't know how to do any of these things either! Guess I should learn haha!
Oh man. I think college should definitely have some life prep classes, but high schools as well, knowing that not everyone goes on to higher education.
I had parents who talked about $, but not all do.
So, some classes on credit, budgeting, 401K & retirement stuff would have been great.
Simple auto maintenance would be great too. Waiting until a light comes on & stays on for a few weeks & then begrudgingly taking it to the dealer is NOT a good idea. Haha.
Love this post! It's so true, I didn't learn any of these things in college & I STILL don't know how to do some of the ones you mentioned! lol
~Mattie
http://www.mattiesmakings.com
I agree with all of this! Honestly, I've never used half the stuff school focused on (ahem, geometry . . . chemistry . . . ) and when faced with real life situations (who's FICA? Why is he getting all my money?), I'm so lost!
xx, Caitlin
http://www.wandererandwolf.com
All of this. There should be a required Adulting 101 class! (but also the class on Shakespeare conspiracy theories. Like, what? Ha)
I would not have any idea how to even start to change a tire!
I agree 100% with the credit thing! I would also add a general car maintenance class: when to get an oil change, how often do you need to get your tires rotated, etc. I have almost zero knowledge there and usually just do what the mechanic tells me, but he could definitely be lying to me!
I wish I would have learned not to settle for the sake of stability. I grew up with as single mom with no money and all I wanted was the opposite. Granted I am super happy with my life right now, but there are a few choices I made that were all about safety.
Colleges seriously need an "Adulting 101" class where they teach you all of this stuff! I'm sure 99% of people don't understand how credit works or how medical insurance works. They need to teach us that stuff!
SO TRUE. Basically without AAA I would probably die. I've never had to change a tire and the one time my car died there was someone there with jumper cables who did it for me. Haha! Yikes. I only got a credit card about two years ago and I really wish I had opened one sooner! It would've made things so much easier.
Amen on the medical bills. I had a procedure done last year and the bills kept rolling in, except I thought I paid everything prior to even having anything done. Such a mess – in the end after spending much time on the phone, I still don't know if it was right! I didn't have any credit either – again things we should know. They need like a life skills class that everyone has to take!
I wish they'd do a finances class in high school. Too many of us don't get it until it's too late!
I wish I could've had a class on insurance. The world of health/car/everything else insurance is a mystery to me. It would be nice to have some confidence about it!
Oh girl, I know nothing about cars! I don't even know how to parallel park. Jordan's tried to teach me but I'd just rather find another spot. Haha. Some how we've managed to not get ourselves in complete financial ruin but I wish I would have learned this such as how to manage your personal finances. If it weren't for the internet I would have no idea how to do life!
Yes to all of these! I was so confused why my dad opened a credit card in my name in college. I thought he just wanted to be able to spend more money! Haha.
Oh the truth…
I've always wondered why we don't learn more about personal finances in high school!
I literally learned to change a tire TODAY!!! I walked out of work around lunch time and saw I had a flat tire. Thankfully I had two male co-workers who did the actually changing for me, but they also made me stand there and showed me how to do it for future occurrences. And even though I have credit, it still confuses the crap outta me, so does my health insurance for that matter! š
So true- I would never know where to start to change a tire! Luckily, my mom taught me how to balance a checkbook when I opened my first bank account and got my first job. Credit, bank accounts and finance should definitely be taught in some sort of Finance 101 class!
Totally! I feel like I should have known more about bills and insurance when I was in college. I also wish I had known more about savings plans like a 401k. Or how to fill out tax forms for new jobs! For real!
These are all so important, I still need to learn CPR!
I know absolutely nothing about insurances or medical bills or taxes. Like, where is the course to teach me that??? I'm only 21 but getting married next year and I'll have to be on my own with those things. Mildly terrified.
I still have absolutely no idea how to change a tire, which was not fun when my tire basically exploded on me this past summer… Love this list!
http://thecourtneydiaries.com
Sidebar, but I totally told my students a few weeks ago about the Shakespeare controversy.. they were shocked!
Yes to all of this! I would also had how to do taxes, how to plan for retirement (difference between 401K and Roth, etc., how much of your paycheck you should be putting away). Honestly most of your list should have been taught in high school!
My dad has tried to teach me several of these things on multiple occasions (change a tire, jump a car) and I just can not comprehend it. And if I can just call him or my husband, I'm going to do it. Heck, I'd call every male in my phone before changing a tire myself. I'm beginning to understand the insurance thing with this pregnancy, too! It's a pain though!!
Medical bills are the worst. I often freak out and then see that it is a statement, and says NOT A BILL. Then I calm down for a second. My dad made me learn to change a tire and jump a car. I couldn't have a car unless I knew how to do both of them.
I got an outrageous bill for my blood work from my first prenatal visit, too!!! Also Devin and I laugh at how little we know about being parents. Hence being peed on multiple times at the changing table. We're slow learners.