What I wished I learned

Thinking of all the books for graduation I thought of Maria Shriver's book What I Wished I'd Known and tried to think of ideas for I wish I had learned before stepping out in the big, wide world. I highly recommend her book to anyone graduating college or high school. So here is my list:

What I wish I had learned before stepping out in to the big, wide world:

1. I wish I had learned to cook my favorite dishes for party of one. Sure I cooked at home and took a foods class in high school, but for 4-6 people. By the time you finish 6 servings of macraroni and cheese you are going to be sick of it.

2. Double check the laundry to make sure darks and lights are separated. I earned a pink sheet when a red sock snuck into my whites section the first time I did laundry in college. Plus, black, red, and navy blue are the worst about bleeding. Pastels and tans are ok to wash with whites.

3. Learn to ask for help when shopping at the store. Do not be fooled by commercials where the sales clerks ask "May I help you", many go about their job without saying a word to customers. If you can't find something or all the cash registers have no clerks behind them, ask someone for help.

4. Learn to ask about your family history. Once upon a time families told tales of great-grandpa's battle wound and their brother's escape from a bear next to the fireplace. No longer. Families share those stories at family reunions few in the younger generation attend, once the older generation are done talking about their grandchildren. After my grandparents died and we were cleaning out the house did I learn my grandma went to college and became a one-room schoolteacher. Also in my Mom's hobby of tracing family history she discovered a family history of diabetic comas when glancing at death records. That would have been good to know before my sister was diagnosed with it as a child.

5. College advisors are a waste of time, most of the time. They see so many students they just have you sign up for the minimum requirements to be full time. If you desire to graduate in 4 years, you have to take more than the minimum. Also do not waste your time with frivlous classes like Orientation to College and do take the hard core ones that count towards graduation like Biology, English, and Speech. Also save your notes on any class because you might be able to sell them to someone who has yet to take the class. Sorry I always cut my notes up for scratch paper so I missed out on opportunites.

6. I wished I knew about light bulbs when I went to college. A higher voltage than what the lamp states can cause an electrical fire, but a lower voltage is ok. Also where to buy different kinds of light bulbs. I once went to 4 stores before finding the one I needed, and after pacing the aisle 5 times.

7. Look at locks when moving in. If an apartment or dorm room has a larger lock than the others, it means that door had been broken into and the lock replaced. And lock the door when your roommate is asleep, you really don't know who will walk right in.

8. Don't take anything to college you can not handle being stolen. Yes people get their purses, CDs, DVDs, and leather coats stolen when they are in the shower. Books rarely get stolen out of dorm rooms. Plus a snake worth $400 does not belong in a dorm room if my roommate was so hyper about it being stolen.

9. Everyone in college has an addiction to something. I known people addicted to caffeine, parties with alcohol, and even washing their hands every 10 minutes. College does require late nights of studying and typing, leading to the need to unnaturally stay awake.

10. Just because you finished college does not mean you will get a high-paying job when you graduate. Many jobs demand internships (which are are not mentioned by your advisor) which require you to have your own car, your own apartemnt, and plan the internship a year in advance before you start. Otherwise you end up working for the post office, retail store, amusement park, or fast food place to pay the student loans you owe the government for your college education.

11. Everybody starts at the bottom and even gold medalists fall on their butts. There is no way around from starting your career at the bottom of the job hiercharcy, not even college will take you to the middle. Once you get to the top, people are still not perfect and fail. The successful pull them themselves up and keep going, the unsucessful remain still and cry. Never give up your dream when things get hard and you hate your job. Not even the worst day of your life or an awful job lasts forever. Remember to do your hated job well, you need good references to get those wonderful jobs you love to do.

12. You can go to college without an academic scholarship, athletic scholarship, or religious scholarship. Why do think there are meetings at high schools to explain all the financial aid applications and programs? Go to a financial aid meeting before filling out any college applications. If you do not have a plan for your future/future career, college can wait until you do.

13. Pay your bills on time. If you fail to pay your rent, the landlord kicks you out. If you do not pay your electric, water, phone, or cable bills, the service is shut off. If you do not pay your credit card bills, you accumalte interest until the bill is paid and filing for bankruptcy will not entirely save you from paying anything. If you bounce a check, the person you wrote the check out to receives no money and will come after you for payment, through the court system or face to face.

14. ATM cards and credit cards are not free money, you do have to pay the money you take back. Overdraft protection is not insurance if you bounce a check, it is a line of credit that can be withdrawn by the bank if you overdraft too much. (My coworker's experience.)

15. When poor, peanut butter sandwiches and milk are the best meals. Cereal is good for any meal, they are all fortifed with vitamins and minerals. It is ok to eat out of a can so you don't have to wash dishes, just don't touch the sharp rim. Avoid the fast food place when poor, it costs more per meal than the grocery store. Don't forget the generic brands too.

16. Learn to type and balance your checkbook. I recommend taking an accounting class to learn to attend to your own financial matters. If not then, Read, Read, Read, and Read before investing in anything, especially retirement plans. There are tons of financial books to select from.

17. Do not depend on others to tell you what is going on or what to do, you get screwed without knowing it until it is too late to change gears. Educate yourself. If you discover a friend gave good advise, they are trustworthy in the future. And certainly do not ever expect or demand others take care of you, you might be disappointed when they suddenly stop.

I can't think of anymore to add. Post later. Bye!