Here’s an interesting list of rules for high school and college students. Part of the list was written by Charles Sykes over 13 years ago. But he has recently released a new book that modifies and adds to the list. Below is a mix of those two lists (until I can get my hands on the new book)- Life is not fair; get used to it.
- The real world won't care as much as your school does about your self-esteem. It’ll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself.
- Sorry, you won’t make $60,000 a year right out of high school. And you won't be a vice president or have a company car. You may even have to wear a uniform that doesn’t have a designer label.
- Naked people look different in real life.
- If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.
- Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.
- If you screw up, it's not anyone else's fault. So don't whine about your mistakes. Learn from them.
- Your parents weren't as boring before you were born as they are now. They got that way by paying your bills, driving you around, saving for your education, cleaning your room, and listening to you tell how idealistic you are. So before you save the rain forest from the bloodsucking parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
- Your school may have done away with winners and losers but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This, of course, bears not the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.
- Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off, and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
- Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
- Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them. We all could.
- You are not immortal. If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.
- Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realize how wonderful it was to be a kid. Maybe you should start now. You're welcome.
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5 comments:
- Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Do reality shows count, too??
oh come on, this isn't nearly as good as my book!
AMEN to all of that!!!!! And while I believe that High School is NOT the best time of your life, it is surely the one with the least responsibility. and for some reason, that lack of responsibility has now followed most high school students to college.
David,
Dude, his book is clearly better than yours. He does have 50 rules after all. And you only have a wimpy 40 lessons.
I'd review your book, too. But I don't think my library can do an interlibrary loan for it.
Whats wrong with idealism? lol
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