To Have a Successful Future by Sarina

To Have a Successful Future by Sarina - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

“When are we actually going to need this information in real life?” has been a recurring question that I’ve heard from my peers throughout most of my school career; things like trigonometry and photosynthesis are just a couple of topics within this discussion. Many times throughout grades 1 through 12, we learn many basic ideas that will allow us to advance into the next grade level so that we are prepared for the future; however, I still do not know many of the basic life skills that are needed in order to thrive in the “real” world. Things like taxes, rent, how to buy a car, and how to stay out of debt have never been taught in school.
I propose an elective that teaches juniors and seniors in high school about those exact topics and more. Most of the people that I know are also very blind to these topics which could be a major problem for just soon after they graduate. We, as students, get taught a lot of topics within math, science, and history which albeit, may be helpful to some, are not helpful to all. Having an elective that purely focuses on the basics of adulthood will be extremely beneficial to students who don’t have the resources to gain that knowledge by means of trial and error. We would get to know real-life skills that could help us secure more successful futures in whatever journey we plan to embark on whether it is college, travel, or finding a career.
I feel that this elective should even be required for students so that they are able to have the maximum chance of making good financial decisions in their future in order to thrive. Many current issues such as debt and poverty could be greatly avoided with programs such as this as students will be able to learn at a young age what the importance of good decision-making can do for them. I would even be bold enough to say that homelessness might reduce; many people who are currently not in homes for various reasons may have benefitted from a class like this when they were younger, they may have learned what to and not to do when taking on adulthood and may have been in better situations now.
In my opinion, there are no cons to a program that teaches life skills. Students are able to grow into adults at a less panicked, more responsible rate and by the time they encounter things like taxes and credit cards, they already know how to handle them in a smart manner.