As you begin making increasingly important and impactful decisions about your life, you’re going to have to navigate this age-old dilemma: when should you follow your heart and when should you heed others’ advice?

Go on — admit it. You’ve thought it. Maybe even said it out loud. “When are we ever gonna use this in real life?”

We’ve all had those moments when we question the real-world applications of whatever we’re doing in school. Hopefully, we’ve also learned that the specific content isn’t always the point: the endgame is actually learning how to learn.

But it’s still a fair question, because we do learn a lot outside of school, in the Classroom of Life.

Take RESILIENCE, for example. Perhaps the single most important skill to develop, resilience is the ability to bounce back from failure, to endure discomfort or embarrassment or even shame and move forward as a stronger and wiser person.

Or ADAPTABILITY — a willingness to flex when life throws you a curveball or when your needs and preferences conflict with someone else’s. Can you pivot, embrace change, find creative solutions?

We all need EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE to some degree. This is the ability to manage your own emotions and to recognize others’ emotions. People are complex and complicated and their intentions aren’t always clear. Hopefully, we learn from this how to communicate and connect effectively.

Of course, there are PRACTICAL SKILLS, such as making and sticking to a budget, fixing a leaky faucet, paying taxes and changing a tire. Being able to do these things yourself can also help you feel more competent in general (which, incidentally, helps with resilience).

On a deeper level, the Classroom of Life also shows us how to DEFINE SUCCESS for ourselves. Success and happiness mean different things to different people and it’s crucial to discover what it means for you. What truly brings you joy? Satisfaction?

Just like in school, in the Classroom of Life, you will get out what you put in. And just like in school, you do this through frequent reflection and metacognition, embracing a growth mindset, taking risks, keeping an open mind and connecting the dots.

The world is constantly providing you with opportunities to learn and evolve. By adopting an observant, reflective and proactive stance, you can be your own greatest teacher.