"School is scam" has almost turned to one of the favourite quotes of Nigerian youths, going on YouTube, you'll see thumbnails (even from foreign creators) like "7 Life Lessons School Will Not Teach You" and based on their context, they may be right.
A lot of youths say school is a total waste of time and money. They say school will not teach you financial management, time management, how to handle relationships, how to make money and the list is endless.
Maybe why we don't notice that school teaches us a whole lot about life because we are so focused on the learning that takes place in the four walls of the classroom. In my opinion, school teaches both formal and informal lessons if we pay attention.
My mind wonders back to primary school days up to university days, I know I would not be half as good as I am right now if I didn't go to school. Talking about writing which I now earn from, I can't ignore writing essays in my primary and secondary school, it may look like it did just little, but it's sure like tiny drops of water here and there that has now made a mighty ocean. I first discovered my writing skills in my primary school.
One of the best places to learn is amongst your peers, it may be the hard way, but those lessons stick with you for life.
School taught me life lessons which now live with me for a lifetime. When I was in secondary school, I changed to a federal school where I was a boarder, it was there that I first learnt time management in a very rigid way, no one told me before I knew I had to manage my money and provisions well. I also learnt how to keep my personal belongings with utmost care before the "real keepers" will help me keep it well (if you know, you know). I learnt the basics of self-respect, how to mind my business and stand up for myself when necessary.
School will take you through some experiences that will change certain mindsets you have forever and then you have the responsibility to take it upon yourself and get developed in that area, but the genesis of that knowledge came from school.
While school may not teach you the full details of financial management or time management, it opens you up to the world of self development and of course, no single course or book can teach you all you need to know about anything, we keep learning from experiences.
Teamwork, empathy, self respect, respect for others, socialising, resilience, emotional management, multitasking and a whole lot more are part of the life lessons in my final year in University.
I studied Biochemistry in Lagos State University, Lagos and of course, I had to do a project. We were 5 under my project supervisor. My project was the most tedious thing for me in University, it cost me money (close to #200,000), time and tears, yes a lot of tears because exam and project was simultaneous for me and it still continued after the exam. The good part was learning how to handle frustration a lot better.
I was also engaged in others aspects of school, like our debate society, I was engaged in a public speaking academy, I was an executive in my fellowship.
My project had to do with whister rats, acclimating them, feeding and taking care of them, inducing them when it was time, sacrificing them, harvesting their organs, which all took months to do. Moving unto the lab work which took weeks, and then the project write up which took weeks again. It was more than too much for me.
I leant how to enjoy what I don't like because I can't come and kill myself, I learnt how to handle so many things at the same time while still maintaining beauty (very important), I learnt how to cry, wipe my tears and move on, I learnt how to prioritize what really matters depending on season I am in.
I'm still learning, but to a large extent, I can say I'm wiser and I handle situations better, thanks to the lessons I leant from the people and situations I met in the schools I went.
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