Write to Win (Round 6): What is a lesson learned in school that will be useful later in life?

If you told me school does not teach students anything, I would disagree entirely. I definitely owe my skills to my teachers and classmates, who have taught me valuable lessons over the years! For me, the most eye-opening and useful skill that I have learned without doubt is teamwork.

Projects can be overwhelming – I am sure you and I both know – and there is a common problem when it comes to group ones: a lack of teamwork. Group projects always overwhelmed me, but it hit me one day – teamwork is crucial for triumph.

Everyone had different ideas and opinions, and I did not know how to approach the project. I realised each person brought something unique to the table and started to adapt. We faced our share of disagreements, but those moments truly taught me how to communicate better. At first, I thought communication was not that important, but learning to listen and compromise was truly a game-changer.

When we finally pieced everything together and saw what we created as a group, the sense of accomplishment was incredible. School taught me teamwork is not just about getting things done but also about understanding others and respecting their opinions. I am sure you know: “teamwork makes the dream work!”

Write to Win (Round 5): If you did not have to work, what would you do with your time?

The English word “education” is derived from the Latin educare, which means to train, lead or “bring forth”. For me, the most valuable lesson school brought forth was not academic but personal: the art of setting boundaries. A few years ago, helping others meant breaking my back and exhausting everything I had at my disposal. I firmly believed that I would fail if I could not help someone.

Looking back, it was not worth it and definitely negatively affected my life. It was only when I came across a quote – “How can you help others if you can’t even help yourself?” – in the second academic term of the year that I realised I had to set boundaries to make a difference. School has helped “educare” (bring forth) an ability to set boundaries, and I can help others without feeling empty and drained walking home. This will be useful in the future as it will prevent me from spreading myself too thin.

School teaches us many indispensable lessons such as time management, how to cooperate with others and responsibility. The most useful one for me is seeing the bigger picture.

Imagine it’s a Sunday, and your friends ask you to hang out, maybe to watch a film or play some video games. However, you have an important test coming up that you have yet to finish studying for. You are tempted to socialise but decide to sacrifice your play date and hit the books to prepare for your upcoming test instead.

Or, as another example, imagine you are paired up with a classmate you do not often talk to for a project. These are all instances that have happened to me before. While uneventful, the experiences taught me to see the bigger picture and prioritise important tasks so that I am able to adapt to a range of predicaments, not only in school but in real life as well.

Write to Win (Round 4): What product would you stock up on if it was being discontinued?

Shockingly, the most invaluable thing I learned from school is not something related to academics but with socialising. Admittedly, I was not the most emotionally intelligent person when I first started school, and I struggled with befriending peers. What I lacked was the ability to read the room. Through many interactions with classmates, I realise communication goes way beyond the words we say. The art lies in the subtle, non-verbal cues in between the lines.

It was no piece of cake to be an active listener, interpreting expressions, gestures and even eye contact all at once. However, being able to pick up on these signals and adapt to the vibe of a conversation granted me the ticket to fitting in. Moreover, it became apparent how others felt in different situations, enabling me to understand and empathise with them. I learned to focus on other people.

In short, school is basically a miniature version of society, and sensing the vibe is a skill that is practical and lifelong. Whether in a corporate setting, during conflict resolution or developing personal relationships, such skills will always come in handy.