Regardless of the number of degrees we possess or the type of education we’ve received, there are certain things that only life can teach us. These are the lessons exclusive to the school of life.

1. The meaning of purpose. 

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. ~Friedrich Nietzsche.

Despite graduating with honors and pursuing a successful career, we may still experience a sense of unfulfillment. This is when we realize the significance of seeking meaning and purpose beyond the confines of a stable job and quality education.

2. How to be independent.

“To find yourself, think for yourself.”~Socrates

We learn that we have to stand on our own and take care of ourselves. Our parents and teachers won’t guide us anymore, so it’s just us against the world and we have to be prepared for it, because no one is better equipped to answer our own questions but ourselves.

3. We can’t control time.

You can have it all. Just not all at once. ~Oprah Winfrey

Life teaches us that immediate gratification isn’t always attainable. It reminds us that, despite our adept time management skills and foresight, we still lack control over the passage of time. If the moment isn’t right for us, we must accept that some things are beyond our influence.

4. How to move on from failure.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Winston S. Churchill

In school, failing a class often meant making up for it or studying harder for the next one. However, in life, failure can leave lasting scars and alter our entire outlook on life’s meaning. Life teaches us that failure is inevitable and that success often follows numerous setbacks. Through these experiences, we learn to embrace failure as an integral part of our journey and to move forward with resilience.

5. How to be patient.

“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”~Aristotle

If we can’t control time, then we must be patient enough to wait for what we want. Life doesn’t have a specific timeline set for us by our teachers, we now have to be patient and have faith that the things we want will come when we are ready for it rather than when we want it.

6. We all need love.

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”~Lao Tzu

Not the puppy love or the high school love; we need the real kind of love, the love that is reflected in the support of others, the kindness of others and the love that elevates our lives. We never studied how to find love or how to be loved, so we keep learning as we go, even if it means that we won’t find it right away.

7. Life is difficult.

“Once we truly know that life is difficult-once we truly understand and accept it-then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”~M. Scott Peck

As we grow up, we learn that life is not going to be easy. It is not like a hard semester that will pass, and we will never have to worry about it again. We learn that it can actually get harder as your responsibilities grow. Life teaches us how to roll with the punches to survive and that it is not always smooth sailing.