We’re told school prepares us for the real world. Twelve years of showing up early, sitting in classrooms, memorising definitions, writing exams, and being told what success looks like. Supposedly, all of this builds the foundation for adulthood. But then one day someone says, “Can you make a quick phone call?” and my mind blanks.
It’s not a difficult task. It’s not even complicated. But for some reason, talking to someone over the phone feels like a high-stakes performance. I’ve written essays, filled out answer sheets, and done debates in class. But now, with just one person on the line and no script, I have no clue what to say or how to sound normal.
School taught me how to write letters to fictional principals and fill out formal formats for communication marks. But it never taught me how to actually introduce myself to a real person over a real call. I learned how to write answers that sound impressive, not how to hold conversations that feel natural. That feels like a pretty big gap.
We learned what communication means, but we were rarely asked to practise it in ways that reflect everyday life. It’s strange that we spent so long learning how to memorise facts and solve equations, but things like asking for help, explaining something clearly, or speaking without anxiety were mostly left out.
It’s not just about phone calls. It’s about how school made us good at performing, but not always participating. Most of what we did was based on being evaluated. Our thinking was shaped by marks, not meaning. Every task came with a correct way to do it, and most questions had only one right answer.
But life doesn’t work like that. Life needs people who can adapt, think clearly under pressure, and speak up even when they are unsure. These are the kinds of things that actually cause stress later on, and no one really prepared us for them. We leave school with certificates and report cards, but often not the confidence to handle small real-life situations.
Most of us just accepted it. We didn’t question why we were so good at remembering chemical formulas but never learned how to send an email or make an appointment. We move from one classroom to another thinking we are getting ready for the real world, only to realise later that much of what we feel nervous about was never mentioned.
This isn’t about blaming teachers or saying education is useless. There are parts of school that help. But if we still hesitate to do simple things like making a phone call or asking a question out loud, then maybe we need to rethink what we mean by preparation.
I still hesitate when the phone rings. I still practise what I want to say before pressing the call button. And I still wonder why no one ever helped us get used to this part of life. Maybe that’s something worth changing.
It’s not a difficult task. It’s not even complicated. But for some reason, talking to someone over the phone feels like a high-stakes performance. I’ve written essays, filled out answer sheets, and done debates in class. But now, with just one person on the line and no script, I have no clue what to say or how to sound normal.
School taught me how to write letters to fictional principals and fill out formal formats for communication marks. But it never taught me how to actually introduce myself to a real person over a real call. I learned how to write answers that sound impressive, not how to hold conversations that feel natural. That feels like a pretty big gap.
We learned what communication means, but we were rarely asked to practise it in ways that reflect everyday life. It’s strange that we spent so long learning how to memorise facts and solve equations, but things like asking for help, explaining something clearly, or speaking without anxiety were mostly left out.
It’s not just about phone calls. It’s about how school made us good at performing, but not always participating. Most of what we did was based on being evaluated. Our thinking was shaped by marks, not meaning. Every task came with a correct way to do it, and most questions had only one right answer.
But life doesn’t work like that. Life needs people who can adapt, think clearly under pressure, and speak up even when they are unsure. These are the kinds of things that actually cause stress later on, and no one really prepared us for them. We leave school with certificates and report cards, but often not the confidence to handle small real-life situations.
Most of us just accepted it. We didn’t question why we were so good at remembering chemical formulas but never learned how to send an email or make an appointment. We move from one classroom to another thinking we are getting ready for the real world, only to realise later that much of what we feel nervous about was never mentioned.
This isn’t about blaming teachers or saying education is useless. There are parts of school that help. But if we still hesitate to do simple things like making a phone call or asking a question out loud, then maybe we need to rethink what we mean by preparation.
I still hesitate when the phone rings. I still practise what I want to say before pressing the call button. And I still wonder why no one ever helped us get used to this part of life. Maybe that’s something worth changing.
