I wish I knew the things I now know, 10 years ago...

You may not want to read this, and if you do, you may not want to listen... All I can say is, I need to tell you a little story so that one day you can look back and think..."I'm glad I listened" or "I should have listened"

When we're kids, we don't listen to our "elders" instead we listen to our friends... Why you may ask, because how can your mother or father, teacher, aunty, uncle or grandparents ever understand what you're going through?

So take it from me, I'm 21 and I wish I could do it all over again.

In a country like South Africa, it's pretty difficult to get a job, afford your own place or make a living without the right education behind you.

There are so many kids out there that will never get a job because their parents can't afford the fees...

I used to think to myself, why do we need Geography? Why should I study?
Now I think to myself, if only I had listened in Geography, I wish I had studied harder.

So I'm going to share a few things with you, because I think you need to know what it's going to be like later on in life.

Number one: Your friends don't follow you after school, they start their own lives in a different direction.

Number two: When you leave school, your popularity doesn't matter. Nobody cares how many friends you had, they only care about one thing, your grades.

Number three: Why should you take that subject? Let me give you a break down on why you will need that subject when you leave school.

Maths, it doesn't matter if you can add or subtract (that's what calculators are for) but let me tell you, if you want to become a Marine/Naval officer, architect or anything in that line, you're going to need geometry and trigonometry.

Computers, you'll never know enough about computers, so don't think you're smarter than your teacher. Yes you may know more than your parents, but the way technology is increasing and changing, the more you know, the better for you.

History, this is more than likely one of the main subjects to becoming an artist. Why do I need to know about the past, you ask me... Well without the past, there is no today. I've found, because I played the fool in my history class and refused to listen to the "crap" my teacher lectured, I now want to know what happened, why those things happened and if we carry on the way we are, will it happen again. The key to knowing about the past will determine how much of the future we control.

Geography, now why would we want to learn geography when the government keeps changing names? Well, geography isn't only about the names of places, it's also about mountains, rocks, and all those call things that become interesting as you grow older. I tell you, I'm quite ashamed of the fact that I can't tell you anything about the different types of rocks, soil composition and all those cool things. (I know nothing because I didn't listen)

Science, there is nothing more fun than learning to mix a few different substances to create something. Did you know that being able to identify certain gases could actually save your life. You honestly don't realize what you need to know until it's too late. You have the time and the opportunity to learn about all these wonderful things now... Why waste that time, and then waste your time later on when you actually want to know these things?

Biology, for all you photographers out there, this is the most important... Being able to identify a certain species, to be able to say "whoa! that things poisonous, stay away"

All the subjects you have at school are extremely important for when you leave... Enjoy your life and play the fool when you leave... You've got plenty of time. Don't waste your time by not listening. People tell you things for a reason, because they've experienced what they're talking about, they know what it's like, and they don't want you making the same mistake.

Please remember, I'm 21 barely older than you are, and I've made these mistakes.