Recently I’ve been thinking back to my earlier educational experiences, way before I ever thought of attending grad school. I thought about high school, a time of my life I generally don’t like to think about very often. I wondered just what happened to me back then that ended up positively informing my behaviors as the adult I am today, and I thought of classes that played a role in that process. The ones I identified as useful in that regard are below:
Keyboarding 101
This class by far was the most useful one I took in high school, and it was an elective that was not highly touted when I was in school. In a world where computers are so ubiquitous, being able to type well has helped me do things much more effectively than my previous “hunt and peck” typing would have ever managed. It should be required learning for all students in this day and age.
Business Mathematics
I generally prioritized taking classes related to mathematics in high school whenever I could. I was good enough to be placed in my school’s advanced math program, and it was a source of pride for me to do well in the subject when I could. If it weren’t for that fact I doubt I would have taken this particular math class, but I’m glad I motivated myself to do so.
It was this class that taught me just how insidious interest rates can be, whether it be for student loans, credit card debt, or mortgages. Mathematically computing the difference between a 20% down payment and paying for 10 years vs a 10% down payment and paying for 20 years really drove home how much more costly it was to take the latter option over the former.
Introduction to Microsoft Office
This was a class that focused on using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. Given that my current work environment is mainly powered by Microsoft, learning about these technologies was a practical use of my time (even if I have had to go out of my way to get much better at using Excel for my future career).
Physical Education - Weight Lifting
Now, a lot of the physical education modules I took were utter garbage. (Just because I can dodge a wrench doesn’t mean I want to dodge a ball.) I took part in sports such as softball and volleyball growing up, with varying levels of success. However, none of these things resonated with me in the long run as much as being introduced to weight lifting in high school.
Here, I noticed my workouts made an obvious physical difference in my body after sticking to them in a few weeks. My previously noodle-y arms were actually able to carry my textbooks from class to class without aching. My legs were able to handle flights of stairs more easily. And while in this workout module, I slept more easily through the night than I had before.
In hindsight, playing sports was a poor substitute for working out regularly. Given that I was awkward as a teenager, team sports did horrible things to my social anxiety, and it further instigated a competitive streak in me that wasn’t always good for my mental state. Working out for 30 minutes in a gym atmosphere captured the majority of those benefits without the downsides my teenage brain associated with sports.
This class, unlike the others, did not yield immediate benefits, as it took many years before I established a consistent fitness routine. I regularly derided PE for years because other years I took the class had less than stellar results. For example, there was one year where I had PE at 8 AM and we had to run the fastest mile we could in near-freezing temperatures. (Unsurprisingly, this did not confer positive effects upon my teenage self, such as becoming an early bird or enjoying running.) But looking back, that weight lifting module was my first experience that made me realize that I was a person who exercised, and that alone has had invaluable effects as the years have progressed.
Conclusion
Like many things, hindsight is 20-20. I’m sure looking back there were other practical classes I could have taken that would be useful today, such as further home economics classes. (Unless you’re rich, you still have to cook and do laundry.) Regardless, my suggestion for you today is to think back to your high school classes and think - what was actually useful? Your classes will probably vary from mine, of course. But knowing your past and what helped influence you is valuable, and can help you be influenced positively in the future.