Advice for a Sixteen Year Old school leaver

Spirited_2

To be honest, I think there is too much pressure on kids to succeed in exams. There is a ridiculous amount of effort put into effectively learning answers for exams and not enough on preparing them for life outside academia.

I burnt out extremely early under the pressure put on me by my parents, school, my peers and myself. I was too anxious to revise for exams or complete coursework, and went from an intelligent potential A student, to someone who had to drop out of university due to being barely able to function. Most over-achievers will burn-out later in life, after they have got that first degree and top paying job.

Stress and anxiety are killers. Heart Disease, Mental Illness, Addictions etc.

We shouldn't force our children to go through an exam system at such a young age, jumping through hoop after hoop. We should provide an environment that helps children learn the basic skills that will see them through life, and discover their individual talents.

My advice to children would be that there is a world outside of school and exams. Learn what you can from school, but don't fall into the trap of living life a certain way just because your parents, friends and school expect it of you, it won't make you happy or keep you healthy.

Kindest Regards.

Edit: I am 20, and left school (in Scotland) about three/four years ago. At the time, we covered a the mathematics involved in things like VAT, morgages, compounding interest etc in a few lessons (no more than 4 hours worth) during Standard Grade (O Grade, or GCSE levels). In sixth year whilst doing Advanced Highers (A Levels) we had one Social Education class which talked about budgeting whilst at university, it was pretty basic and didn't really explain much (no more than 1 hour). This is wholly inadequate and note that later class will have missed those who didn't stay on to school for their final year. Obviously there is basic maths, but I don't think that people really connect that with financial affairs. Financial education needs to get in much younger, and we need more of it.

tesuhoha

I find that kids have an unrealistic expectation of what they are going to be able to afford in life. They all seem to expect to be able to afford cars, holidays and houses and im talking about kids in the bottom sets. They dont teach them about finances or debts but they certainly ought to.

mclaren_2

tesuhoha wrote:

I find that kids have an unrealistic expectation of what they are going to be able to afford in life. They all seem to expect to be able to afford cars, holidays and houses and im talking about kids in the bottom sets. They dont teach them about finances or debts but they certainly ought to.

i agree - most kids at 15/16 think they can live on their own, etc... its unrelistic. Everything costs. The tip i would give would be "you will never get somthing for nothing, everything will cost" - lot of companys advertise "free money" with a platinum card but to get the freee money it will cost you 4 x as much in intrest. Would also say "make sure you have a good bank account, and make sure you put money away and not to touch it" and also "only leave home if you think you have enough, things can change and homeless teens are on the increase" - its a reality.

15 and 16 yr olds think they can get a car, house etc.... its impossible in reality

oh yeh - and "be safe" is another - far to many teen pregnancies on the increase.

btw, am only 20 maself lol

skintchick

My advice would be that you only get out of anything what you put into it, and you always have something to learn, no matter how old/experienced you are.

But really I'd sum it all up by saying that if you think of others first and treat them as you'd like to be treated, you won't go far wrong.

Broken_hearted

We had a teacher in school who told us "I get paid whether you pass or fail, It's up to you if you suceed. I will still get money next year will you" I have 9 a-c grades and one d (I hated french). I agree with Linz though arts degrees are about as useful as toilet paper.

tesuhoha

Broken_hearted wrote:

We had a teacher in school who told us "I get paid whether you pass or fail, It's up to you if you suceed. I will still get money next year will you" I have 9 a-c grades and one d (I hated french). I agree with Linz though arts degrees are about as useful as toilet paper.

Do you know, teachers still say that. I always say to kids who rebel against certain teachers, 'that teacher will have will have a different class next year and would have forgotten all about you but youll have the same GCSE grades for the rest of your life.

Mrs_Optimist

Can 16 year old get credit cards? I thought you had to be 18.

My advice would be to get a trade - something I wish my MIL had told DH when he was that age. He is now at the age of 37 retraining in a Trade to finally earn some decent money. My dad insisted that my little brother got a trade when he left school and sought out an apprenticeship for him. now 10 years later he is self-employed and earning mega money. His further training was paid for, because of his young age - my husband has to fund his training himself.

That is why we will be doing the exact same thing when DS is older. He may not choose to stay in that vocation, but he will always have something to fall back on. the same will apply to DD.

millsee

Judi wrote:

that would mean the money you have left over, you can save.

With huge respect, this is poor advice.

If you save what you have left over, you'll save next to nothing.

You should pay yourself FIRST. Set aside a regular amount of money somewhere it is difficult to get hold of - a regular savings account, say. Put away a minimum of 10% before you pay anything else: bills, rent, food.

If you think as yourself as one in a line of people waiting to get paid, ask yourself who will shout loudest if they don't get paid. You pay them LAST - that way, you have the motivation to make sure everyone gets paid.

You won't shout at yourself at all if you don't get paid, which is why you should...

*deep breath*

PAY YOURSELF FIRST!!

Broken_hearted

I love the pay yourself first rule and it will come back in as of July.

LookingAhead

If we are talking purely financial advice then I think my advice would have been very similar to yours tesuhoha. I think I would have also tried to slip in something about not being too proud to take any job when times are tough as well. (I only say this as I feel some people choose not to do anything when they could be doing something: even the most humblest or mundane of jobs helps to bring cash in and it annoys me that people think they are "above" it...or think the world owes them a living.)