Life lessons can be harsh, become clearer with hindsight and are always there to surprise those who aren’t taught them or those to whom they don’t come to intuitively or experientially. Exams and grades are the focus for students and teachers alike in school, but the education that gets us through a lifetime – wisdom and experience – rarely comes from a textbook, because we learn something new every passing day, often without even realizing it. Here are 8 Life Lessons They Should Teach in School that will help or should have helped us all somewhere along our paths of life.

1. ALWAYS BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOURSELF – AND OTHERS

Honesty, so they say, is the best quality – and it is, even if being honest means taking a risk. Be honest with yourself about your character, your behavior, your personality and your faults. Extend that sincerity to others and you will become someone of integrity and principles, who can hold their head high.

2. GRADES AND AWARDS AREN’T EVERYTHING

Sure, it’s great to get top grades and to collect prizes and awards when you’re in school. But, actually, none of those baubles mean anything to anyone else out in the big bad world. What’s important is that you know what it takes to achieve those grades and that you take that hard work ethic into other areas of your life.

3. FIND A CAREER OR A JOB THAT YOU LOVE

One of the first lessons of life we learn as soon as we leave school is that a fabulous job is not just going to land in our laps – especially not these days. Everyone wants a job that pays well, but money isn’t everything. You will spend a lot of time at work in the course of your life, so, it is important to be happy in what you do. Even a dream job is just a means to an end, a way to pay your bills and buy what you need – don’t let your job become everything that matters about you.

4. DON’T BE AFRAID TO LOOK STUPID

Are you afraid to ask questions because you worry you’re going to look stupid? Here’s one of the most important life lessons: no one knows everything. And you’re only going to look even more stupid if you’re not willing to ask a question, even if the answer seems obvious.

5. STEER CLEAR OF DEBT

It’s a simple piece of advice: don’t spend more than you earn. Keeping to that might be tougher than it looks. Don’t be enticed by banks that look cuddly and friendly when offering you cheap loans and credit cards because all they care about is making money.

6. NOBODY OWES YOU ANYTHING

Reality check, ladies, the world does not owe you a living. You are not entitled to walk into a great job, drive off in a fast car or move into the house of your dreams. One of the life lessons they should teach in school will tell you that you can have these things but only if you work hard. No one will hand you anything on a plate.

7. A FRIEND INDEED

You can learn plenty of social skills through interaction with your classmates, but the value of friendship is one life lesson we rarely learn at school. Good friends are hard to find. So, learn who your genuine friends are. They are the ones, who want nothing from you, but will give you everything in return. You can learn plenty of social skills, but the value of friendship is one life lesson they should teach in school. And don’t be jealous of friends’ success. Be happy for them, because if they are genuine friends, they will be happy for you when you do well.

8. ALWAYS EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Things go wrong. Life rarely runs smoothly. Go ahead and make plans but be ready for them not to work out as anticipated – or not to work out at all. That, my friends, is one of the key life lessons. Life is unpredictable, often accidental, usually impromptuous and occasionally wonderful – come on in, you’re going to love it.

There’s no test at the end of the 8 Life Lessons They Should Teach In School because the true test starts once you’re actually out in the real world. Very often there’s no indication of pass or failure, because we all measure our success and achievement by our personal sets of values. The best life lesson is simple: do your best to make you and your loved ones happy!