What else is a waste of time?

[Liquid Blue]

I was talking to one of my friends still in highschool earlier today. He lives in New York, and they start school up again tomorrow. We started talking about how highschool is generally a waste of time, about how it's just here to keep kids busy during the day time (all the stuff you need to learn to truly survive could be taught in maybe 2-3 years). Social interaction/factor aside, it doesn't do much good to have kids in there for 12 years, besides keeping them busy/out of trouble while the parents are at work.

Anyhoo, I was wondering what else do you think is a waste of time? Ontop of that, what do you think is just a waste in general? Don't pull the lame reply and write someone's name (gg fucker, not original) , what's something that you think the world could do without? Fast food, expensive cars, overpriced sports players, what?

[Blanke]

Hey

Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on the school idea. Schools are usually college prepatory and get you ready for college. How many people do you know without a high school degree own conglomerates or are CEOs of some major company?

Bill Gates doesn't count.

Wastes of time? Hmmmm.

Continuum.

[Liquid Blue]

Are you in college? Do you realize that unless you know ahead of time what field you're going into ( most don't) that you're just shitting in the dark, hoping to stumble upon something that will help you later on down the road? Granted, class variety is a good thing if kids do have to go to school each day, but most history classes, higher level math/science and english classes aren't going to be a big impact on the majority of highschool students, barring the major they decide on in college. Sad to say that I'm going to be a junior in college come October and some of my peers still don't know how to write a one page essay correctly =(

[Instant]

taking a crap.

[Blanke]

Are you in college? Do you realize that unless you know ahead of time what field you're going into ( most don't) that you're just shitting in the dark, hoping to stumble upon something that will help you later on down the road?

Granted, many don't know what they want to study and the liberal arts program at colleges do enable students explore a wide variety of topics, and is, perhaps, a waste of time, but whatever you don't use can still help you in real, everyday situations.

History: useful in the discussion of politics and good for general knowledge. (you know how people are always trying to seem well-read, including me, you have to know lots of information)
Math: I had a teacher who almost had to pay lots of money to get rid of a tree, but through using a cap and some triangle properties (tangent, anyone?) he figured out that even if the tree fell it wouldn't land on his house.
Science:Water shrinks at freezing point, others grow, like in soda cans. Freezing meat or anything destroys cellular structures. Anything culinary, and other practical uses. Sorry, I watch the food channel too much.
English: So you don't be idiot like I
Language:be able to communicate with others and seem less like the stupid, fat, arrogant american.

I'd argue that school is useful

[Tanzu]

Replying to this thread







I just wasted 10 seconds

[Colossos]

aardvarks. They think they're so big cos they're first in the dictionary. Well I say we can do without them!!

[Liquid Blue]

Granted, many don't know what they want to study and the liberal arts program at colleges do enable students explore a wide variety of topics, and is, perhaps, a waste of time, but whatever you don't use can still help you in real, everyday situations.

History: useful in the discussion of politics and good for general knowledge. (you know how people are always trying to seem well-read, including me, you have to know lots of information)
Math: I had a teacher who almost had to pay lots of money to get rid of a tree, but through using a cap and some triangle properties (tangent, anyone?) he figured out that even if the tree fell it wouldn't land on his house.
Science:Water shrinks at freezing point, others grow, like in soda cans. Freezing meat or anything destroys cellular structures. Anything culinary, and other practical uses. Sorry, I watch the food channel too much.
English: So you don't be idiot like I
Language:be able to communicate with others and seem less like the stupid, fat, arrogant american.

I'd argue that school is useful

History- Dragged out and taught through repitition of such pointless dates and facts that most is forgotten by the time said students graduate from college. I agree that the ideals and lessons from history, when taught correctly can lead to a better understanding of one's culture, future and provide for interesting discussions- but as it stands it is taught with tedium and parroting which turn off a large number of students. Some history teachers are badass and avoid " worksheet this,answer questions 1-3write the summary of chapter 5, quiz tomorrow" , but they are a select few.

Math- Basic math skills and even up to the Geometry level are useful, I agree, but most levels above that aren't used in most situations. That is why I say that depending on the field you plan to be going into, knowing Pre-Calc may or may not be a big deal.

Science- I enjoyed science more than math, so I'm biased. I think that like history, knowing basic ideals and principles behind things, even the history of our planet and how it works is useful, but alot of stuff isn't essiential, isn't useful to the average student.

English- I was taught the same shit over and over as the years went on, and I noticed people in my graduating class still didn't get the deal with nouns, pronouns or how to write an essay. I don't think 4 years of english are needed, I think smaller classes with more focus on the individual's needs are needed. Good luck with that happening these days though.

Language- Probably a good idea, but look above to my english post. At least in American public highschools, alot of kids are too fucking lazy to buckle down and try to learn more than their own language.

[Blanke]

I agree that most of the things we study we won't use in normal lives, but I believe the point of all this is to prepare us for whatever career we might decide to pursue.

I plan on studying business, and have not taken stats or economics so yeah...but should I ever decide to change (which i most likely will), i hope that i'll be ready.

Plus, school can be fun. Meeting new people and seeing new things isn't always bad.

[Arikel]

Are you in college? Do you realize that unless you know ahead of time what field you're going into ( most don't) that you're just shitting in the dark, hoping to stumble upon something that will help you later on down the road? Granted, class variety is a good thing if kids do have to go to school each day, but most history classes, higher level math/science and english classes aren't going to be a big impact on the majority of highschool students, barring the major they decide on in college. Sad to say that I'm going to be a junior in college come October and some of my peers still don't know how to write a one page essay correctly =(

Lol Liquid...
The fact is you might think that those 12 years at school are just a waste of time and that you could just focus in an area and go that way... you are a bit wrongh... the truth is even in uni you will learn A LOT of useless stuff you will never need in your dayly life as a professional of your chosen field... believe me. What you get from all those 12 years at school is not the raw knowledge, what you get there and at your college course are the tools to solve problems and to live your everyday life in a more educated and professional "at the lack of a better term" way.
In resume those 12 years at school are not a waste of time... even if you wanted to be in biology and had world history classes...

[Blanke]

Oh, I guess I'd better mention that I'm not in college yet, but I'm a senior and so I'll have to deal with applications this year.

I'm surprised to have gotten no responses to my saying "Continuum."

1337z0r

[Liquid Blue]

Yea that's why I said "social interaction/factor aside". Dealing with a large group of people you don't know everday in various situations (i.e highschool/college) is necessary, don't get me wrong. I just think..well, wish that there was something more fufilling, more useful to do in those years.

[Blanke]

I'm sorry if it was depressing for you.

Look at it this way, you only had to do it once.

YOu can look at that from either the half-full or half-empty perspective.

[Liquid Blue]

Not so much depressing while I was there, it's just that once I was out and had gone through even just a year of college, I looked back and was like " wow...what a waste ".

[Blanke]

Chances are, I might be looking at it from your perspective this time next year.