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The ability to not just manage with but flourish in uncertainty and ambiguity is crucial as the quickly evolving world continues to push the limits of excellence. In order to do this, our educational system must support students outside of the classroom by equipping them with crucial life skills.
High school is considered a life-altering experience for most people. It draws out mixed reactions, both good and bad, but it leaves an impact regardless. New research has shown that it takes at least 66 days to develop a habit that stocks, disproving the previously held 21-day rule.
The best time to cultivate something lasting is during your school years so that you can condition yourself to use these responses in many different situations, and after a while, dealing with all sorts of situations in life will be more like a game, not a problem.
During high school, a student is at the stage of adolescence- a turning point that marks the transition from childhood to early adulthood. While adolescence is oftentimes associated with heightened emotions, rash situations, and impulsive changes, this time can be used to mould yourself into someone your younger self would look up to, your own role model.
High school is undeniably a time of innocent fun and unworried laughter, but it is also pivotal in how you view the world around you, and vice versa. We wish you all the very best in cultivating the practices that you deem best to carry forward, and without further ado-
1. Time management:
Planning and arranging your time between various activities is known as time management. Effective time management enables you to complete a work in a set period of time despite impediments and time constraints. Strong time management abilities enable you to advance in your career and improve your reputation at work by managing your schedule and deadlines.
2. Organization:
Even though it's crucial, this organization is different from the one your mother advises you to use while hanging up your clothing. Being organized with your thoughts, ideas, due dates, key information, etc. is essential to reducing stress. Doesn’t make too much sense? Imagine two situations-
You’re in a rush, you know you forgot something but don’t know what it is, and you’re sure that you’re late. You don’t know what you need, what you have, and certainly not what to do, but above all, you’re panicking, which is never a good sign.
You’re not late anymore, because you updated your calendar with this week’s event- a presentation on business ethics. You thank yourself for writing down a list of things you needed the day you received news of this schedule, and smile at the to-do list you’ve completely checked out in preparation for your presentation. All that’s left to do is let your efforts speak for themselves!
Which situation would you choose? While the second situation seems highly improbable, it is important to note that good habits take time to master!
3. Emphasize doing what you believe in:
This life skill is certainly more talked about, going by the name of “moral compass”, but branding it in such an indisputable way seems harsh, in a sense. At the end of the day, the only person that judges your decisions most harshly is you, not anyone else.
Being able to look back at decisions without the weight of regret is truly a privilege and doing as much as you can to avoid a situation where you could possibly feel ashamed of yourself in the future is extremely important!
A few things to always remember are that no one has the authority to judge you as a person based on the good decisions you make for yourself. The fear of appearing stiff and boring can be quite off-putting, but they are just terms that insult those who genuinely care about their futures. You are here to help yourself live the life you want, so never be harsh on yourself for making good decisions!
4. Basic/ Beginner Finances:
This is arguably the most important skill to develop as an adolescent. Learning a beginner's finances seems like a chore, and not one that instantly gratifies someone, but it’s definitely one that you will thank yourself for in the near future. As an 18-year-old, one is expected to handle their finances on their own if they are independent, but finances don’t only cover taxes, revenue, and insurance, but also how much you spend, what you spend on, and what you should be spending on something. Being able to make smart decisions with respect to money is also a part of personal finance and is one of the best skills to have so you don’t have to worry about hurriedly learning them!
5. Learning how to cook essentials:
This sounds like a skill that can be brushed off as something unnecessary, but here are some pressing reasons why you should learn to cook
You are more likely to consume meals that you prepared on your own with more interest
You can control your diet in a way where it can be the most balanced for you
You are more aware of what goes in the food and will be more cautious of what you add
It is easily the more inexpensive alternative to buying food from outside
There is always an umpteen number of YouTube videos to learn to make your favorite dishes from!
6. Prioritize holistic growth:
While excelling academically is wonderful, it is just as important to grow as a person. Academics can get you into doors, and may even bring some amazing opportunities straight to your doorstep, but the only way you can sustain good friendships, connections, and relationships, in general, is if you prioritize growth in all areas, not just the most lucrative ones!
7. Decision making:
Your life is not defined by the decisions you’ve made, but by the decisions you are about to make. Using your past as a series of lessons to learn from, make your future decisions a lot easier and more prone to working out in your best favour!
Another good tip is to keep track of your life, and the decisions you made by maintaining a handwritten journal to process everything and develop a deeper understanding of the situation. Making decisions can either take a lot of time or no time at all, and it’s important to understand which situation warrants which response!
8. Awareness:
And lastly, awareness. Being an observant person opens you up to a larger scope of a setting, and gives you more to think about. It also puts you ahead in a way where you can catch things that others might miss, be it the slightest nuance or a big change in mood.
Being aware of both you, and your surroundings are incredibly important in making decisions, being safe and gauging situations!
Since today's students live in a world that is continuously changing, it is practically necessary for them to acquire these life skills in order to feel confident, empowered, and prepared for the future.
These life skills are definitely time-consuming to cultivate, but the more you remind yourself to maintain these, the easier they get!
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