The Importance of Staying in School

This is the obligatory “Why You Should Stay In School” post, where we discuss the advantages of the classes you can take. Keep in mind that most junior highs (roughly 7^th and 8^th grades, sometimes 9^th) allow the taking of electives, usually woodshop and the like. I’m only in the core classes here in order to simplify the conversation. Obviously taking them is a great idea, as they expand your skillset, and you never really know when those extra skills will come in handy, especially electronics, woodcraft, and home economics. That said, let’s look at math, English, foreign languages, gym, and science.

English: You may think you know how to talk, but you can always get better at it. Any language class is going to let you talk in that language, but with English you also gain an upgrade in your language skill. The better you can communicate the more likely you can get your point across to someone else, and are therefore are wasting time just talking. This also allows you to understand the rules and regs a lot better, allowing you to avoid trouble if you can read up on the laws ahead of time, as well as communicating why it was necessary to do whatever it was that you just did. Better communication and the ability to get away with more: This is not a bad combination.

Foreign Languages: The same as English, but with people who don’t speak English. There is the added advantage that you also get a glimpse into another culture, broadening your people skills a bit. Just don’t cheat; try to avoid taking a class for a language you don’t already know. Admittedly you can sharpen the language skills you have if you take the class and pay attention to it, but there is an advantage to adding a language you don’t have, especially if you are looking for more cultural awareness.

Gym: This is a class avoided generally because weaker boys hate the abuse and most boys hate the showers. However, the physical exercise and chance to get out some aggression are not bad options, so take advantage of it being offered for free.

Math: This is arguably one of the least favorite classes, and it doesn’t help that its effects are often invisible. The obvious effect is that you gain better skills at math, giving you more options later on. The more invisible effect is that you get better at solving problems, and that’s the really important part here; the more math you do, the more tools you have to solve problems. Also, because taking math classes teaches you logic, and that logic can help you solve problems, it helps with problem-solving. The more math you take, the better at problem-solving you become, and that’s a major advantage; if nothing else, it allows you get work done faster giving you more time to hang or have fun.

Science and History: Another least favorite, mostly because they is no short-term benefit. However, the advantage here is the long-term; eventually those facts and figures you accumulate from the boring academic classes will give you an advantage down the road. For those into doom-prepping or survival you learn which plants have medicinal value, how hydrolysis works, and how leverage works, all major survival skills. For athletes, you get a better sense of how your body works, giving an advantage over your competition. Just bear in mind that there are some decent long-term results and the classes are bearable.

The bottom line is that there are some advantages to those boring classes that you would prefer to avoid. Just stick with them and you should be able find out the advantages on your own.