School cannot teach you everything even if you spend 10 years studying a course.
One of my friends asked me one day how I have been surviving and how life after school has been treating me. I replied that it hasn't been easy but God has been faithful [and that's the truth]. I added and told her she should prepare, too, as she was just a few months away from graduating. When I saw her mood change and the fear on her face, I reassured her to be calm and that she would surely be fine.
They may have taught me many things while in school, but being prepared for what life has for me outside wasn't taught. Life after school can be a whole lot, especially when you now realise no money will be coming in as when you were still a student.
The hardest part is after finishing youth service, and you start going from one interview to another, and you're always rejected. Family at home are expecting you to start giving them money. You are now alone trying to find your feet. If only school could give us a roadmap but that's impossible. We would have to find our path.
Visiting my friend some weeks ago, we started talking about a lot of things, our lives, experiences, our lifestyles and behaviours, how we've started to learn new things, cut back on some things that aren't working and useful, etc.
She narrated how bills had been flying everywhere from cousins, nephews, even friends from a long time ago, and she never saw herself in such a situation where she'd had to fight for her life and just follow her mind to do the right thing. She mentioned how life after school had been tough for her.
How do we make money to survive, feed our family, and meet our needs when school never taught us some tips to help us live the best way? Even the certificate we get isn't useful at some point because many of us have had to change our path for what seems to be best and the right way for us. School never gave us tips on how to operate successfully in the outside world. Everyone would have to paddle their own canoes.
The only thing school taught us was the theory aspect and perhaps, touched a little on the practical, but not an in-depth one. Some lecturers would even be kind to give us advice on how to act well after school, and this mostly happens in between lectures or when we have a good communication with them and they interact with us on the level of parents to child or friend.
Life has taught me a lot of things that I had to learn from. I learnt to stand up for myself because no one would come to help me. School didn't teach me this part, life through experience did. It wouldn't be a surprise as many graduates are left unemployed because most companies do not want certificates, but experience in a particular field.
School never taught us how to work hard and acquire a skill because there are organisations that require over 5 years of experience before being hired. Where do we get that from when we just finished school?
Many of us had to take the bull by its horns. For instance, I studied Guidance and Counselling in school, and because there was no job, I am here hustling on Hive Blockchain, hoping that things will surely align well someday.
School didn't teach me how to fight for myself; I did it on my own. School never taught me how to handle my anger issue, I trained myself and with the help of God. School never taught me the importance of an emergency fund, I found out for myself after a series of disappointments and being broke on many occasions.
The most important of all is that school didn't teach me how to move closer to God and always go to Him for help to have a smooth journey, I found this on my own and it has been a great decision ever. A lot of things I wasn't taught in school but had to discover and learn on my own.
With this, I have seen the immense growth it has brought me, especially growing into the mature lady I should be. Through this, I have learnt to forgive people easily, make allowances for people's offences, be kind and generous, understanding that my happiness isn't dependent on anyone but me. So far, I am a different being from who I was while in school.
Images are mine
