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A few days ago, Reddit user Abject_Analysis_8602 asked everyone on the platform to list the life skills they believe people should know by the time they're 30, and it immediately went viral. From setting healthy boundaries to basic home maintenance, continue scrolling to check out the most popular replies out of the thousands that poured in.
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#1
Cooking basic meals. It’s not just about impressing friends; it’s essential for survival and saving money. Plus, nothing beats the satisfaction of not having to rely on takeout every night.
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#3
How to research topics and vet information sources.
Rachel Pelz 1 year ago
TIL I learnt the meaning of the word "vet" that has nothing to do with animal doctors :)
#4
How to accept the word no.
I have worked in customer care, all my adult life and entitlement can be seen at all ends of the spectrum. However, the wealthiest people seem to struggle the most with a two letter word.
#5
I know this sounds politically charged but by 30, people should be able to still hold a conversation and be respectful while also disagreeing. It's a common thing this era for people to storm off and talk c**p when they disagree. Blocking people, banning people, etc.
The world has over 8 billion people in it. It's pretentious to assume that everyone should always agree with you.
#6
Set healthy boundaries. Stop letting people invalidate your worth or push you in a direction you aren’t comfortable going. Don’t be afraid to walk away from people, jobs, or situations that are bad for you.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
This is so important! Learning your worth, learning how to say no and not feel bad about it, learn to set personal boundaries and don't feel guilty, these are all things that you're told, but you have to learn them before the lesson sticks. I didn't learn these by the time I was 30, but thankfully, I'm learning these things now. And I got to say, it can be really hard to learn to step away from something that you know that you could fix that you know that you could take care of, but just learning how to step away from doing it? Letting other people do it or let it not get done at all, man that is really hard for someone like me who likes to see things done well.
#7
How to be alone. Sometimes it’s good to just be by yourself.
Michael None 1 year ago
I learned long ago that other people are the source of many of my problems. Disconnect and have a few friends it's a better life.
#9
Basic financial literacy.
Shouldn't need to come to reddit to ask if it's better to pay down your mortgage or the micro loan you took out from the Albanian mafia.
#10
How to make a decision based on facts and objective evidence from credible sources.
#11
Basic car maintenance/knowledge. i.e., changing a tire, checking oil levels, adding oil if needed, changing windshield wipers. A little of preventative maintenance goes a long way.
#12
Listening. Everything doesn’t have to be about you, and you don’t have to have all the answers, sometimes just listening to someone is all they need.
#13
As a chef I’ve got to go with basic food hygiene. Learning how to store your food properly, knowing temperature danger zones, cross contamination & basic COSHH.
The amount of times I’ve had to bite my tongue seeing p**s poor standards in friends & family’s kitchens makes me anxious to eat there.
#14
Household budgeting.
pfeils wife 1 year ago
How to pay a bill FFS. Taxes? Mortgage interest? Credit card dangers? Credit card interest? They don't even teach kids in school how to balance a checkbook. They should be teaching some type of financial responsibility at least... but THIS... this is what's important in Louisiana: "Louisiana is the first state to require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms, beginning in 2025" Yeahhh, cuz that's what the next generation will need to survive.
#15
CPR.
It's one day out of your life in exchange for all the rest of the days of someone else's.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I do a refresher course every 3 years, to redo my certification. It's never been required for my work, it's always been a bonus that I bring to the workplace, but I figure, how horrible will I feel if a loved one ever has an emergency and I'm just standing there and the only thing I can do is try to call an ambulance while they're dying? Taking a CPR course, taking a first aid course, it takes a day. You can save a life.
#17
Being on time. Being late for everything is not an adult activity.
#18
How to have uncomfortable conversations about feelings and defining boundaries. People who don’t have these skills cause more problems than they’re worth.
StumblingThroughLife 1 year ago
It also 50% depends on the person you're discussing it with. There's a reason so many peeps just bite their tongues and inwardly deal with it - esp if you're introverted or are not a voluble peep.
#19
How to read a map.
Geoffrey Scott 1 year ago
Or, as REM advised, "Stand in the place where you are, now face north"
#21
Saying no. Get really good at saying yes in your 20s. It opens lots of doors and teaches you to get outside of your comfort zone to grow. By 30, be ruthless with your time and get good at saying no thoughtfully, politely, and firmly.
#22
Stop buying things on credit
Stop speeding in parking lots
Be nice to others
Realize you aren’t as smart as you think you are. Learn from other people
It’s OK to put your phone down and experience and enjoy the world
No one thinks you are cool because they can hear your car stereo…when your windows are rolled down
Again. Being nice and kind to people will help make the world a better place .
#25
How to walk away from a situation with escalating tensions. Some guy is getting angrier and angrier for any reason, you need to know how to just raise your hands up, apologize genuinely, back away about 6 feet, and then turn around and walk away. This can save you from getting into a fist fight, to saying something you can't ever take back. You can use this with random people on the street, at bars, or even with friends and family that you might get into it with.
If you want to learn more about deescalating a tense situation, check out Verbal Judo
#26
Not everyone can be your friend, learn to walk away from people that threaten your peace of mind.
MacClovia Solis 1 year ago
Sounds like giving up on people but it's more about self preservation.
#27
How to advocate: for yourself, your children, your loved ones. Especially when it comes to healthcare, the system is broken and you need to be proactive in getting what you need.
#28
Cooking basic meals, budgeting, maintenance (of anything you own that need it), and more importantly, communication.
#29
How not to think everything revolves around them.
Insight and personal responsibility.
#30
Being able to express your needs, feelings, and boundaries clearly and respectfully.
#31
1- basic home maintenance. Learn how to change a vacuum belt, fix a door hinge, hang curtains/blinds, unclog a drain, ect.
2- basic car maintenance. Learn how to change a tire, change a car light bulb, check/change your oil, ect.
3- cooking. Not just microwaving something or making a hamburger helper meal. Actual cooking, from scratch.
4- how to have a disagreement with an argument. Disagreements to not need to involve yelling or verbally attacking the other person. Get your facts together and present your side logically.
5- how to speak professionally. When you have to talk to professional people (like a landlord, banker, maintenance worker, or your boss) it's always extremely beneficial to use sir/ma'am and avoid cussing or using words that are to casual (like bro or dude). If you go into these discussions speaking professionally yourself they will respect you more and be more willing to listen to you.
6- know your own habits. Pro tip, tidy your house up before you sit down and relax after work. I have a bad habit where if i sit down to relax after work i dont want to get back up and do anything that feels like more work. Ik this and so i have gotten a routine to work around it. So when i get home from work the first thing i do is a quick tidying up of my house before i let myself sit down and relax.
#34
Manage your healthcare. Booking appointments, getting lab work, knowing how to contact your insurance company.
#36
Not so much a skill but knowing how to admit when you are wrong. Nothing worse than a person that continues to argue their incorrect information.
#38
Basic handyman and home repair skills, like fixing a running toilet, hanging shelving on the wall, etc.
#39
You should have sexual discipline.
I'm not talking about people who have high/low body counts, I'm not talking about people who have a sexual appetite. I'm talking about people who don't exercise *control* over that sexual appetite.
If you're 30+ and you can't go more than 1-2 weeks without having sex with a stranger, or having sex at all, you're not "sex positive" you have a problem.
#40
How to use forgiveness to resolve issues, both with others and with yourself. The ability to forgive yourself will massively improve your mental state.
Also basic life skills: How to live cordially with another person. How to really clean a room. How to cook a few good decent full meals. How to do maintenance and minor repairs on home and cars. How to handle finances.
#45
How to advocate for yourself.
Via knowing your boundaries.
For when you need medical help.
To cutting ties & walking away from harmful people/situations.
Understanding how to be your own support system.
Communicating directly & seeing things from a birds eye perspective, not just your own biased viewpoint.
#48
Honestly, everyone should know how to budget by the time they’re 30. I mean, I once treated myself to takeout every night for a month because I “forgot” I had bills to pay. Spoiler: I ended up living off instant noodles and regret. 😂 If you can master the art of not blowing your entire paycheck on snacks and impulse buys, you’re basically a financial wizard!
#50
The absolute basics of car maintenance. How to change a tire SAFELY. What to do in an automotive emergency when driving. What the different warning lights on your dash mean.
#52
Changing a tire.
Rachel Pelz 1 year ago
I think that was the fourth time on this list. Which is great, so now we know how to change all four tyres.
#55
How to humanely euthanize a sick cow with dynamite.
Waste-Bobcat9849:
It’s good practice for dealing with stranded whales
What do you think ?
Rachel Pelz 1 year ago
It may be possible to burn this down to 10-20 important things without losing much content. But I may just be over-critical these days.
Rachel Pelz 1 year ago
It may be possible to burn this down to 10-20 important things without losing much content. But I may just be over-critical these days.
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