As amazing as your education has been, it does little to teach you basic life skills that you will need in college and beyond. Luckily, you can take responsibility for your life and learn these skills, even if no one is teaching them to you. Read online materials, take a class, or watch tutorials. Or, you could even give a parent or other trusted adult the shock of their lives by asking them to teach you! Learning life skills will be an important part of your success as you move on to the next stages of your life.
Cooking
Getting a university meal plan and feasting on all-you-can-eat buffets for every meal might be convenient and delicious, but it can make it hard to eat healthily. Learning basic cooking skills will not only improve your diet but it will save you money and benefit your entire life. Some experts suggest that every teenager should learn the following basic cooking skills: How to bake a potato, how to cut different ingredients, how to fry and boil an egg, how to boil pasta, how to brown meat, how to saute, how to use an oven, how to make grilled sandwiches and quesadillas, how to use seasoning, how to warm prepared foods, and how to properly store food. Of course, the most important cooking skill you need to learn is how to follow a recipe!
Computer Skills
You might be wondering why any adult would tell a teen to learn better computer skills. You may be the first generation to be raised on electronic devices from the womb, but there are areas where teens and young adults fall short. For example, even though young people tend to be tech-savvy, they are still common victims of identity theft. It’s time to gain some healthy skepticism and realize that much of what you see online is either untrue or even malicious. Develop your ability to find, recognize, and use reliable sources of information.
Study Habits
Your success in college will depend more on the quality of your study habits than how long you spend studying. As they say, study smarter rather than harder. You will open doors to your academic success when you are consistent and organized, pay attention in class, and study as you go rather than cramming just before a test.
Success in college is founded upon more than just knowing how to conjugate a verb or use an equation to solve a complicated math problem. You also need to learn vital life skills. Often, it is these skills that end up getting you further in life than simple book smarts can.
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